They’ve got me slated for a 4pm slot, according to an email I didn’t read from last week, but found tonight on the MBTA in. But I’ll be there! See ya tomorrow! Does that mean I should make my husband tag along as well? Two books!
They sent out emails last week with what time the book store wanted people to show up at in slots. I was originally going to come at 12, but my slot is 4pm. And any last minute sign ups would be 4pm as well according to the reminder email sent out earlier today.
No....I'm feeling under the weather and the rain was horrible here all day.....I'm sorry. It just was one of those days that my gut told me I was better off staying here....
Will the same apply when you're in Austin? I mean, i don't want 198 things autographed. I'm not THAT greedy. I have a copy of pursuit of happiness id like signed also, if possible.
Do you need a kangaroo after all? Walt can't make it so I'll check the weathe to see if I'll comer. I mean I can work the crowd....but I think you got yourself another best best seller.
Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you.
I went out and sang at open mic tonight and can't lie ....I rocked the house....
It was absolutely everything I dreamed about doing and nothing I would have considered ever doing before I met you
Here is my experience at yesterday's signing in NYC...
The event was scheduled for noon-8pm. I had things to do and arrived at 2:15 and was dismayed to see the line started in the middle of 12th St and wrapped around Broadway. Soon a (very nice) line monitor came around and said, "You see the corner of 12th way down there? It's gonna be about a 2 hour wait just to get inside when you get to there." So the book I'd just started came out of my bag and I leaned on the fortunate scaffolding and settled in. Checked the time later... in a half hour the line had progressed about 6 feet. Oy.
I read, I listened to some podcasts, read some more...
Two and a half hours later I'd made it to the corner! Right about then everyone seemed to be in the same mood: angry. Why weren't there timed entrances? Why did we have to keep standing in the sun (no scaffolding on the 12th St side)? Should we leave and come back?
But we persisted. And started talking to each other. About our favorite Chuck books, other authors we liked, and browsed the carts of bargain books we were now against. Joked about finding the most incongruous one for Chuck to sign... but we were told we could only have two things signed (the new book being one). We started making up answers for when people would ask what we were in line for... sorry to those tourists I told that the line was for the free STD clinic.
Then the violent thunderstorm came as we huddled under the awnings... but we weren't giving up. Around hour five the storm passed and we eventually got inside where we were given our copies of the new book.
Really should have heeded the advice sent to bring water and food, as I hadn't had a thing in about 7 hours now so I was getting really punchy. Interesting to see what others had brought to be signed... a LOT of "Fight Club"s in many differing pressings, a hamster in a cage (don't know exactly why she had that, but... ), and one innocent-looking woman with a copy of "Snuff" (I held my oft-read copy of "Adjustment Day").
Two showing of "Oppenheimer" after I first got in line, it was at last my turn. I'm pathetic at these meet-and-greets with people whose work I respect so I rambled a bit and told him that in my time on line I had gone through all of the Kubler-Ross stages of grief:
Denial (I'm sure this will only be 90 minutes at most)
Anger (WHY isn't this organized?)
Bargaining (Could I go in front of you?)
Depression (Chuck is going to leave before we get there, isn't he?)
Acceptance (We're going to be inside in just 30 minutes!)
Long story short (too late): it was worth the wait. I got to awkwardly tell him I loved his work, he listened to me, he posed for pics with fun props (no spoilers) and many thanks to the terrific staff photog at The Strand who didn't just wait for us to pose and take one pic (you give them your phone), but snapped away while we were talking.
All in all? Worth every hour. And when I got home exhausted, dehydrated, and starved and finally looked at what he'd written in my book I had to laugh:
I ended up making friends on line during my noon to five o’clock wait. Went around the corner for a brownie. Brought my laptop and did some work. Had an amazing experience with Chuck, very relaxed and meaningful. Worth every minute.
I'm glad to know that coming earlier wouldn't have been shorter! As the line manager guy said, Chuck was taking his time with people and everyone was coming out happy.
I was there with too! I met the lady with the hamster whose name was Mochi (the hamster not the lady). She came straight from school where she works. It was a wild experience but, like you said, well worth it. For fans of Fight Club, those were some of the nicest 300 people I've met.
I was really close to you in the line. (You're not the guy whose books I accidentally tried to steal, are you?) 😅 I was with three other people. We got there at around 2:00...and two hours later, there were about six people behind us. We had to laugh at our terrible timing. If we had come an hour or two later than we did, it would have hardly made a difference in our place in line.
It was so worth it, though! And that inscription Chuck put in your book is amazing!
I got there at 11am and had the best time talking to a guy in front of me in line! Making line friends is good. The Strand people were super nice, too.
Hey Roy! 👏🏼 Caught your name when you introduced yourself to Chuck. Only true New Yorkers can stand in line for 5 hours, get rained on, share social media rainbow photos, chat/bemuse/kvetch and NEVER ONCE share our given names. After all the digital distraction I could stand (and some analog book reading thrown in for good measure), I’m glad we finally chatted. The last 2 hours just flew by, didn’t it…thanks for the Oppie reference (BTW - that one’s for FREE)…🤣
In 1982 William Douglas met Robin Benedict in "Good Time Charlie's" on LaGrange Street in what was called The Combat Zone, right near Boston Common, and promptly engaged her services. In March of '83, he bludgeoned the prostitute with a hammer. A 14-yr-old kid from the same town as the one where he lived killed himself one month later (unrelated), which is what the book I'm working on is actually about. So if you could get me some pictures of Good Time Charlie's, or LaGrange Street, or figure out what happened to Robin's body, that would be swell. It's all going in the book so I'm counting on you, Chuck! And say hi to my bro if he turns up. Thanks.
If I was in Boston I’d be hauling a sack over my back with all your books in it like some kind of very specific Santa that only distributes the works of Chuck Palahniuk to the good boys and girls.
Looking forward to tomorrow!!
Oh good, I haven’t met you yet so when I get there I should have my 600 page manuscript printed out? Lol
Seriously, though I’m going to get there around 12:30 - 1 how long can we bother you for? Is there like a schedule?
Oh shit I’m actually at 6. :(
Jealous of anyone who can make it for noon. I'll be stuck on the pike trying to get there for 5ish... Heavy on the ish.
Those in Boston are a lucky lot, they are.
Oh please don't shoot smack, Sir.
They’ve got me slated for a 4pm slot, according to an email I didn’t read from last week, but found tonight on the MBTA in. But I’ll be there! See ya tomorrow! Does that mean I should make my husband tag along as well? Two books!
There’s slots? Jeez
They sent out emails last week with what time the book store wanted people to show up at in slots. I was originally going to come at 12, but my slot is 4pm. And any last minute sign ups would be 4pm as well according to the reminder email sent out earlier today.
Yeah mine says 4 then another says 6. Apparently mine went to spam. I’ll come at 4.
Ah! There’s the silver lining. An email with an earlier time. Not quite 12, but also not 6!
My slot is 4......if I come it's most likely at 4.....I've got an extra ticket...
Are you here rn?
No....I'm feeling under the weather and the rain was horrible here all day.....I'm sorry. It just was one of those days that my gut told me I was better off staying here....
Will the same apply when you're in Austin? I mean, i don't want 198 things autographed. I'm not THAT greedy. I have a copy of pursuit of happiness id like signed also, if possible.
Do you need a kangaroo after all? Walt can't make it so I'll check the weathe to see if I'll comer. I mean I can work the crowd....but I think you got yourself another best best seller.
Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you.
I went out and sang at open mic tonight and can't lie ....I rocked the house....
It was absolutely everything I dreamed about doing and nothing I would have considered ever doing before I met you
True fucking story...
Here is my experience at yesterday's signing in NYC...
The event was scheduled for noon-8pm. I had things to do and arrived at 2:15 and was dismayed to see the line started in the middle of 12th St and wrapped around Broadway. Soon a (very nice) line monitor came around and said, "You see the corner of 12th way down there? It's gonna be about a 2 hour wait just to get inside when you get to there." So the book I'd just started came out of my bag and I leaned on the fortunate scaffolding and settled in. Checked the time later... in a half hour the line had progressed about 6 feet. Oy.
I read, I listened to some podcasts, read some more...
Two and a half hours later I'd made it to the corner! Right about then everyone seemed to be in the same mood: angry. Why weren't there timed entrances? Why did we have to keep standing in the sun (no scaffolding on the 12th St side)? Should we leave and come back?
But we persisted. And started talking to each other. About our favorite Chuck books, other authors we liked, and browsed the carts of bargain books we were now against. Joked about finding the most incongruous one for Chuck to sign... but we were told we could only have two things signed (the new book being one). We started making up answers for when people would ask what we were in line for... sorry to those tourists I told that the line was for the free STD clinic.
Then the violent thunderstorm came as we huddled under the awnings... but we weren't giving up. Around hour five the storm passed and we eventually got inside where we were given our copies of the new book.
Really should have heeded the advice sent to bring water and food, as I hadn't had a thing in about 7 hours now so I was getting really punchy. Interesting to see what others had brought to be signed... a LOT of "Fight Club"s in many differing pressings, a hamster in a cage (don't know exactly why she had that, but... ), and one innocent-looking woman with a copy of "Snuff" (I held my oft-read copy of "Adjustment Day").
Two showing of "Oppenheimer" after I first got in line, it was at last my turn. I'm pathetic at these meet-and-greets with people whose work I respect so I rambled a bit and told him that in my time on line I had gone through all of the Kubler-Ross stages of grief:
Denial (I'm sure this will only be 90 minutes at most)
Anger (WHY isn't this organized?)
Bargaining (Could I go in front of you?)
Depression (Chuck is going to leave before we get there, isn't he?)
Acceptance (We're going to be inside in just 30 minutes!)
Long story short (too late): it was worth the wait. I got to awkwardly tell him I loved his work, he listened to me, he posed for pics with fun props (no spoilers) and many thanks to the terrific staff photog at The Strand who didn't just wait for us to pose and take one pic (you give them your phone), but snapped away while we were talking.
All in all? Worth every hour. And when I got home exhausted, dehydrated, and starved and finally looked at what he'd written in my book I had to laugh:
"For Roy (...) who has arrived at Acceptance"
I ended up making friends on line during my noon to five o’clock wait. Went around the corner for a brownie. Brought my laptop and did some work. Had an amazing experience with Chuck, very relaxed and meaningful. Worth every minute.
I'm glad to know that coming earlier wouldn't have been shorter! As the line manager guy said, Chuck was taking his time with people and everyone was coming out happy.
I was there with too! I met the lady with the hamster whose name was Mochi (the hamster not the lady). She came straight from school where she works. It was a wild experience but, like you said, well worth it. For fans of Fight Club, those were some of the nicest 300 people I've met.
Thank you for taking the time to share your adventure.
I was really close to you in the line. (You're not the guy whose books I accidentally tried to steal, are you?) 😅 I was with three other people. We got there at around 2:00...and two hours later, there were about six people behind us. We had to laugh at our terrible timing. If we had come an hour or two later than we did, it would have hardly made a difference in our place in line.
It was so worth it, though! And that inscription Chuck put in your book is amazing!
I got there at 11am and had the best time talking to a guy in front of me in line! Making line friends is good. The Strand people were super nice, too.
Yes! The Strand guy working the line was especially great. He felt like a friend by the end.
He was so nice!
He is an Iversen
Yes, that was me!
That's too funny! Sorry again. I was a little loopy by that time.
What an entertaining story!
Hey Roy! 👏🏼 Caught your name when you introduced yourself to Chuck. Only true New Yorkers can stand in line for 5 hours, get rained on, share social media rainbow photos, chat/bemuse/kvetch and NEVER ONCE share our given names. After all the digital distraction I could stand (and some analog book reading thrown in for good measure), I’m glad we finally chatted. The last 2 hours just flew by, didn’t it…thanks for the Oppie reference (BTW - that one’s for FREE)…🤣
Lol so true! Thanks for being my kvetch buddy on line!
And my motto has always been "steal what's good"
Wish I was closer. Come to Princeton! And the new book is great.
In 1982 William Douglas met Robin Benedict in "Good Time Charlie's" on LaGrange Street in what was called The Combat Zone, right near Boston Common, and promptly engaged her services. In March of '83, he bludgeoned the prostitute with a hammer. A 14-yr-old kid from the same town as the one where he lived killed himself one month later (unrelated), which is what the book I'm working on is actually about. So if you could get me some pictures of Good Time Charlie's, or LaGrange Street, or figure out what happened to Robin's body, that would be swell. It's all going in the book so I'm counting on you, Chuck! And say hi to my bro if he turns up. Thanks.
LaGrange Street is a half-mile from the State House! Wowzers!
If I were in Boston I'd so be there!!!
Chuck, I will bring you 9 tons of stone so that you can build a ruined mausoleum right in the store lol
Great bookshop. Sadly I’m not back in Boston but will tell my friends :)
If I was in Boston I’d be hauling a sack over my back with all your books in it like some kind of very specific Santa that only distributes the works of Chuck Palahniuk to the good boys and girls.
It was fun seeing Chuck in NYC.