brianrayfiction.com Blog

Been busy, kids. But I have a plan. Although not all posts can be works of fine literature, I’m going to go with a down-dirty style to keep this thing updated even when sinking under the weight of work. Here goes.

Last Fri-Mon: Sick, but working. Finish proofing essay on Tim Burton in fairy tale film collection, Fairy Tale Film and Cinematic Folklore: Visions of Ambiguity. Resist rewriting two paragraphs.

Tues-Wed: Staying up late to grade papers.

This past Thursday 11 am – meet with committee chair to map out comp exam list, which will take place a year from now. We meet on campus. But I accidentally leave half my brain under the pillow at home.

Thursday 2 pm: Between classes, receive email saying that PERCIVAL EVERETT can meet up for coffee. In South Carolina.

Thursday 7/8 pm: After class, rush home to throw travel things into a grocery bag. Forget to pack my clothes. Book a Red Roof for $30. Drive to SC, arriving at roughly 11:30 pm. Drop my cell phone under car seat. Red Roof gives me a card, which doesn’t open my room. They give me another card, which doesn’t open my room. They give me another room. This room has neither alarm clock nor hair drier. But they do have nice cappuccino machines.

Friday 9 am: Miraculously wake up at 8:30 am with no alarm clock. Have coffee with Percival in a Starbucks. We talk about kindles, iPhones, and book stores.

Friday 12-4 pm: Check in to hotel. See that Free Times has put my book on their cover. Sleep. Wake up. Go to author’s reception on top floor of Thomas Cooper, where I once attended Bruccoli’s Fitzgerald seminar. Try to keep my drinks off the manuscript display cases. Have drink with friends, discovering that MOMA has had a Tim Burton retrospective on display for months. WHAT?

Sat: Listen to panels. Hope to make headway into Confessions of Nat Turner before more social what-notting.

PS – Accidentally posted this on the old blog (I don’t know if anyone goes here anymore). See the new blog here.