by Kelly Pickerill
It’s a good day to be at Lemuria.
Karen Russell will sign and read this evening starting at five. I’ve been anticipating this event since months before Swamplandia! came out, when, to use Kaycie’s phrase, there was a “knock-down drag-out bookseller battle” over advanced copies of the book (yes, I was involved, and yes, I was victorious). We hadn’t yet booked the signing at that point, but I’m sure our enthusiasm over the book helped persuade our Random House rep, Liz, to make it happen.
The wait is almost over! Just a few more hours are left until we get to meet Russell, and if you’re coming to the reading, I can already tell you you’re in for a treat. I know this because my dad saw her a few weeks ago in Florida, at my “bookstore alma mater,” the Vero Beach Book Center.
Dad told me that Florida author Carl Hiaasen introduced her, heralding Russell’s sophomore work as the establishment of a great talent.
Dad says, “Ms. Russell read from chapter one to a hushed crowd. Though she has a soft, unassuming voice, the story held her audience in rapt attention. After she read, she answered questions and kept us laughing with her charming, witty banter. Many who attended the event were curious about her life, the book, her writing process and future plans. Despite all the attention she’s been drawing, she seemed so modest and expressed appreciation for the good response her book’s receiving. It was a wonderful afternoon with her.”
We took a lot of reserve orders for Wednesday’s event with Téa Obreht. In fact, we were worried we wouldn’t have enough unreserved books left for the great turnout we had. Nothing beats hearing an author read. Especially while drinking a beer and hanging out in the dot com building. And you can’t help but feel more jazzed about a signed book, too, when you’ve watched the hand that actually wrote the book put a pen to it.
Simply everything about author events makes me happy. Have I mentioned it yet? Today’s a good day.
Above: Téa Obreht talking with Emily after the event.
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