Cara Black vs Jacqueline Winspear a contradiction in Author Reading

Short version: Two authors come to Seattle with much in common, but one had the better author reading.


In novel writing there are few things the author has control over but one of them is the author reading. It is the one opportunity where an author can connect with the reading public in a way that is both personal and professional.

What makes a good author reading is the question. So many things can happen. So many things are unforeseen. Some are boring, but if done properly it can leave a lasting impression. This brings us to the show down between two ladies of literature.Cara Blackand Jacqueline Winspear

On the surface the two authors have a tremendous amount in common. They are mature, polite, educated and worldly women. It is not hard to imagine them being neighbors and visiting while trimming roses or drinking tea.

Both women write an established mystery series with character’s set overseas in the 20th century. Ms.Winspear’s character Maisie Dobbs is set in England after the end of World War I while Ms. Black’s private detective Aimee Leduc lives in 1990’s Paris.

Why compare these two female authors? Because both recently appeared in Seattle and demonstrated how, despite the similarities, there are differences in each author reading.

Start with atmosphere, which is important. The French organization, I’Alliance Francaise and University Books sponsored Ms. Black to read and discuss her newest novel “Murder in Passy”. Her reading took place in one of the rooms at Seattle’s Good Sheppard Home. This is a unique setting inside a beautiful one hundred year old building now used for various events. It is also worth mentioning that the Good Sheppard Home is centered in a quiet neighborhood with few distractions. No car horns or sirens or heavy traffic as the room window opens up to the large grounds surrounded by an old stone fence and heavy foliage.

Tonight the biggest distraction was I’Alliance Francaise selling French wine by the glass. (an excellent idea)

The spacious classrooms large enough that the soft spoken Ms. Black was concerned about being heard as no microphone was available. Her anxiety was unwarranted as the crowd remained attentive and cell phones silenced without being asked.

They came to hear her speak of Parisian culture and her how her years of research lead her to the inner workings of a French private detective agency. It was a simple straight forward uneventful presentation. Nothing spectacular would happen tonight and the audience was comprised of mainly people from I’Alliance Francaise some fans and other writers.

Still Ms. Black had a large challenge ahead of her. She was presenting her novel to a group whose interest lay not in her books but that of French culture. This was her eleventh book. The question is how does an author present a new novel, (and not a standalone novel but one from an established series, no less) to a crowd unfamiliar with her work.

More later.


The reading for Jacqueline Winspear presenting her novel "A Lesson in Secrets" was the exact opposite of Ms. Black. Her novels have a strong following in this region and the impressive crowd size placed a strain on the Lake Forest Park branch of Third Place Books.

She read on the main stage is known as the Third Place “Commons” where it is located in the center of a large food court and multitudes of long tables are used by the public for personal meetings. The chairs are set and the curtains are drawn, but only the biggies read here.

It is impossible to close off the noise of the conversations in the Commons. On a busy night such as this, the conditions were reminiscent of the days when European Opera singers sang for the wealthy in their boxes while the proletariat were milling around the floors selling chickens, gambling and throwing the occasional tomato at a bad actor.

Even so, Ms. Winspear has a formidable presence, on stage. She has a gorgeous English accent that marries to a rich gentle voice. From the very moment she takes the stage she is prepared and more focused than Cara Black or several authors for that matter. If you hear her speak there is little doubt she is an expert in her subject.

Ms. Winspear also avoids one of the great blunders that author’s make on tour. She is here to sell books. Early on she tells the audience that she will divulge little information about her new novel and politely encouraged the crowd to buy the books. This is an admirable trait, but one that can be taken too far.

Ms. Winspear’s talk was more of a history lecture than an author reading. Her intention was to leave the crowd with hints about her newest novel which was strange for a woman who desires to sell books. Tonight she spoke on the subjects of secrets, unappreciated contributions by British women during WWI and of all things “Winnie the Poo.”

