Author: Wil

Back when I was promoting Dancing Barefoot, (which has gotten a really nice bounce in sales this last week — I’m sure because of WWdN readers — so thank you!) I talked about it a LOT on my site. Partly, that was because Barefoot-related things dominated my life at the time . . . but it was also because I’ve been told (and experienced firsthand) that books only sell as well as their authors promote them. This is the best way I have to promote my books on my own, so I’m going to do that in the coming months. I just want to be honest about that right now. If this sort of thing bugs you, stop reading now, and go check out the best combination since Gretzky and Kurri: They Might Be Giants and Homestar Runner. Seriously, you guys.
Still here? Okay. Here are a few mid-morning Geek things:

• There’s another excerpt from Just A Geek at California Authors dot com. I am a huge fan of California Authors, and it’s very exciting to be mentioned by them.
• I’ve been thinking a lot about how to describe Just A Geek, because I’ve already heard a lot of people (especially booksellers) mistakenly assuming it’s a typical celebrity bio (it’s really not. I worked very hard to avoid that trap, and I hope it’s more David Sedaris than David Caruso) or a Star Trek book. I’m working hard to correct this misunderstanding (and hopefully reverse the “pushback” it’s created), thusly: Just A Geek is as much a story about Star Trek as Stand By Me is a story about walking down train tracks to find a dead body — sure, it’s part of the story, but it’s not what the story is about. It’s really a story about my journey from trying to be someone (or something) to please everyone else, to discovering that I’m happiest when I’m just myself — Just A Geek.
• I hear that the major chains are shelving Geek in Television, or in Sci-Fi. I’m not too crazy about that, because I think it belongs in Biography. So if you’re looking for it in Biography, and you can’t find it, go look in Television. I’m trying to get them to move it, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful. And if you really want to help me out, you could ask for it, even if you already own it, or don’t plan on buying it. That sort of customer inquiry filters back to Bookstore Mountain, and the Bookstore Overlords may decide to give it some better shelving in stores. If that happens, I’ll . . . uh . . . well, I can’t afford to buy everyone a cookie, so I’ll just have to offer even more of my eternal gratitude 🙂
• I have three confirmed readings and signings for August: August 6 at Powell’s Technical Annex in Portland, August 15 at Borders in Hollywood (on Sunset and Vine! Cool!) and August 21 at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. I’m also working on a SUPER COOL event at the ACME. If that goes off well, I could end up with something very cool.
• I’ll be on The David Lawrence Show this Thursday from 7-10 PDT to talk about Just A Geek, and I’m sure I’ll get to read some selections from it. I’ll post all the specific information about it on Thursday.

That should do it for today. Thanks for listening! Go reward yourself with Corporate MoFo’s hilarious explaination of The DaVinci Code. (I’ll admit it: I read the DaVinci Code, and I enjoyed it. It’s the first “popcorn” book I’ve read since Hunt for Red October) CMF wins a cauldron of bonus points, too, for working Frank Zappa and Frank Capra into the same column. Good work, Ken!

