Finding the Ideal Reader
The Ideal Reader
When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but a vague spot a little east of Kansas. I think of the books on library shelves, without their jackets, years old, and a countryish teen-aged boy finding them, and having them speak to him. The reviews, the stacks in Brentano's, are just hurdles to get over, to place the books on that shelf.
- John Updike
I've always loved this response by Updike to the question of who he sees as his "ideal" reader. It's very much an Updike quote - homestrung and sweet and lyrical. And, like a lot of Updike's writing, I admire it a great deal even if it's not something that particularly resonates with me.
Since They're Gone was published last month, I've had the fortune to do a number of fun events, and one of the questions I've been asked most often at these events is, "Why did you write this book?" It's not a question I can easily answer because, truthfully, I don't know the answer. I've written about this before, but my fiction is hard for me to identify. I can tell you the specific reason I wrote an essay, years later, but I have no idea what led to a work of fiction...even hours after I've started.
Of course, one reason we all read is to connect to something, and perhaps that's also the reason I write. And, going further, that's where the identity of this "ideal reader" exists. Someone we want to reach, someone who will laugh with and love what we've created.
There's nothing in the world quite like the experience of a book being released. It's rather terrifying. There you are, your entire being in a few hundred pages, and it will be read and explored and discarded by anyone who wants. It's painfully vulnerable, this exposure.
But then the connection.
The notes from readers who stayed up late reading your book. The lovely sentiment that your prose resonated, the magical movement of your characters from your imagination to someone else's existence. The sense that something intensely private to you has been realized, welcomed, cherished. It's a lovely reward and, like the most precious moments of life, a shared experience.
This was obviously a hard year to release a book, and publishing a book late in the year presents industry complications (the difficult timing to make "best of the year" lists, the flood of other titles that were delayed from the spring, etc.). But I couldn't have imagined a better reception for They're Gone, and for Deb and Cessy.
Thank you for letting me share them with you. You can click the graphic below to learn more about They're Gone.
Oline Cogdill is one of crime fiction's best reviewers, and I was VERY NERVOUS when I learned that she was going to review They're Gone. Happily, her review (first published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel) was glowing. After I read it, so was I. You can check it out HERE.
The Kojo Nnamdi Show
I weote an article (more on this below) about D.C. crime fiction for the Washington City Paper, and the folks at the Kojo Nnamdi Show came across it and asked me to be on their show. Didn't I say that calmly? Wasn't that offhand and impressive? Can you tell I'm bouncing in my chair? It'll be me in conversation with Mr. Nnamdi, as well as Cheryl Head and George Pelecanos, and it'll air this Wednesday at 12:30 PM. You can learn more HERE.
Note the calm way I also said George Pelecanos. I need to play more poker.
Adapting to 2020: A Writer's Panel
You might remember a few months ago when I announced my events in promotion of They're Gone, and how I wanted to do them differently. This panel, a laid-back conversation with Jess Lourey, HIlary Davidson, and Brianna Labuskes, is exactly what I had in mind - a chat with writers I admire a great deal, both personally and professionally. This event is hosted by the D.C. Public Library as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) on Wednesday at 7 PM and we'll discuss craft, writing in 2020 and, I dunno, probably go off on a tangent about kittens or something. You can learn more HERE.
Sara Jones Trio at Blue House Productions
I am absolutely not singing. I repeat, I am not singing. But I am going to be watching this event. If you've attended a virtual D.C. Noir at the Bar, then you've had the chance to see Sara Jones steal the show with her wondrous voice. She's going to have a full virtual concert this Friday night! I've been bugging her to do this for a long time and I'm so glad it's going to happen.
Here are the details from Sara:
1. Date and Time: THIS FRIDAY December 4 at 7:30. Show will be available to watch at any time after Fri. It’s just like Netflix, except more music-y!
