ANN ARBOR TOP 10

10 Bad Ass Things About DOGZPLOT In ANN ARBOR

1. Getting to read with my super novel writing workshop group (a.k.a. Aaron Burch, Matt Bell, and Elizabeth Ellen). True blessing to get the opportunity to celebrate the novel with friends who read early drafts of it and passed on some really great criticism and wisdom in the process.

2. Many many thanks to Elizabeth Ellen for hosting the event in her beautiful home in Ann Arbor and for coming up with the idea of reading off the top balcony. And that cheese. It's just some really good shit.

3. Finding out everyone in the room applied for the same couple of jobs and none of us got any of them. This isn't really bad ass, but its memorable.

4. Finally meeting Josh Olsen after so many emails and FB messages.

5. Sean Kilpatrick in the "fistfucking rules" tank top was pretty awesome. Along with seeing him drink the better part of a fifth of 101 Wild Turkey and not even really being able to tell he had a buzz.


6. Really cool that so many Eastern Michigan University folks were representin'. It's always cool to meet new EMU folks and share all of our secrets, hopes, regrets, fortunes and misfortunes, and just shit talk in general.

7. Aaron hosting the event by reading snippets from Jesus Angel Garcia's recent story in Monkeybicycle and replacing the characters' names in the stories with the names of the actual readers. I got it all on video. Really a must see. Or must listen actually, since I messed up the recording. And thanks to Matt Bell for suggesting Aaron take over hosting duties, as my hosting abilities are notoriously not great.


8. Dan Wickett and his daughter showing up before they snuck off to a midnight showing of Harry Potter. Really cool of them to stop in and show some love.

9. Book swapping with people whose books I'm honored to swap mine with.

10. Really really regret that I couldn't get in on the poker game. But I've got promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep.