08 February 2011

We went away but then we came back.

Yeah, so we took our act to Washington, and now we're back. The snow didn't go anywhere. See that street up there? It's not covered with ice, is it? Sigh.

Between not having any readings or signings of my own work, and Panel Struck Down By Act of God, this AWP was all about celebrating other people's books. I felt like I went to this AWP as an editor rather than as a poet. I'm not sure that I feel completely comfortable that way. Okay, I know I don't, but as someone who tends to prefer promoting others over herself, I did like that part just fine.

And of course there was The Monkey & the Wrench, which sold out of our regular copies so we had to start selling the comps I'd brought. It was such a busy bookfair. I had flashbacks to being a barista in Ann Arbor. No downtime at the table whatsoever, which meant not being able to sneak over to signings, and subsequently missing a lot of friends. Such a bummer!

I arrived a day late and missed probably like a third of the people I wanted to see. I couldn't go to or stay at some of the offsites and parties due to claustrophobia. But otherwise it was a very fine AWP.

We did get to do some sightseeing, and that was one of my favorite parts. I always kick myself when I don't get to go to at least one museum, etc.

It's hard to believe it's all over.

Let's do it again next year.

1 comment:

Lyle Daggett said...

I got to D.C. and back without incident, somehow the blizzard of the millenium missed Minneapolis, and (by some luck) didn't strand the flight crew elsewhere for my flight.

I enjoyed the time there. I wasn't in any panels or other "events," was there just lurking and spectating, and prowling the bookfair. Got a little writing done during the downtime hours.

I've written about AWP in my blog, here, if you care to take a look.

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