Comments on: I’ve eliminated friends who have broken my spines.

By: Isabella Golightly

Isabella Golightly — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:15:38 +0000

Clive James, one of the funniest men on the planet – I dare you all to read ‘Unreliable Memoirs’ in public and not wet your pants laughing (I did), and Lois McMaster Bujold, who writes Space Opera & Fantasty… that is all, but for me, that’s enough.

Still sad about the t-shirt though.

By: Ahlstedt

Ahlstedt — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:50:08 +0000

My best author story isn’t a signed book, but rather the micro-cassette from my answering machine when Dorothy Allison called me to say in the nicest possible way that I could make a short film of 7 pages from Bastard out of Carolina, her novel, but that I couldn’t get rights to sell it anywhere. And she left a # so I could call back. I have nothing to play it on, but you know I still own the cassette.

Oh, by the by, I gave you an award today. So please stop by or send a spokesperson to collect it. I love your blog, you make me laugh until I cry and you have good taste in Mary Janes. Trifecta….

By: Ashley, The Accidental Olympian

Ashley, The Accidental Olympian — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:24:35 +0000

I too collect authors signatures. Favorites would probably be…

Augusten Burroughs because he was loud and cocky while reading on stage, yet calm and personal during the one-on-one readings. Plus, he took my author signing virginity.

Heather Armstrong of Dooce.com because the moment she opened her mouth to speak to the audience it felt like listening to an old friend. Those words online translated perfectly in person. There is no posturing online, it’s just Heather being Heather. Strangely, it was a relief.

And David Sedaris because he took the time to speak to EACH AND EVERY PERSON AT HIS READING. Yes it was irritating to wait 6 hours to have my book signed, but once it was my turn he predicted that my boyfriend and I would have a son and name him Cletus and then drew a picture of my future spawn. Made up for all 6 of those long hours.

By: BHJ

BHJ — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:16:44 +0000

My plan was to ask Gary Snyder to write the Japanese symbol for sunyata in my book, he would think I was cool and different from the other autograph seekers, and then we’d smoke a joint.

He corrected my pronunciation.

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:25:25 +0000

Pen dents!

This is funny to me because yesterday I wrote about loving to analyze handwriting. The “G” in Gass is AMAZING.

My favorite recent inscription is from David Sedaris. He drew my young friend a turtle and gave her a bottle of hotel shampoo. He also gave out condoms and random items to others getting their books signed.

http://www.twitpic.com/3ffvn

By: betsy

betsy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:54:16 +0000

I scared Anne Lamott because I was creepy stalker fan and WOULD NOT STOP TALKING AHHH.

Reynolds Price is a delightful man; we talked for quite a long time and he complemented my necklace and…I asked if I could write him and he said “I would love it if you wrote to me!” and gave me his email address. And I never did because I am chicken.

Also chicken – I stood beside Allen Ginsberg for what must have been 10 minutes, trying to get up the nerve to ask him to sign the dog-eared copy of On The Road in my back pocket. I never did. But seeing AG speak at the art institute in that city on that night with that particular carload of friends was so so so perfect, if he had taken my copy of On The Road in his hands, I might have burst into flames or something. So it’s probably for the best.

He led us in a song. Peter Orlansky drummed, and we sang/chanted And all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

By: Alyce

Alyce — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:14:23 +0000

Shortly after I moved to NYC to be with JB, we went to see Madeleine L’Engle and got a signed copy of A Wrinkle in Time. I think if we ever split (knock wood, spits, throws salt over shoulder) that it is the one thing I would want.

I’ll have to think if I have any others…

By: Pamela Goldsteen

Pamela Goldsteen — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:00:54 +0000

Judging from your signature collection, I would say you are pretty brave, and have good friends who know you well.

I, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to ask anyone for their signature recently when I went to a reading for Unbuttoned, an anthology about breast feeding, despite the fact that several of my very own friends contributed. Luckily, my 10 year-old daughter was happy to do my dirty work for me.

By: Velma

Velma — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:51:24 +0000

My favorite signed book is one I inherited when my great-uncle passed away. He used to produce the Jack Paar show and knew all sorts of New York glitterati. I found a copy of one of Dorothy Parker’s books in his apartment after he died, inscribed: “For Tom – I wish I’d written a better book for such a nice man.”

By: K a b l o o e y

K a b l o o e y — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:15:51 +0000

Oh, by the by, I gave you an award today. So please stop by or send a spokesperson to collect it. I love your blog, you make me laugh until I cry and you have good taste in Mary Janes. Trifecta.