Neither woman was a particularly entertaining reader but this is not a damnable sin. Not every author has the talent to sound like they perform at the Globe Theater and to their credit neither woman read more than a couple of pages.

So what was the difference?

Here lies the lesson. Ms. Winspear assumed her audience knew her work where Ms. Black did not.

By her own admission, Ms. Winspear had been to Seattle on many occasions which might explain why she addressed the audience about her main protagonist, Maisie Dobbs, with such familiarity.

Ms. Winspear’s intended, on this evening to create interest in her new novel but her “clues” were so abstract and so cryptic that she failed to leave any understanding about what Maisie Dobbs will do to warrant investing twenty five dollars to find out.

By the time the Q&A session came about she left no room for the audience to ask questions about the new novel and the All the questions were regarding past novels and the standard, “What are you reading now?”and “Will we see Maisie Dobbs in a movie?”

In defense of Ms. Winspear, it is appreciated when authors try to bring something new to their base core of readers. A tired old speech given repeatedly to fans is a big turn off but tonight people learned a great deal about Winnie the Poo and nothing of “A Lesson in Secrets"

The majority of Cara Black’s talk was about her characters development, history and plot lines. She brought the crowd of unfamiliar fans into the world of private investigator Aimee Leduc. Granted this took time, (she spoke longer than Ms. Winspear) and thank God for French wine, but by taking these steps in an intimate setting, Ms. Black was able to draw the crowd into both her newest novel and the entire series. Proof of her success this evening was demonstrated as Ms. Black was peppered with questions about her entire catalogue of novels and the amount of books bought by the more modest crowd.

Both women are deserving of their success but putting aside writing talent, prose and plot, it seems that to gain new fans in these hard economic times, it pays for a mystery novelist to be less mysterious.

T.C. Boyle's Book Tour Review

3-1-2011

Seattle Public Library
University Books Sponsor

The short version: A reading of a short story that turned into a long evening

The main branch of the Downtown public library. It stands as a monument to the city of Seattle’s voracious appetite for books. University Books is there so things run smooth. In comes short story master T.C. Boyle to promote his newest novel "When the Killing's Done "and this should be a fine evening. Sort of.

The reading stage is a vertical wall of chairs; high enough to remind one of Mount Rainer. The chairs were designed by an architect who thought only people five foot four and weighing a 120 pounds would be sitting inside them. The audience packs in with rain soaked winter coats, and umbrellas shoved in cramp leg spaces that it looks like a grade school coat closet, ten minutes after recess.

The reading is supposed to start at 7pm. Five minutes before hand Mr. Boyle is visible off to the side. He stands in the wings early while the ushers clear people sitting on the stairs in search of more leg room.

Then T.C. Boyle disappears. The audience is left waiting while the evening hostess from the Library, (an obnoxious woman we find out later) comes on and announces that we start late because TC would like to tour the library. What a blatant admission. The crowd groans as parking cost more than Mr. Boyle’s new book. This is the kind of thing you usually do before you’re supposed to take the stage. It’s a packed house for God’s sake and it would have been more acceptable had she announced the author was across the street and trade shots of Wild Turkey with Tom Sizemore and Randy Quaid.

Anyway, TC Boyle is a brilliant short story artist. He comes, complete with Kenny Logan’s style hair cut (Top Gun Kenny Logins, not the Caddy Shack years) yellow jacket and orange shoes. The look works for a middle age man. He greets the crowd with love and they show it in return.

The Reading

Actually T.C. Boyle reads great, the selection from his new novel, however, lays an egg. He tries to explain the plot and discusses the books plot about a man and a woman and conflict and ecology and there are feral animals like sheep and pigs and eagles and the whole damn thing is lost by the time he is done.

He reads a selection of the novel. The crowd is shifting uncomfortably in their narrow chairs with wet coats soaking their laps. Then something so routine occurs that it actually spices up things.

An overhead announcement stating that the library will be closing in twenty minutes.

