Despite my worrying, the reading went very well. There were quite a few people there that didn't know, and nearly all of them bought chapbooks, I wound up unloading at least twelve I think. I started with some earlier stuff from Bloody Mary, which usually get a good response, and then some from the new/old chapbook. Then some more recent stuff, and a couple of errata pieces, finishing with some new unpublished ones. It's good to get away from the usual poetry crowds (which is what usually composes the audience at most readings and most of whom are at least somewhat familiar with what I do) and in front of new audience--always gives a certain rush.
Afterwards, out to dinner w/ the parents, then took a walk a block or so over to the lake, and then back to have dessert and open my early birthday presents (it's not until the 25th, but they were coming this weekend). I'm still trying to decide whether to go to the big Poetry Explosion reading tomorrow night, where a few folks I know are reading I guess it'll depend on whether I'm too tired after work tomorrow. That Sunday shift is short, but brutal on the boredom. The last couple of days I've been working on the red riding hood poems and will post the last couple of parts soon. If I count each section as a separate poem, I haven't fallen all that far behind in my poem a day challenge, and just need something for today.
