January 29th, 2010 / 11:00 am
Snippets

Heather Christle said something interesting last night in the Q & A session after her great reading. I don’t have the exact quote, and she was joking, but when Jeremiah asked how an online reading differed from F & B (Flesh and Blood), Heather said something about this HTMLGiant live stream marking the end of flesh and blood readings. I felt simultaneously a little apocalyptic and a little excited that I could wear my pajamas to any reading ever. Will face-to -ace readings change? Will they stream? Will they go hybrid?

42 Comments

  1. Rebekah

      Some hybrid is more likely, I think, than an entire overhaul of the current system. Who wants to get rid of the drinking-after-readings? Nobody, that’s who.

      But, in all seriousness, I do think that F&B readings will have to get less boring. Which is good.

  2. Rebekah

      Some hybrid is more likely, I think, than an entire overhaul of the current system. Who wants to get rid of the drinking-after-readings? Nobody, that’s who.

      But, in all seriousness, I do think that F&B readings will have to get less boring. Which is good.

  3. Tom

      I rarely attend F&B readings. They are tremendously boring, and I don’t think the social aspect overcomes that boredom. That said, I certainly don’t want to watch one in my apartment either, because I do want the social part. I think the answer is in less reading, more talking. More interacting. Live interviews by skilled interviewers (and I cannot stress skilled enough here). Just no more readings. Please!

  4. Tom

      I rarely attend F&B readings. They are tremendously boring, and I don’t think the social aspect overcomes that boredom. That said, I certainly don’t want to watch one in my apartment either, because I do want the social part. I think the answer is in less reading, more talking. More interacting. Live interviews by skilled interviewers (and I cannot stress skilled enough here). Just no more readings. Please!

  5. Ryan Call

      that is a good idea: live intervies

  6. Ryan Call

      that is a good idea: live intervies

  7. Joseph Young

      Readings are to drinking as church is to football.

      [Though I neither go to church nor watch football.]

  8. Joseph Young

      Readings are to drinking as church is to football.

      [Though I neither go to church nor watch football.]

  9. David E

      I’ve never done a reading before. I’m doing one in Bmore at the end of February. I am thinking I will read from Tim O’Brien’s the things they carried (the norman bowker story, where he drives around the lake) and continue for a few minutes (unless someone yells out b/c they recognize the story). then i’ll read my little turd of a story and sit down, my face red, thinking i won’t do this ever again

  10. David E

      I’ve never done a reading before. I’m doing one in Bmore at the end of February. I am thinking I will read from Tim O’Brien’s the things they carried (the norman bowker story, where he drives around the lake) and continue for a few minutes (unless someone yells out b/c they recognize the story). then i’ll read my little turd of a story and sit down, my face red, thinking i won’t do this ever again

  11. Alexis Orgera

      That’s one of my favorite stories. Someone’s sure to through tomatoes, or beer, at you. Readings can be fun, I think.

  12. Joseph Young

      You are? For 510?

  13. Alexis Orgera

      That’s one of my favorite stories. Someone’s sure to through tomatoes, or beer, at you. Readings can be fun, I think.

  14. Joseph Young

      You are? For 510?

  15. Alexis Orgera

      i’m sorry: throw tomatoes at you.

  16. Alexis Orgera

      i’m sorry: throw tomatoes at you.

  17. Alexis Orgera

      I loved the live Q & A last night–because you get to see the personality of the writer in addition to the performance-personality of the writer.

  18. Alexis Orgera

      I loved the live Q & A last night–because you get to see the personality of the writer in addition to the performance-personality of the writer.

  19. Blake Butler

      the q&a is definitely so fun.

      hm, will have to put this live interview thing into consideration…

  20. Blake Butler

      the q&a is definitely so fun.

      hm, will have to put this live interview thing into consideration…

  21. Merzmensch

      I think, they will exist parallely. I mean, the great thing on live (flesh&blood) reading is the permanent co-existance of reader with audience. The great thing on live (net) reading is the availability all over the world and perhaps – the possibility to storage the readings. So f&b-reading is an one time event. net-reading is rather an archiving literature.

  22. Merzmensch

      I think, they will exist parallely. I mean, the great thing on live (flesh&blood) reading is the permanent co-existance of reader with audience. The great thing on live (net) reading is the availability all over the world and perhaps – the possibility to storage the readings. So f&b-reading is an one time event. net-reading is rather an archiving literature.

