Inducted into ...

... the Hall of...

Last night I had the surreal experience of knowing, for at least five minutes or so, what it feels like to be an author lucky enough to read at Shaman Drum Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI.  I wasn't there to read, but to give a talk, which led into an interactive discussion, about building literary communities.

I had the extremely nice surprise, however, of having Ray McDaniel tell me to sit down for a minute as he was going to introduce me.  The authors I refer to above, those who've read at Shaman Drum, they'll know what this was like.  Ray, an accomplished author in his own right, though you'll never hear it from him, and beloved poetry professor at the University of Michigan, doesn't walk up and say, and now so and so reading from their new story collection.  No.  Ray typically has put together a 2-3 page single spaced introduction that leaves most authors looking over their shoulders wondering just who in the hell is going to read that night - when did Delillo or Oates or Roth bump you from the slot?  Seriously, it must be what being inducted into a Hall of Fame feels like.

I can't tell you much at all of what Ray said in those five minutes or so.  The fact that he was doing so, and doing so off the cuff, no script in hand, stunned me.  As I mentioned last night, there's a solid reason the first six years of the EWN were almost completely done behind the keys of a computer.  I-n-t-r-o-v--- you get the idea.  But having to overcome whatever shakes and nervousness I was feeling were well worth having that introduction.  So, many thanks to Ray for that.  And to Karl Pohrt - owner of Shaman Drum and one not at all unfamiliar with the concept of Building Literary Communities - it was his idea for this even in the first place, and if you ever talk to ANY other independent store in the country, you'll understand why - not one of them doesn't know who Karl is or have any lack of wonderful things to say about him.

And thanks to those who braved the prattling on and came out to support myself, Shaman Drum, and the idea of community building - Steve Gillis, Elizabeth Ellen, Aaron Burch, Matt Bell, Stefan Kiesbye, Keith Taylor, Jeff Kass, Anna Leigh Clark, Sam Jones, Laura Thomas, and Steve's two neighbors.  And, of course, again - Karl Pohrt and Ray McDaniel.  The discussion they all brought to the table when I was done rambling was an event in itself.

Comments

[Anna Clark]

A great time! You were thoughtful and clear-spoken, Dan. And there were handouts!