It is not a big deal but for a moment annoying. The announcement is not as annoying as Mr. Boyle’s dramatic reaction as he stops the reading and asking the hostess if overhead announcements can cease while he is reading. Then the hostess jumps up out of the audience and takes over the microphone and goes on a long obnoxious explination about how these are automated messages timed to come on and there is nothing she can do to stop them.

Again not a big deal to most but Mr. Boyle’s face resembled a man who won a chili eating contest only to find out they ran out of toilet paper.

As he finishes with the reading from his new book the room’s energy is flat. At this point the reading is lost. Wrap it up, and go to your signing desk. The overhead announcements and his reaction have sucked the air out.

UNTIL!!!

This is the difference between a first time romance novelist and an experienced pro: he keeps going. This was a thing of beauty to watch as T.C. Boyle recovers the evening. He selects out a short story for reading tonight called “The Lie.”

Where was this energy before? It was theatrical and practiced and he barely looked down as if there was a teleprompter in the audience. He was changing speed, hitting accents at the back of polysyllabic words, pausing for comedy bits to sink in but not long enough to drag the reading.

The Liar was a good story. T.C. Boyle’s reading made it a great story.

Then to top it off Mr. Boyle was open to questions from the audience and handled it with grace and class.

Highlights of the questions:

-He would never work on a script because he hates to collaborate on anything so why would he work on a script.

-He actually liked the movie Road to Wellville (an adaption of his novel) even though it was panned by critics and different from his book. He had a lot of nice things to say about the director and crew.

-He handled what may be the STUPIDEST QUESTION of the year so far with tremendous savvy. “Mr. Boyle. Do you know if you have EVER won a Pulitzer Prize?” As if they keep that a secret. If a surly author like Andrew Vachss had been asked that question, people would have been dialing 911 and ducking for cover.

Connie Willis Book Tour Review

2-18-11

University Book Store


The short version: The good, the bad and the ugly was all seen tonight.

Author Connie Willis graced University Books with her presence this evening to promote her newest book "All Clear." When someone enshrined in the Science Fiction Writing Hall of Fame comes to town it is best to arrive early. The audience packed in one hour before Ms. Willis is to take the stage. Strangers start conversations asking what books they have read or if they have seen Ms. Willis speak before. This seems promising.

Ms. Willis arrives on time and chats with some audience members. The large crowd arriving is causing a delay and University Books, Sci-Fi book buyer, Duane, is doing his best imitation of Sampson by moving whole bookshelves and setting up more chairs for the growing crowd.

Normally an author on book tour would speak about the book; say a little something about what is was about and even read a selection or two.

THE READING

The Good

Ms. Willis is an interesting lady and it is easy to see why the audience is expecting great things. She comes across as an experienced speaker deep, irreverent, funny, satirical and for the most part thoughtful. I like the fact that she is still involved with the writing community by virtue of her willingness to teach writing courses and seminars. (Check Richard Hugo House in June)

Tonight she talks about tabloid politics, watching cable news, Astronomy, quotes Chekov on books, the academic work of Donald Norman, the trouble with the Kindle and all e-book readers and her love of the television show Prime Evil. The best parts might have been about the e-book readers.
She espoused a love for the physical book in a beautiful romantic manner. She spoke of how paper bound books create an attachment in a way that electronic books cannot.

She draws comparisons of e-book readers to Netflix. She states that although the Kindle holds several works. . Much the same way people forget why they ordered a movie on Netflix, E-readers, can forget the book and by the time a person gets around to reading a particular book they might forget why they downloaded it in the first place and dump the novel off into cyberspace rendering the book meaningless unlike a cherished copy of a book once owned by a family member or given as a gift.

She addresses the complaints by her fans, who have told her they can’t finish books on Kindle because saying the lose interest in the novel. With a physical novel, the reader’s progress and finale is visually clear. In the opinion of Ms. Willis, the Kindle falls short in this regard, and detaches the reader further from the novel. She gives the examples based on the work of Donald Norman. It’s an interesting anecdote. She is not preaching, rather just addressing the differences/challenges with the new media.

