Them's Fightin' Words

Lessons from this tour:

1) Unless you’re doing it yourself, don’t expect it’s going to happen.
2) Always get a phone number.
3) Don’t try to organize anything in other cities unless you have The Internet at home (thank you work, for the time I stole).

That said, the tour was fun, if humbling in spots. Ottawa was the best – I was feeling more rested and in myself than in TO and Mtl. And less intimidated, since I knew most of the audience. Though there was that one piece I didn’t read due to the appearance of a very straight acquaintance of mine. Not girl-who-sleeps-with-boy kind of straight. The kind of straight that rules out talk of ass-fucking.

Montréal, oh, Montréal. You make me nervous and drag me, hands shaking, to the front of the room. Same thing happened this year as last. No one would look at me while I read. Well, that’s a lie. Two men maintained startling eye contact the entire time, and one woman (cute! cute!) seemed to neither lose interest nor be embarrassed. The rest of the audience: either bored or afraid of being implicated in what I was saying. Perhaps I’m being defensive.

But I also feel totally lucky to have read with Wendy, who is fierce and explosive and carries her conviction like a flag. Beautifully angry and smart.

Also a treat to read with Alexis O’Hara and Jen Whiteford. Alexis was highly entertaining. She smashed a cell phone as her pièce de résistance. An amazing performer. Jen’s story was funny, sweet and perfectly captured. She has an astounding ability to make everyday events seem interesting. That maybe sounds backhanded and certainly doesn’t sound as fawning as I’d like. It’s a rare talent. Buy her zines and devour them. See her read whenever you can.

Surely Mariko would have impressed me too.

At any rate, I’m glad it’s over. My next reading is in October. Best get busy writing, considering how long it takes me to get anything accomplished.