CONNECTING WITH WRITERS: Cheyenne’s Literary Connection gives readers the opportunity to hear from -- and visit with -- noted authors. The two-day event begins with a free writing workshop and ends with a gala book signing. As in past years, I bought books from all of the presenters and stood in line to get personalized signatures. This year my selections were “The Tender Bar” by J.R. Moehringer; “90 Miles” by Virgil Suarez; “The Problem with Murmur Lee” by Connie May Fowler; “Tales of a Female Nomad” by Rita Golden Gelman; and “Walking the High Ridge” by Robert Michael Pyle. Four of these writers have numerous books to choose from. Virgil has 20-some volumes of poetry, memoir, and fiction. Robert has penned numerous non-fiction books about Bigfoot, Western water issues, and butterflies, including a guide for kids and the illustrated version of Vladimir Nabokov’s butterfly book (much of Nabokov’s lepidoptery took place in WYO). J.R. was the only one of the writers with a single published book. City Newsstand & Bookstore is one of the sponsors and the official bookseller for the Literary Connection. Buyer Teresa Burke said the store sold all 85 copies of “The Tender Bar.” I bought one, a first edition, and dove right into it Sunday night. Always a mistake, starting a book before bedtime. I had to pull myself away from his story of a kid raised in the aptly-named “Dickens” Bar in Manhasset, New York. It is funny and “tender” (thus the title) and too darn readable. The characters include JR’s large extended family that live in his grandfather’s one-bathroom “Shit House;” his estranged radio deejay father, known only as “The Voice;” and the numerous barflies and philosophers at Dickens. I guess the only drawback to the book is my lingering doubt, stoked by recent fake memoirs, as to the veracity of the work. No such flap has erupted over “The Tender Bar,” but curse you, James Frey, for your transgressions. J.R. is national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and lives in Denver. He’s also a wonderful speaker, as he showed during his LC talk on Saturday.
- posted by Michael Shay @ 11:49 AM