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February 14, 2006
DYK news and events
My copy of Do You Know What It Means arrived the other day, and I devoured it almost immediately. It's really an elegant little thing, beautifully designed, and the stories are fantastic.
I've already had to do a private reading for family and friends (they humor me so), and had to autograph a copy for Jen the lovely apartment manager when we live now.
This past Sunday the Times-Picayune ran a review of the book that ran over half a news page, with pictures and quotes and banner headlines and everything. You can read it online. It's all pretty much glowing praise, closing with:
"Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" not only captures the valued and unique facets of our culture; it provides a kind of emotional prism, ways of looking at this time of love and rage, fear and anger, despair and fierce -- and I mean fierce -- hope. So, as C.W. Cannon writes in his "New Orleans Manifesto," "See you on the streets."
They mentioned my story. They even mentioned my recipe.
That review right there is all I really need. If the locals get it, if they read it and give it their stamp of approval, then that means we did something good. Everything else is just gravy.
This Thursday, February 16, from 6-9PM, we'll be having a launch party at the reborn Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Avenue in the Ninth Ward. There'll be readings and cooking from the recipe chapter. Admission is free. Gambit Weekly plugged it as one of their "Best Bets" in their events listings (with another glowing mini-review). So if you're in town, come on out and say hi.
We'll also be doing a book signing during the AWP Conference in Austin, March 8-11. Not sure the exact time, but when I find out details I'll let you know.
Finally, there is a reading at the Baton Rouge Barnes & Noble on Sunday, April 2. I'm hoping to be able to make that one as well, but certainly most of the other Louisiana-based authors will be there.
So much time, so little to do...
Posted by ray at February 14, 2006 9:01 PM | Permalink
Categories: [books | katrina | new orleans | writing ]
Comments
Congrats Ray! Wish I could be at the launch in NOLA; maybe I'll make it to AWP.
Posted by: MiGrant at February 14, 2006 10:37 PM
HOLY SHIT! I had no idea!!!!! That's fucking amazing!
awwww....to be in the area for a reading. sigh.
Posted by: Quinn at February 14, 2006 11:17 PM
It's beautifully written, Ray. I'm devouring it slowly, so as to make it last. (But I had to read your essay first, of course.)
Posted by: Bozoette Mary at February 15, 2006 10:22 AM
Wow. That's great, and it sounds like you're going to be part of a great adventure because of it.
Posted by: Stan at February 15, 2006 11:58 AM
The one thing better than knowing you rock is having it widely recognized. Good on ya.
Posted by: Hiromi at February 15, 2006 5:25 PM
Oh hell yeah. I'll see you there, but I ain't wearin' that mime shirt.
Posted by: ashley Morris at February 16, 2006 1:36 AM
I am agitatingly awaiting my copy. Whereisit,whereisit,whereisit????!!!!
Posted by: TravelingMermaid at February 16, 2006 8:14 PM
Thinking of you in New Orleans tonight!
Posted by: Kristi at February 16, 2006 10:33 PM
Congratulations!
And now for an off-topic comment. You ever had a dream that was so bizarre that you couldn't help but wake up? Well, last night I dreamed that you wanted me to go to a Jimmy Buffett concert with you. You were all like, "Come on! Jimmy Buffett is my favourite musician! It'll be great!" And I was all like...uhh...this is too weird...must...wake...up.
Posted by: Rachel at February 18, 2006 7:27 AM
Jimmy Buffett?
Oy....
Posted by: Ray at February 18, 2006 8:41 AM
I'm sorry, Ray, did you say something? I've got my Bryan Adams songs turned up loud, so I might have missed something.
Posted by: Rachel at February 28, 2006 11:50 AM
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