The Art of Loving draws you in with warm colors and the warm scent of Nag Champa. Unless, that is, you’re scent sensitive, as were two of the attendees of my reading!
The owner and worker swept into action, first trying to clear the space of scent, then setting up chairs and a table out on the sidewalk. What a wonderful couple people – flexible, kind, and fun.
A small group formed, with two friends of mine anchoring the crowd. A couple sat opposite them – a sailor and a lady ready to be entertained. In the middle span were several people who had seen the listing and thought it sounded fun.
I was ready to provide!
After my abbreviated reading for GASS, I was looking forward to having a full 90 minutes for reading and discussion. To use that time well, I asked everyone what sorts of interests they had and gave them an overview of some themes from the book. I’d filled a three-ring binder with possible readings – everything from the “getting to know you” through “labor stories” and into my favorite “sex scene”. This group welcomed a few introductory and warm up scenes, then I made sure they hadn’t fallen asleep by reading some sex.
Whoo-boy – it worked on them! It also worked on some random people who walked by as I was reading…steps slowing as my words penetrated their busy thoughts.
After all that heat, I went back and read two sailing scenes. Turns out, the folks listening were struck by how sensuous my descriptions of sailing are. What a pleasure to know that I was really able to bring people into the moment with sailing. I frequently find myself speechless when I try to explain why I love to sail, but it seems I did far better in writing.
Wonderful.
On the drive back down south (I rented a car for this part of the tour), I stopped in Blaine. James and I wintered there 2000/2001, and he’s famous.
