There are days when I sit back in amazement over the plethora of talent that surrounds our company. The days of November 2,3, and 4 was just such an experience when we spent three wonderful days in New York reading at many of the hoo ha venues.
Special thanks for making it all happen go to Kristan Ryan, our tough chief editor who never lets anyone get away with a dangling participle or run-on sentence and Joanna Reed, a sweet, lovely woman who smiles bravely in the midst of adversity and can navigate through Manhattan’s insane traffic like a seasoned cabbie. Yes, Joanna, we learned the hard way: don’t piss off the bike riders – we have the spit on our windshield to prove it.
Twelve of our wonderful authors joined us for the fun. We read at the Pink Pony, Day and Night, YMCA, and the KGB Lit Bar. Regardless of audience size, our authors read a wonderful sampling of their books, reminding me all over again why I fell in love with their works in the first place.
Unless you live in New York you don’t really get the idea of readings. These people take readings to a higher art form, and after experiencing it, I can see why. It’s a marvelous opportunity to see author’s works come to life.
Thad Rutkowski brought the house down with his performance readings from his book Tetched.
Janice Eidus made our hearts swell when she put her voice to her main character, Emma Rosen, in her upcoming release The War of the Rosens.
Kristan Ryan had the audience in stitches reading her prologue of The Hair Princess and the Hog Temple Incident.
John Cother’s lilting Southern accent was the perfect companion to his reading of his YA adult book, Fear of Spiders, a story about two teenagers who live through a harrowing summer. The audience was mesmerized.
IPPY finalist, Ray Wong read from his moving and lovely The Pacific Between, offering the perfect flavor and balance of Asian flair and human angst.
Playwright, Patrick Gabridgewrote did a touching rendition of his intriguing, unique love story. Tornado Siren is a must read for anyone with a heart. Publisher’s Weekly loved his book, and so did we. Another sigh just for good measure.
Doug Buchs read with such emotion from The Mescalero Project that he had me tearing up. Again. This story should be required reading alongside The Lord of the Flies, as it offers a fascinating twist to human nature. I read this book a couple years ago, and it still gives me goosebumps for it’s amazing portrayal of human brutality and ultimate peace.
Ben Franklin finalist, R. Beck, read from her moving book, Elements of Recovery, an extremely moving and sensitive piece about coming to terms with “who am I?”
If you love romance, you need go no further than Linda Alexander’s soulful reading of Weekends in New England.
Richard Manichello, on the other hand, excelled at busting up the audience with his reading of a particularly tense scene in his action/adventure/love/introspective piece, The Couloir. His blend of mixing humor and tension is masterful, and he milked it to the hilt. Way to go, Richard.
Douglas Light’s East Fifth Bliss touches my heart every time I pick up the book. It was especially sweet to have a lovely Library Journal review come out while we were in New York. Douglas’s reading about the hapless Morris Bliss brought the character to life. I just may have to turn around and read the book all over again.
Judith Jaeger brought her character of Connie to life in her touching book The Secret Thief. Connie no longer was a character on a page, but a living, breathing woman suffering from a secret legacy that influenced her young life. Judith, I tip my hat to you.
Kim Beam is another reader who brought her character to life in Kosher – an especially interesting task considering the character is a twelve year-old boy. This young adult book is a must read for anyone who remembers what it’s like to be young, scared about life, and experiencing their first love. Kim, you rocked.
Thank you so much, one and all. I bow before greatness and am honored to be a part of your creative experience.
1 Comment | 
Permalink
Posted by lynnpricewrites 
If you want the inside scoop on what floats our boats, The Writer's Essential Tackle Box is a must have. 