The Bad.

This was supposed to be a reading. Not one moment did she promote her book, read her book or talk about her book. The audience was full of fans happy to be in the same room with her on a Friday evening. They laughed, smiled and went along with everything that Ms. Wills discussed. For them it was pure entertainment; the opportunity to be in the same room with a hero and lacking of expectations.

This bothers me in general and not specifically to just Ms. Willis. Sometimes the author can become so large and has been on reading tour so much that they change subjects just to keep from getting bored. Maybe writers assume their audience has heard it all before. Perhaps they have become complacent in their thoughts and work. It’s hard to say that is what Ms. Willis was thinking, but it felt like she wanted to speak of anything but her newest work.

If tonight’s reading would have been advertised, Author Connie Willis Talks about Whatever is on Her Mind and Not Her Newest Book. It would have been more honest.

The Ugly.

This is difficult. I took time and thought about this. Let’s be clear, Ms. Willis believed she was talking to her deep devoted fans. I realize she thought she was joking or at least making an attempt at humor to a room full of her base but it wasn’t funny. This night Ms. Willis said something so outrageous that it would have shocked and even angered the average person.

I won’t repeat the comment. It only adds fuel to a conflagration of American politics.

Even more appalling Ms. Willis followed her “joke” by threatening the audience “and if this comment shows up on your websites I’m going to be really mad.”

Well then don’t say it and if you do then don’t threaten to your fans. In light of the public anger being carried over to congresswomen getting a mature woman like Ms. Willis should know words have power; they also have consequences. The “joke” or wry comment said in the living room among friends does not work at a public reading where mixed company could be offended and can kill a book sale, hurt the store and most of all, incite violence.

Drunk, stoned or sober (she was very sober) public figures and authors especially, should know that you own your words when spoken in public. An intelligent deep thinking woman like Ms. Willis, who teaches the craft of writing, should know the power of words and know how to edit herself.

Tonight there was at least one fan recording the whole reading and it could end up on You Tube. Trust me I know it was meant to be a wry comment but it was very poor taste. Repeating it here, might even endanger Ms. Willis by some deranged idiot unable to separate truth from purely insensitive comment. It was one comment, stated early in her talk but it ruined a decent evening. I came to hear an author talk about her book. I left with ten minutes left before the Q & A started, because I had enough.

Jonathan Evison Book Tour Review

ELLIOT BAY BOOK COMPANY 2-16-11

BUY BOOK FROM ELLIOT BAY

Short version: Interesting author but a bookseller’s nightmare. This novel needed explanation and tonight the author failed to give this book a boost.

Jonathan Evison arrives to read about his newest book “West of Here.”
There is a great deal of buzz in the book industry about this novel. The short blurb about the book is weak. It is vague and uninteresting so hope abounds that the author can explain what this book is about to generate the excitement felt by the booksellers.

One look at Mr.Evison’s background and it is evident that he is the kind of author desperately needed in America.

He has no Ph.D. in U.S. History (no college degree at all), he is not a Pulitzer Prize winner or even a newspaper hack for the Village Voice. So you can kiss the elitist snob resume right out the window.

Mr. Evison is of that special breed of writer that is dangerous and more often than not this kind of man produces the best kind of literature. Hemingway drove ambulance in Italy, Steinbeck followed the migration to California, and Faulkner scrapped by on job after job while writing on his lunch breaks. The point it best American writers are those that have done something in their lives to merit being labeled a misfit or loser or were willing to explore the subjects about which they write. They work in bars, coal mines, fight wars, and ruin themselves to the point where they only have one thing left: a story to tell.

Mr. Evison is an affable man, combining an Ivy League vocabulary and the street smarts of a Jim Thompson character.

So, this should have been a memorable evening, but his reading tonight was in a word: confusing.

The Reading.

This is the beginning of a major book tour. Evison has packed the basement of Elliot Bay with fans, friends and college students. Cookies and water are available as tonight’s reading is sponsored by Seattle University’s creative writing program. T-shirts are for sale promoting the book, oh and someone should have reminded the author that his book was for sale.

