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Radical Writer Mamas
April 23, 2007
I went out to meet Ariel Gore, China Martens, and Annie Downey at a book signing tonight, and as I expected, they kicked ass.
They are touring together on their Radical Writer Mamas tour, and were extremely interesting to listen to. I picked up How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead by Gore and The Future Generation by Martens, who was hilarious and quite possibly the coolest writer I’ve ever witnessed in person. I especially enjoyed her stories about her daughter, who as a teenager was embarrassed of her “poor, writer mom” but then “turned rad” (according to China) at age 19 and got “Made in China” tattooed on her lower back.
I’ve already read Downey’s Hot and Bothered.
I was especially impressed by Gore’s reading. Here’s a quote from the above book’s introduction:
“‘But I don’t have any time to write,’ my student says. And I don’t ask her how it is, then, that she has time to come to class. I’m glad to have her, even empty-handed. Instead, I offer some suggestions: If you don’t have time to write, stop answering the phone. Change your e-mail address. Kill your television. If you don’t have a baby, have one. If you have a baby, get a sitter. If you work too much, work more. If you don’t work enough, work less. If there’s a problem, exaggerate it. If you’re broke, go to the food bank. If you have too much money, give it away. If you’re north, go south. If you’re south, go north. If you don’t drink, start. If you drink, sober up. If you’re in school, drop out. If you’re out of school, drop in. If you believe you have a year to live, imagine you have a hundred. If you believe you have a hundred years to live, imagine you only have one. If you’re sane, go crazy. If you’re crazy, snap out of it. If you’ve got a partner, break up. If you’re single, find a lover! The shock of the new—shake yourself awake. There is only this moment, this night, this remembrance rolling toward you from the distant past, this blank page, this inspiration yielding itself to you. Will you meet it?“
She signed the book, “For Rachel, who accelerates through danger, XO, Ariel Gore,” leading me to wish I was as equally awesome.
And here’s some pictures (Gore first, then Martens) from the camera phone:
Categories: Daily, Pittsburgh
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