  23. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I really want to try using the live streaming AT a live reading, a mix of on-site readers and readers from other cities projected onto the wall or a screen.

  24. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I really want to try using the live streaming AT a live reading, a mix of on-site readers and readers from other cities projected onto the wall or a screen.

  25. Ryan Call
  26. Ryan Call
  27. ce.

      Did I tell you I went and read that story after we bonded over that a few weeks ago in I-don’t-know-what-post-comment-thread-that-was-on?

      Wish I could check out the reading. I’m interested in how many sentences/paragraphs/pages you’ll get away with.

  28. ce.

      Did I tell you I went and read that story after we bonded over that a few weeks ago in I-don’t-know-what-post-comment-thread-that-was-on?

      Wish I could check out the reading. I’m interested in how many sentences/paragraphs/pages you’ll get away with.

  29. ce.

      I don’t see and overhaul or breakdown of live readings. The hybrid I think will be more likely, simply because you can get the social aspect if you’re local, meanwhile allowing an entirely global population to be a part of it as well, not to mention the archival possibilities.

  30. ce.

      I don’t see and overhaul or breakdown of live readings. The hybrid I think will be more likely, simply because you can get the social aspect if you’re local, meanwhile allowing an entirely global population to be a part of it as well, not to mention the archival possibilities.

  31. David E

      Ha, Alexis, or maybe a beer can.

      Maybe I’ll jump into the story and begin reading from the part where he wants to impress his ex by guessing the time w/o looking at his watch.

      That story is just amazing, the way he describes the “wars” his father silently fights or the way he describes fireworks (blowing color into the sky).

      Norman Bowker, more than anyone in that book, has stayed with me all these years.

  32. David E

      Ha, Alexis, or maybe a beer can.

      Maybe I’ll jump into the story and begin reading from the part where he wants to impress his ex by guessing the time w/o looking at his watch.

      That story is just amazing, the way he describes the “wars” his father silently fights or the way he describes fireworks (blowing color into the sky).

      Norman Bowker, more than anyone in that book, has stayed with me all these years.

  33. David E

      Actually the Last Sunday, Last Rites in February.

      I just looked it up to make sure and I see Josh Weil is reading that night too. I am, um, even more biley in my mouth thinking about it.

      Thanks, Joe. I hope to see you at the LDM tomorrow night.

  34. David E

      Actually the Last Sunday, Last Rites in February.

      I just looked it up to make sure and I see Josh Weil is reading that night too. I am, um, even more biley in my mouth thinking about it.

      Thanks, Joe. I hope to see you at the LDM tomorrow night.

  35. David E

      Outstanding! It’s one of those stories that just comes back to me at the weirdest times. I can always picture the water and the car and those kids hiking and his sad visit to the take-out food place and of course his silent father.

      Ha, thanks re the reading. I’m such a ***** that I’ll undoubtedly just go up there and stammer/mumble my way through the reading. I went to the same college that produced Norm Vincent Peale so I should be able to FOCUS AND CONQUER AND EXCEL that night!

  36. David E

      Outstanding! It’s one of those stories that just comes back to me at the weirdest times. I can always picture the water and the car and those kids hiking and his sad visit to the take-out food place and of course his silent father.

      Ha, thanks re the reading. I’m such a ***** that I’ll undoubtedly just go up there and stammer/mumble my way through the reading. I went to the same college that produced Norm Vincent Peale so I should be able to FOCUS AND CONQUER AND EXCEL that night!

  37. Alexis

      Yeah, Norman Bowker sticks with you. As well as that repetitive drive, around and around and around. Sometimes I get dizzy just thinking about it.

  38. Alexis

      Yeah, Norman Bowker sticks with you. As well as that repetitive drive, around and around and around. Sometimes I get dizzy just thinking about it.

  39. Richard

      nice, my boy nik runs that thing – have a great time

  40. Richard

      nice, my boy nik runs that thing – have a great time

  41. david erlewine

      Congrats on your novel, Richard, and thanks. Nik seems like a good guy and his piece in 3 AM was fantastic.

  42. david erlewine

      Congrats on your novel, Richard, and thanks. Nik seems like a good guy and his piece in 3 AM was fantastic.