The reading starts slow. Evison is late making his entrance to basement of Elliot Bay, despite having arrived to the store over an hour earlier. He looks nervous, and gives a brief but gracious opening and thanks to the bookstore. He announces he will read then talk and read a few more experts and some more lecture. Fine.

He is dressed like an extra from an 80’s RUN DMC video. Complete with black sports coats, black slacks, V-neck sweater topped by a black porkpie hat and just for an added touch: black and white Chuck Taylor sneakers. The look works well for him.


The quality of his voice is flat, graveled but intriguing. It is the voice of a man who has spent his adult years sucking in second hand smoke and yelling over loud music in bars.

He reads bad as if he were unrehearsed, which may account for nerves, but did not account for the scattered reading selections he presents with little to no introduction, and fails to connect how his specific reading selections are related to either the books theme or how they interplay with the previous section.

Then there was the language factor. Shocking for a man with such a large vast vocabulary to choose reading selections containing F-bomb after F-bomb. Noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, there had not been this much cussing in Seattle since President Bush was last in town.

He explains the book is 40 points of view and spans over a hundred years of history, making continuity of the novel challenge and this might explain why the continuity of tonights reading goes along the same path. The novel takes place in a mythical town on the Washington State Peninsula, near the real town of Port Angeles. The book seems to deal with the exploration and settlement of the Olympic Mountain range, which one hundred years ago, was the last uncharted territory of the lower 48 states. The author describes the book dealing with such things as the damning of the Elwha River and how the sins of the past affect the present day.

He writes of modern disillusionment, fractured marriage, logging, fishing, local Indian tribes and of all things Bigfoot. Mr. Evison calls it an attempt to produce a “kaleidoscope of history,” but his reading presentation was more akin to trying to playing marbles on the deck of a crab boat fishing in the Bering Sea.

The Q & A session is really this author’s strong suit. Mr. Evison has the ability to connect with an audience. He rambles on, tangent after tangent, revealing much of himself, his failing in the school system, knocking around the Pacific Northwest and giving particularly wild dissertation on the possible existence of Bigfoot. None of these subjects are clear as to how it fits in the book but Mr. Evison is at these moments hysterically funny.

The challenge will be to see how Mr. Evison does author readings in other regions of the country; presenting to rooms full of strangers in places who have never heard of the Olympic Peninsula (Outside of Bella and Edward) or why they should care to read this book.

The Brothers Amidon Book Tour Review.

Third Place Books 2-17-11

Buy the book here


The short version: Two brothers, writer and a cardiologist, combine their talent and diverse background to produce a wonderful book reading. It is must read for anyone who has had cardiac issues and desires to understand more about the “mysterious organ.”

It’s not hard to imagine what Steven and Tom Amidon were like in college. They must have arrived on campus, shook hands good luck and went into separate buildings. Tom went to the science department eventually becoming a respected Cardiologist, while Steven found his way to the Liberal Arts side to become a renowned writer, novelist and critic. It is only now that the brothers Amidon have combined their specific discipline to produce “The Sublime Engine”

There have been other books telling the story of the pioneers of Cardiology and methods brought about to the modern medical treatments. Mankind has come a long way since Hippocrates.

This book, however, is a noble attempt to explain the “mystery organ,” and how its power has shaped the views of Western Civilization. From the Greeks, to the Catholic Church, to the romantic poets of the 19th century the heart has held a special meaning for various civilizations. It has also created some wild but true tales of modern medicine and the treatment of heart disease.

As an occasional speaker on medical issues, Dr. Tom Amidon is often sought because of his unique talent to remove the mystery and confusion out of medical studies. He can breaks down a complex drug studies or medical situations into a non-threatening simple base that can be understood by people who have never opened an anatomy textbook.