The phonecam art show I was in was called SENT, and it was at the Standard hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The building used to be the headquarters for an oil company, or an accounting firm, or something like that, and the new owners have held on to just enough of the steel and marble architecture of its former identity to give it a space-age, ultramodern feel. Think Tomorrowland in about 1978.
My wife and kids were out of town, so my friend Burns came with me to the show. We hung out and talked with lots of people, but after a couple of hours, I got antsy.
“Do you have to get up early tomorrow?” I said.
“No. I’m going to the Dodger game at 1,” he said.
“Want to get out of here and go play cards?”
“Are you finally taking me to Odessa?”
“No. It’s Saturday, so it’s a dance club tonight,” I said. “I hear it gets pretty crazy.”
“Plato’s retreat crazy?” He said.
“You stole that from my blog!” I said.
We both laughed.
“Let’s go to Commerce,” I said.
“Okay.”
While I said goodbye to Sean Bonner, one of the curators of the show who is also a very good friend, this über hot girl who I was convinced had been giving me “the look” all night walked up to us.
“Can I ask you something?” She said. I held my breath.
If she says, “Didn’t you used to be an actor,” I’m jumping out the window.
“Sure,” I said.
She looked at me with deep, blue, swimming pool eyes and said, “How did you get into this show?”
I exhaled, and pointed to Sean. “I know the curator.”
Sean laughed. “He’s also a pretty good photographer.”
“Well, I liked your pictures. Especially the one of your speedometer.”
My brain furiously looked for double entendres, so I could have a beer drinkin’ story to share with the guys.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“You’re welcome,” she said coyly, as she turned, and walked away.
“Goddamn,” Burns said. “How come girls don’t talk to me like that?”
“Because you’re not married.” I said.
I faced Sean. “Thanks for letting me be part of the show. We’re taking off to play poker.”
“Are you going to Odessa?”
I shook my head. “No. It’s a dance club on Saturday nights.”
“I hear it gets pretty crazy on Saturdays,” he said.
“Plato’s Retreat crazy?” I said.
“Are you quoting your own blog?” Burns said.
“Yes. Yes I am.”
“Geek.”
We said goodbye, and walked to the elevator.
“That was pretty good,” I said. “From the moment we decided to leave to the actual leaving, only ten minutes elapsed.”
“That’s got to be some kind of record,” Burns said, as we quickly descended forty feet to the first floor.
“This place would be very cool,” he said as we crossed the hipster-filled lobby, “if it wasn’t for all the hipsters.”
He was right. We navigated our way around several Von Dutch shirts, and into a cloud of clove smoke just outside the door.
“I guess ten is prime time for the place on a weekend,” I said.
“Looks like it,” Burns said.
We hooked around the corner of the building, onto Flower street, and down a steep driveway and into the parking garage. A neon sign flashed “PARK” then “HERE” on a red wall.
“I keep expecting to walk into Quincy, or Rockford, or one of those guys here.”
“I don’t think this is James Garner’s type of place,” he said.
“No, but this garage is right out of 1980. I bet you the A*Team would have parked their van in here.” I said.
“Geek.”
We got into my car, and headed to the freeway. The click clack of stacking chips was already in my ears as we drove away.

I’ve heard from tons of WWdN readers that Just A Geek is shipping from Amazon, and is also starting to show up in stores!
I also found out from my publisher that at O’Reilly dot com, they’ve put up an entire chapter of the bookthat you can download and read, and print out, and feed to your pet turkey.
I got my author copies a few weeks ago and, contrary to what you may think, hardcover books are not the best choice for late-night cuddling . . . papercuts and — okay, I’ve said too much already.
I know that it’s not the first time I’ve said this, and it certainly won’t be the last . . . but I want to thank everyone who has read this lame website over the years, and everyone who supported Dancing Barefoot, and Just A Geek. None of this would have happened without you guys.
Rock. \m/

I’m in an art show called SENT that opens this Saturday.
SENT is a phonecam show, featuring work from a very eclectic group of people, and I’m honored and lucky to be part of it. I’ve always wanted to work with Weird Al and Glen E. Friedman, and this is probably the closest I’ll ever get . . . so I’m going to enjoy it. The images I sent (har) are very different from what you usually see in my moblog, and I think they mostly don’t suck.
The opening reception is free, and it would RULE if WWdN readers came out to share the love.
Here’s the info:
Date: Saturday, July 10.
Time: 7-10 PM
Location: The Standard Hotel 550 South Flower Street in Downtown Los Angeles.
The exhibition runs from the 10th until the 17th.

I just got back from an ACME meeting, where my sketch (a hyper-reality sketch about poker “tells”) totally killed!
Last time I pitched, I died horribly. I mean, I sucked out loud. I was that great big sucking sound Ross Perot talked about in 1992 . . . so it was great to get up there and give up some funny. Actually, just about everyone gave up some fantastic funny tonight, and I remembered why I tough it out even when my sketch writing sucks: I’m fiercely proud of the ACME, and I love being around the creative people who make up the company.
I’m currently crushed under deadlines, and trying to spin a thousand plates in exciting patterns, but I’m keeping notes on the numerous cool things that are happening right now. I’ll write them up when I get some of these deadlines behind me.
Until then, here’s a little bit of a poker story I’m working on in my “spare” time:

The small blind folds, and it’s folded to the button, who calls. The turn is the 4s. I think about all the hands I’ve had recently where I got killed: I can’t remember the last time AA held up for me, and I’ve had AK, KK, KJ —pretty much every starting hand from Group 1 and 2 — cracked so many times in limit games, I’m starting to hope for The Hammer. When a draw starts to look good, you know you’re in trouble . . .
From a far away place, someone picks up my hands, and shoves all my chips forward. At the same time, he opens my mouth, and says, “All-in.” The second mistake.

Gotta go. Morpheus is calling . . .