Ramapo and Clemson

Last week, I was in New Jersey and South Carolina for writer stuff. There was a tight timeline, so I was not able to indulge in any barbecue or 2 lb. hamburgers. In Clemson, however, I did eat a Munchie Sub. It was called the "All In" and consisted of chicken strips, onion rings, cheese sticks, french fries, and american cheese "all stuffed into a hoagie roll." I ate this less than thirty minutes before my reading. Why do I do this to myself? I don't know. I have gained enough weight in the last few months that I can't wear my wedding ring because it has left a permanent indention on my finger, a noticeable depression.

I went to Ramapo College on the 4th and met with eight of their students to discuss their work. It was fun, though intense, to meet with them and discuss these incredibly diverse stories and novellas. It was nice to see how invested they were in their work. Then I read with the poet Kevin Craft and that was a lot of fun.

Then I went to Clemson, SC, for the Clemson Literary Festival. My wife and I were both reading, so that was a treat. I also got to see Rhett Iseman Trull, a poet that I have a geeky obsession with. Her work is so amazing. And I got to hear writers I really love, Marcy Dermansky, Oindrila Mukherjee, John McNally, and, of course, Leigh Anne Couch. Jillian Weise, who teaches at Clemson, put the festival together. She wrote a novel, The Colony, that kind of blew me away. It's so bizarre and wonderful.

More readings to come and so more posts will follow.