City of Roses, City of Books

Because it is important to keep your strength up before giving or going to a reading, Meghan James, Sarah Bartlett & Emily Kendal Frey, took us to a Vietnamese restaurant a couple blocks from Powell's for some bun, hon. When the food arrived, it was almost too cute to eat, but we managed:

As you might suspect, Powell's is approximately the best store ever to read in. Scott, the events guy, made us feel comfy and at ease, and even got us some herbal tea from the cafe. Thanks, Scott! Also? Powell's does extensive publicity, so lots of people from the community came out; some of them, such as the gentleman pictured here toward the front, brought cameras and recording devices to preserve the presentation for posterity:
I couldn't decide what to read, a love story or the tale of a creepy photographer, so I gave the audience a choice and they voted, democracy-style. Creepy won by a landslide! Afterwards, they asked lots of questions that required us to turn our eyes skyward and make our we-are-thinking faces... ...including one woman (not pictured), named Jacqueline, whose birthday it was, and who was giving herself the present of taking up nude modeling this year--good luck Jacqueline, and remember: don't lock your knees, because you will totally pass out. When we were done, we went to McMenamins where some of us, having had perhaps a few too many Manhattans the previous night, opted to get some wholesome ice cream treats, such as this cookie: and this milkshake: Scott had us sign a bajillion books, and you can buy copies of Live Nude Girl here and of In the Devil's Territory here. Next up: Seattle.