Chicago, that somber city

The Friday we just experienced was a 13th, thus it was sinister, but maybe not surprising to see this voodoo bike parked outside the Chicago Hilton on the way back to the AWP Conference: Fortunately, the sights inside the exhibit halls were more auspicious, including Crystal, our Chicago-based intern, helping to (wo)man the Rose Metal Press table alongside Carol Guess, who was doing a signing for Tinderbox Lawn: Everyone was highly impressed with their saleswomanship and professionalism, particularly Chris Tonelli and Dan Boehl: Elsewhere, University of Arkansas Press marketing director Tom Lavoie saw that all was well at their booth, and even took a moment from his sell sell selling to peruse Live Nude Girl in front of the handsome display; it is important to have a marketing team that really gets you, and Tom and Melissa King (not pictured) totally are that team: On our way to lunch with the editors of our upcoming Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Prose Poetry, Abby, Dan, Gary and I passed a sign that reminded me yet again why Chicago is, as they say, my kinda town:
But despite the allure of Obamartinis, we continued on to the luscious Eleven City Diner, where Abby and I split what we believe to be the best French toast of our collective lives; note that while the toast set us back a cool $10.95, the Guilt (listed at the bottom of the menu) was free: As we chatted about the finer points of the forthcoming Field Guide, we discovered Dan and Gary's taste in sandwiches appears to be as good as their taste in prose poems. Dan... ...and Gary: From 2-3, while valiantly fighting off a French toast-induced food coma, I did a signing at the Switchback Books table, staffed by Brandi Homan, pictured here, and next to Claire Hero and Kristy Bowen (both sort of pictured in the background, next to the chair, recently vacated by me), representing dancing girl press: And last but not least, I fully intended to help get all experimental on everyone's ass at Links Hall... ...courtesy of the Red Rover reading series, hosted by Jen Karmin and Lisa Janssen, pictured here with their awesome tent: ...but I've been sort of low-grade sick for the last two weeks (with antibiotics and everything!), and I had to bail at the intermission. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was feverish. Martin and I made our way back to the train, past the snowmen and no trespassing signs... ...to rest up for tomorrow and the rest of the tour. One more day of conferencing left! Come on down to the Northwest exhibit hall and say hey.