As a man of letters, Stephen Amidon comes across with that same common man approach to his craft. He speaks of his craft with enthusiasm but without the stereotypical haute pretension of a writer with his experience. He is that approachable and open type that truly believes Chekhov, Melville, or even Proust belong in the hands of the common people; not just the Bourgeoisie.

The Reading

The reading takes place at the Ravenna Third Place Books which is a challenge. (See the blog entry Ode to Third Place Books Ravenna)It’s a respectable crowd for the small space. On stage it is not hard to guess who is the writer, (Stephen wearing a casual sports jacket and sweater) and who is the Physician (Tom, black suite crisp white shirt, and a tie)

They are funny in a dry way. Stephen markets the book. “For small medical co-pay to my brother Tom of only 24.99, I’ll throw in a free book.” Brilliant!

Stephen begins by reading the story of the poet Percy Shelly’s sudden death in Italy. Italian authorizes ordered his body burned and a funeral pyre was constructed. Afterward, officials removed the remains for burial only to discover the poet’s heart still intact, untouched by the fire’s heat.

Stephen reading is remarkable as every single distraction takes place in the store. His voice is steady, enthusiastic and unwavering as he marches through the tale of poor Shelly. He is pleasant and practiced and short. There are plans for more reading later but the brothers never read again. The event has now turned into a press conference as the audience takes over, peppering the brothers with more questions than Charlie Sheen’s publicist while Tom and Steve skillfully weave the book’s theme into their answers.

Dr. Tom Amidon opens about the mechanics of the heart leading to more questions about diet, medicine, and pacemakers. Stephen addresses the theme which he describes as “a book of imagination and how the heart has been sculpted.” This leads to so many audience questions that the event went over an hour.

Random store shoppers stop, listen, and more copies were purchased.

When asked about antidotes left out of the book, the brothers entertain the crowd with some jaw dropping tales about War time surgeons and accidental cardiology discoveries.

Dr. Amidon tells the audience tale of a naive man who opened up an entire field of corporate medical research. When the nameless man’s father collapsed from a heart attack; the man used a toilet plunger to perform CPR and miraculously saved his dad’s life. (Not recommended by the way)

This is one of many tales that didn’t make the book, but serves as a clear example of why people should attend live readings by authors. Reality television can’t get any more real than this but if then again who would believe it.

ODE AUTHOR READINGS AT THIRD PLACE BOOKS IN RAVENNA

Third Place Books in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood is one of those hidden treasures that should be found by visitors who are book nuts if only for its unusual amenities. This single building houses a bookstore, a restaurant and an amazing pub in the basement.

It is also, the hardest place in Seattle for an author to read but is the most rewarding as well.

Seattle is a reading city. Downtown has the legendary Elliot Bay, the Richard Hugo House writing center and Seattle Mystery Books. University Books on the colorful streets of the University District may have the largest inventory, while Ravenna’s sister store, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, has the largest space, with not one but two author reading areas and six restaurants. Lording over all of them at the top of Beacon Hill at the intersection of I-90 and I-5 is Amazon.com’s corporate headquarters standing peerless, like an army preparing to swoop down and pillage the defenseless villagers.

Yet lost among all these well known stores is Third Place Books,nestled in the charming neighborhood called Ravenna at the corner of 65th and 20th Ave.

The building is surrounded by large old trees it is easy for the car passenger to miss.The parking lot is small and by now, out of city code. The neighborhood residents don’t mind store patrons parking in front of their houses at all hours. They understand the importance of this business being nearby as it keeps up home prices and unites the community. As one resident once told me, “I would just die if that place closed its doors.”

When Authors read here they are in the top floor corner thirty feet from the main entrance where people enter talking loud and twenty feet from the cashier talking to customers and ringing up sales. As an audience member it is sometime difficult to separate the sounds of the store’s business transaction mixed in with a novel being discussed. This is not for the timid author but then again selling books is tough work.

Authors are squashed into the game section of the store. Sixteen chairs are laid out so close that no one can cross their legs without kicking three people. Anyone else must stand in the isles or find other chairs to block shoppers.

