Trippy

Tonight to the new "Fusion City" event at the Edinburgh Castle tavern, where three out of the four featured readers -- Kim Addonizio, Charlie Anders, and Katia Noyes -- were friends from different parts and times of my life. And when someone pointed me out and said "He used to do Frighten the Horses, then Daphne Gottlieb, who also appeared, quinted at me and said "Oh yeah, we must have read together once at Red Dora's Bearded Lady," a dykey cafe and performance space that closed at least five years ago.

Kim Addonizio just got a two-book deal for new novels!

National Book Award finalist, Guggenheim Fellow and author of LITTLE BEAUTIES Kim Addonizio's MY DREAMS OUT ON THE STREET, a bittersweet love story between a young homeless woman and the husband she's long since lost (but is truly meant for), again to Marysue Rucci at Simon & Schuster, in a "good deal," in a two-book deal, by Rob McQuilkin at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin (NA).

When I congratulated her, she looked at me funny and asked where I'd heard it. Publisher's Marketplace, I said. That's where a "nice deal" is under $50,000, a "very nice" deal is 50-100K, and a "good deal" is 100-150K. Way to go Kim!

What was trippy about the evening was host Kate Braverman, who performed poetry to trancy music with a rock beat. So psychedelic -- it was like 1968, and the red curtains hanging on the wall also gave a mid-century feel. Next month she's doing something on Wm. Vollmann's Europe Central, which I'm reading now.