SNUFF Tour: Reading In Austin, TX!

I just got home from this event and it was fan-freakin'-diddly-tastic even if I was lucky line-upper #155 or so!  Lots of fun.  Chuck gave us earplugs, blow up dolls, autograph dogs, books, um... stories, and a good time with Chuck.  He seemed like a really nice guy.  It seemed like the guy who interviewed him (who was from the local Onion A.V. Club, by the by, not the Statesman) hadn't read many of his books and his questions were all kind of - blah, but Chuck was gracious and funny and heartbreaking all at once.  I had a great time and can't wait to hear him read again.

I better get to hear him read again.  I stil have to ask him about one million-billion-gazillion questions about Rant.

We also got bookmarks with non-anal-anal-beads for the promotion of the Choke movie which was pretty gross but hilarious at the same time.  Sorry to fixate on all the stuff they gave us but I never get new shit and the momentos were a nice touch.

He told us a story about his friends' cat, Petey, to start us off and show us that there are good people in the world.  We also got the heating pad story and Chuck recalled some books he read when he was a kid.  He told us about the reactions to his readings of Guts, about people wanting to share intimate stories with him, and the woman that inspired the character of Echo Lawrence.  He also told us some tips for building good stories and what books we should be reading.  I should have brought a pen with me and took notes because I can't remember everything!  DAMN YOU FAULTY BRAIN O' MINE!  Oh yeah - he told us about a strip club he went to in college where a regular would roll up dollar bills, make a cane from them, and tip the dancers by whipping the dollar cane into their crotches.  I hope his grandma isn't reading this.

Hopefully someone else from the Austin stop on the tour will fill in the holes for me.

WOW- The reading was delightful and very entertaining! Although, I agree the man interviewing him, didnt really seem to know his books or the author very well. I thought his questions were very dry, ignorant and mundane. While I was waiting in line- I was two people away from having my books signed- The book people had told us and then chuck that they were going to have to turn us away and we would have to wait until after the reading (this was after they already told most of the line to go ahead and sit down because there wasnt enough time until after the reading, there were only two people behind us) Chuck heard my moaing about this and said " you guys have been waiting in line for a long time- everyone else can wait- I'll go ahead and sign your books now!" He graciously signed all three of my books and took pictures with us. Since there was no one else around we even got to chat with him for awhile! He was SO sweet and down to earth. He even told me he liked my pink hair.  He joked around with us for a while until the Book people hurried him off to get him onto the stage :( 

This was my First reading with him- but defiantly wont be the last!

That's an awesome picture!  Did you get any more? 

It must be Bookpeople because Chuck is a REALLY nice guy and he couldn't possibly have an agent or rep that would make the demands on the fans that Bookpeople carried out. I don't personally know the employees or the employer but I can say I've lived in Austin since 1986 and shopped at this store ever since, but what I experienced ( during the Choke signing ) are no brain automaton nazi Bookpeople workers who can't think for themselves. I was there during the Choke signing...years ago..brought my pre-purchased copy with me to the store and had to practically bribe the robot that works there to let me in with it.  "It wasn't purchased here so you'll have to leave now..." WTF is going on there? Now seeing the "heads-up restrictions" from this article, I'm glad I didn't go this year.  When did Bookpeople become Stalag 17? Why the exclusive you don't belong here vibe? Will Doubleday be putting in retina scans for their authors?

 It's not like I was carrying multiple copies of Monsters, Survivor and Club with me for Chuck's signature. One book. That's all I had. Bill Clinton was at Bookpeople not that long ago and had less restrictions/security.  Somebody please explain b/c I'm looking for some semblance of clarity for the protocal that are book signings, especially at Bookpeople here in Austin Texas.  Austin used to be a fun and very open town but this has become par for the course. And to top it off, the employee that introduced Chuck pronouced his name wrong, but THAT really is par for the course and completely expected.

I will always treasure the black bird that Chuck gave me as well as the inscription "Break Some Bones".  I would have carried out his wish if he'd pointed at the Bookpeople empoyee that annoyed everyone the most but alas...

I dunno, Dennis maybe you can shed some light on this???

-Intellectually impoverished.

While not a native, I travel to Austin regularly on business, and I can say that Bookpeople didn't get the message about "Keep Austin Weird" - they are turning into one of those mildly nationally successful public television stations that gtes a big head because they are independent and for the people, blah, blah, and they forget the roots of what made them successful.  Add to that the further homogenization of a cool town with insta-neighborhood condos and the vulturisitc companies that follow, and you get a horrible situation in my humble opinion.

Sad to say, but i get more serivce from a chain bookstore than i ever do at Bookpeople, and that hurts becuase while i love the concept and support independent retailers of all kinds (when it makes sense) i will not give up selection, service, attitude, and value just "for the cause."

I am glad you posted this here, I was in Austin, could have gone, and chose not too based on venue alone.  But to you, the Austinite, brace yourself, your town is changing, and i fear it is for the worse...