Underground Literary America Tour Update

Crazy Carl and I are back in Ohio tonight. Last night we read at Quimby's in Chicago. It's a great bookstore but the neighborhood it's in has become significantly yuppied out since the last time I read there four years ago (I almost had to drive to Gary, Indiana just to find a parking space). It was great to read with Grant Schreiber of Judas Goat Quarterly, and to see some friendly faces in the audience including fellow Underground Literary Alliance member Adam Hardin. Carl was convinced a character from his novel had sent her aunt to spy on him, and I think a gang of suspected hecklers slipped out the back once Crazy Carl offered them beer and I put on the Mexican wrestling mask and passed out Emus postcards (Indiana apparently makes us paranoid). We had a great time reading and then shopping, and hit the road, stopping in at the Horseshoe casino for dinner. The blackjack table wouldn't let us bet books so we hit the road again. We originally wanted to stay in Iowa, but someone put a spell on us and we ended up driving up I-94 into Michigan fruitlessly looking for a hotel room. We finally found one just as dawn broke over Lansing. We enjoyed watching profanity and profundity on the end of Text Me TV and were first in line for the continental breakfast, but we probably would have gotten more sleep had we just continued on to our publisher's house and slept in the front yard until they came out to fetch us along with the morning newspaper. When we did arrive at Jeff's, we had a delightful visit exploring the woods, swimming, and meeting his family and friends. We even chucked spears for fun. Possibly the coolest house I've ever been in. After a spot of afternoon tea, we drove back to Ohio, the state so friendly it says "Hi" in the middle (Michigan also says "Hi" in the middle if you're keeping track at home). Once home we were greeted by my wonderful wife and we enjoyed the rest of our day off. Tomorrow we finish the tour in Pittsburgh at Joseph-Beth Books!