During my appearance at Renaissance Books on Saturday, I was asked to explain why I chose the section of Something Missing that I read aloud to audiences.
I find the actual reading of the book to be the most tedious part of any author’s appearance, my own included. I would much prefer to plug my iPhone into a docking station and play a portion of the audiobook read by the talented Jefferson Mayes instead. As an audience member and an author, I much prefer the variety and spontaneity of the question-and-answer portion of an author’s appearance to be the most entertaining. As such, I try to keep the reading as short as possible. In answer to this woman’s question, I confessed that my publicist had recommended the section I read after I could not identify a suitable passage on my own.
She then followed up her question by asking if I had to choose a section of the book to read, what would it have been?
“The last ten pages,” I answered.
“Is this because the end is your favorite part?”
“No,” I said. “I just want to spoil the ending for everyone.”
With the utmost sincerity, another audience member asked, “Why would you want to do that?”
“Because that’s just the kind of guy I am.”
From the back of the room, Mrs. Allan, my former middle school teacher, grumbled, “He hasn’t changed a bit.”
As odd as it may seem, I find great comfort in knowing that my occasionally sarcastic, slightly rude, and less-than-conforming nature is not new.
