Readings-R-Scary

I’m scheduled to give a reading at Fall for the Book, a literary festival at George Mason U. on September 25 at 3:00 outside the Johnson Center. This will be my sixth reading of Falling Women and Other Stories, my short story collection. I did my first at Shelfstealer’s Book Launch in San Miguel de Allende at their wonderful book festival right after Falling Women and Other Stories was released in February 2012 . There I read with my fellow author, Kerry Dunn. That reading occurred early in the morning and was so much fun since the author Leslie Hall Pinder and her friend Kim worked with Kerry and me the night before on our deliveries as well as the passages we were to read.

My next reading took place at my friend Kathleen Carr’s gorgeous house last July. We had at least fifty people in attendance. Some had never been to a reading before. I read a short passage from the first story in the collection, a story I am partial to because it won a PEN and because it comes straight from the heart. One reviewer puzzled as to why this story led off the collection and stated that it wasn’t my strongest. Whatever, I love the story and my editor, Sheryl Dunn, chose it to begin the collection. (She chose wisely since it bookends with the last story.)

When I finished reading my passage, someone in front insisted I not leave the audience hanging, that I needed to read the ending. So I skipped ahead and read…too long. This is the biggest mistake one can make at a reading! And I ought to have told that someone that if she wanted to know the ending, she needed to buy the book.

My third reading occurred at Marymount University and was especially fun because a class of students attended as well as some dear colleagues. Another mistake I made, though, was to try and read an entire story. Too long again. The next reading at the Writer’s Center I chose a shorter short story, but this one took certain details from my son’s life. He was in attendance and appeared embarrassed. Sorry, I didn’t think of you when I chose that one. Forgive me.

I prepared for my reading at One More Page Book Store. I have taught the short story and used the definition of a story to guide my reading. The definition I like is that a short story is a moment in time when a character changes. Then I read specific passages from various stories that illustrated this definition. I rushed a bit through these passages wanting to keep the reading brief. I need to slow down at the next reading. A short story collection is a Whitman Sampler of fiction, and an author who reads from a collection needs to give each audience member a tiny sweet sample to take home.