Literary Weekend

I would have to say that this past weekend was the most literariest weekend I've had this year. It started with dinner on Friday night with my editor, Don Weise (above). He bought me dinner and we talked books. He said I should expect to look over cover art sometime in June. There might a chance that though "Talking to the Moon" is scheduled for a February 2007 publication, it might actually be in stores by Christmas!



Then we walked over to the Pacific Asia Museum to see my friend Andrew Lam (above) read from his first book, Perfume Dreams. Andrew is a remarkable writer. I had a blast seeing him. It was doubly special because writer Paul Bens was there, too.



After the reading, Don and I hung out some more and he told me that one of his authors on his fall list is the great Gore Vidal (above). It's apparently Mr. Vidal's last book of fiction, so there's a big buzz going around. If my book was published as planned it would have been on the same list as Gore Vidal's book of short stories. In a way, I'm glad my novel was pushed back to 2007. I'm sure my little book would have been passed over with all the attention Vidal's book would be getting.


On Saturday, I called Don to let him know what a terrific time I had and to see if he needed anything. Don handed the phone to an author he was lunching with. It was character actor Rip Taylor (above), who'll be doing his memoir with Don. Mr. Taylor says "Mabuhay!" to me and wants to know if I'll be observing the immigrant strike on Monday. He said Beverly Hills is going to shut down without the immigrants doing all the work. I couldn't help but laugh, because Mr. Taylor has this infectiously funny voice.


On Saturday afternoon, I finished reading a novel called "Behind the Moon," it's a book from Australia that's making its way to the US. I was asked to blurb it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm sure it'll make a splash for the author Hsu-Ming Teo (above). I think 2007 will be the year of the "Moon" books. With her novel and mine called "Talking to the Moon" on the shelves.


On Sunday, I went to the LA Times Bookfair to see former writing teacher Hope Edelman (above). She's terrific. I went from booth to booth and got some free books on Buddhism. I ran into Andrew Lam, who was a panelist, and he took me to lunch at the Author's lounge. I ran into other writers I knew like Janet Fitch and Diana Wagman.


On Sunday evening, I did the Dead Poetry Slam for Smartgals, reading the poetry of the divine Ms. Gwendolym Brooks (above).


Whew! Oh, and somewhere in between I went computer shopping. I didn't buy anything--but I'm close!