I’m
just back from the monthly Fantastic Fiction
reading at the infamous KGB Bar on East 4th
St. in Manhattan.  Lucius Shepard read from his
new novel,

A Handbook of American Prayer, and Scott Westerfeld read from his new novel,


So Yesterday. 

Scott went first and did a great job with his reading. 
Lucius followed; he seemed a bit uncomfortable up there reading, and he had some
trouble with his vision and the lighting so he had a difficult time.  But
both novels seem really compelling.  I’d already been planning to read
Lucius’s novel, but now I’m going to have to read Scott’s too. 

If you’re interested in Scott’s novel, you can read the
same excerpt he read at KGB tonight on the cool
photo blog he’s got
posted to his website.  Of course, you could also go

buy it.

If you’re interested in Lucius’s novel, you can read a
brief excerpt

here.  Or, you could go

buy it.

Of course, one of the fun things about the KGB Fantastic
Fiction reading series is getting the chance to hang out and chat with folks in
the SF community.  Among those I saw and chatted with were John Douglas and
Andy Porter (the current and former editors of Chronicle [formerly Science
Fiction Chronicle]), Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link/Gavin Grant, Paul Witcover, Rick
Bowes, among others. 

After the readings, much of the group goes over to a
nearby Indian restaurant to eat a late dinner.  That happened this time
too, but there was a space issue, so me,
David Barr Kirtley,
Helen Pilinovsky,
and Deb Green gallantly gave up our table so that our betters could remain, and
went off in search of nourishment elsewhere.  We ended up in a sushi place
called Koi, where I alone did not partake of the raw fish and had chicken
teriyaki instead (which was quite good, despite being the only non-fish item on
the menu). 

Gordon was at KGB too, but he bailed after the reading; I
don’t think he was feeling well or something.  But anyway, that left me
alone to fend for myself in the big city, which is always an adventure for a
lost-prone fellow like me.  The strange thing is, I knew that the PATH
station was at 9th St. and 6th Ave., but I somehow still had trouble finding it. 
They need like bigger signs or something, because I walked right past it and
didn’t even notice the entrance was there.  Plus, there is a small sign
that says "PATH" on it nearby, but it doesn’t really point in the direction of
the entrance.  It kind of points toward 10th St., actually.  Grumble,
grumble.