2. If you’re willing and able, pass on some $ toward the “ticket/cover charge.” Give what you like!
Venmo: @Chris-Grasso-5
Zelle: chrisgrassomusic@gmail.com
PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/chrisgrassomusic
Credit Cards: https://tinyurl.com/ChrisGrassoMusic
3. Copy and Paste Links to watch. Cozy up on your couch with a drink, TV dinner, fleece blanket, or whatever makes you feel warm!
The concert will stream on these links:
https://youtu.be/ubOzpT6ryVQ
https://www.facebook.com/bluehousestream
Lit Up with Chantal Tseng
This is going to be SO MUCH FUN. Chantal Tseng has been another regular at virtual D.C. Noir at the Bars this year and has entertained the crowd with very cool and unique custom cocktails for each event. For years, Chantal hosted a popular, in-person "book club" where she would discuss books and pair them with signature drinks. The event has gone virtual, and me and the writer Susanna Calkins will be joining her this coming Saturday. And the event is in honor of the repeal of Prohibition. If you're local, you can purchase kits to make Chantal's drinks at home through Grand Cata (if not, you can e-mail Chantal and she'll hook you up with info for your area)! All of the information can be found HERE.
Readings on the Pike
Hannah Grieco is one of the D.C. region's best literary citizens, and she runs a wonderful series called "Readings on the Pike." I'm part of the lineup for December's event, and it's an honor to be included in a series I've long admired. If you're interested in discovering voices from this area in a wide variety of genres, then you should absolutely click HERE.
D.C. Virtual Noir at the Bar
The last virtual Noir at the Bar of the year...and, also, the last in this format! It's been so fun and, honestly, rewarding to do this series, but I want to make some changes for 2021. Those changes will be announced soon (probably in the next newsletter), but I'm happy that we're ending 2020 with a bang! That lineup is INCREDIBLE, and we'll have Sara Jones and Chantal Tseng back! Click HERE for more info.
Eliza Nellums hit it out of the park with her debut novel, All That's Bright and Gone. It was one of Amazon's Best Books for December of 2019, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly as well as love from the Washington Post, Booklist, Booktrib, the NY Journal of Books, and more. I met her last year and, although every single conversation we've ever had has been awkward and decidedly uncertain, I like her a lot and I'm excited that the paperback of All That's Bright and Gone has been released.
And a writer Eliza recommends you should read? David Heska Wanbli Weiden.
I can't say enough right now about David Heska Wanbli Weiden's debut thriller WINTER COUNTS. This book is getting a ton of buzz, and for good reason: it feels totally fresh and deeply authentic.The story follows Virgil Wounded Horse, the local enforcer of the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, as he tracks down the source of a heroin influx to the reservation, but it also addresses the systematic failures of justice experienced by the Sicangu Lakota Nation, of which the author is a member. Such an engaging read.
As an FYI, Eliza Nellums is having a launch party for the paperback release of All That's Bright and Gone this Thursday at 7 PM ET. You can find more information HERE. And David Heska Wanbli Weiden will be one of the readers at December's Virtual Noir at the Bar!
It's contest time! The monthly contest winner wins copies of the books listed in my "Two Writers You Should Read" segment. So, for this month, the winner of All That's Bright and Gone and Winter Counts is:
Khp*ke@***.com
Congrats! Check your e-mail for a separate note from me, and happy reading!
I had two nonfiction pieces come out recently that I'm really proud of - I'd been thinking about both for a year or so, and I'm happy I finally got around to writing them. The first was about writing outside of representation, and I interviewed writers S.A. Cosby, Steph Cha, and Radha Vatsal about their experiences. The second was a longer piece for the Washington City Paper (mentioned earlier) about D.C. crime fiction, and why this area is such a hub for the genre.
Plus, I chatted with Nancie Clare on her wonderful podcast "Speaking of Mysteries" and completely rambled, and I wrote about DC/MD/VA writers who have November/December crime fiction publications for the Independent.
Until next time, much love to all of you. Happy Reading!