Quakin’
Spent much of Sunday eve working a reading event for Litquake that served as a joint fundraiser for 826 Valencia, Dave Eggers writing-lab/pirate store project for kids.
Though the lineup was spectaular (Glen David Gold, Aimee Bender, Michael Chabon and Eggers himself to name but a few), our publicity was lackluster which led me to believe that we’d get a decent but not great turnout.
I worked the door and, how can I put this? Dave Eggers should run for governor of California. Or failing that he should run for Messiah. I think there’s an opening.
Not only did we turn away 50-75 people after we reached capacity but about a dozen waited patiently in the lobby to see if anyone left the crowded, hot auditorium at intemission so they could slip in. Among them were two adorable young women who didn’t recognize a single author on the bill but looked heartbroken when I told them they might miss Dave reading. They spent the first half of the show camped out on the front stoop like I did for AC/DC tickets 15 years ago.
If this is any indication what sort of place literature has in the minds of this generation, my book is off to a rollicking start. Oh and Dave Eggers should start a cult, while his got all this momenteum built up.