Two years ago, and I swear this is true, a packed house was there for a local author and I heard a man seated on the other side of a book shelf, into the History section no less, shout at a shopper; “Lady get your butt out of my face.”

The author speaks into a microphone that has volume set with ample projection when the store is quiet. On busy nights things change.

The children’s book section is separated from the make shift stage by a book shelf. There is a fantastic Greek restaurant Vios, that shares space with this books store and on busy nights, the noise reflecting off the ceiling can tell you what kind of wine table six just ordered.

Oh let this not go on without a mentioning the occasional noise from toddle play area This too is in the back of the store near the restaurant where small toddlers can roam around in a confined safe area while parents can watch them, eating dinner or relaxing with a book without wondering where junior has disappeared. It is actually really cool, unless you are a writer easily distracted while reading aloud.

This is not for the pretentious who like their space or fear fans. The smart writer realizes this is an opportunity and that it is at places like Third Place in Ravenna, that the author and reader become one. How great would it be for a reader to say they sat next to Stephanie Meyer when she was first promoting Twilight?

After all, sympathy is a great compound to bond people. The two entities share an experience and in a strange way they work together. The author is working harder to reach the fan with their words and the fans understand working hard to hear more. This is how small upcoming authors can sell books and develop a following.

Of course even if the author has a tough night where no one shows or the book is not selling, they can take comfort knowing that the pub is just downstairs.

Susan Vreeland Book Tour Review

Elliot Bay Book Company 2-09-11


The short version: An author reading not to be missed.

Author Susan Vreeland came to Seattle to promote her fifth book, “Clara and Mr. Tiffany.”

Based on historical facts, “Clara and Mr. Tiffany is the story of the woman who designed and created the legendary Tiffany Lamps, which until recently have been credited to the company owner, Lewis Comfort Tiffany.

Ms. Vreeland’s story of Clara is a profile into the life of a ground breaking individual whose thoughts and lifestyle were years ahead of her time. Until the last few years, little to nothing has been known about Clara Driscoll, nor the group of designing women she supervised, known as the “Tiffany Girls.”

Before her reading begins Ms. Vreeland, is quick to acknowledge the recent academic work of Professor Martin Eidelberg, who is credited with the discovery that Clara Driscoll and not Lewis Tiffany had been responsible for design and construction of the famed lamps. This research combined with Ms. Vreeland’s own detective work, provide the accurate depictions of the Gilded Age when this story takes place.

The Reading

The basement of Elliot Bay is arranged with the stage set for a slide presentation on a large projected screen which does not bode well for an eventful evening. Often times the slide presentation is a mask to cover the inability of the author to present the book on its own merit. Here it proved to be an integral part of the evening’s success.

A former school teacher, Ms. Vreeland understands what it takes to hold a class’s attention. She is that rare combination of grace and intellect that illuminates the room the moment she arrives. She looks smashing in her outfit that contradicts the dank boiler room decor of Elliot Bay Books. She emits the aura of a lady holding court at a charity function.

She is the perfect hostess. She arrives early, and soon the audience is no longer in Elliot Bay Books but in Ms. Vreeland’s room. She owns the place. Before her introduction, she glides through the crowd, introducing herself to people, thanking them for attending on a winter evening and then (AND THIS IS A CLAUDIO FIRST) proceeds to pass out her business card to the audience so that she may be contacted with further questions or comments afterwords.

She is the perfect guest. This is Ms. Vreeland’s fourth time to Elliot Bay and before beginning her reading she encourages the ample crowd to make all their future purchases at this store.
She is a publishing house dream. Author readings are about selling books. She presents a fascinating synopsis, giving the audience enough details to leave them wanting; then saying with an unequivocal frankness, “If you want to know more then please buy the book.” She elicited this polite response to a few members in the audience asking in depth questions, showing a deft grace of salesmanship that would have sent the most petulant used car salesman into therapy.

In regards to the last comment; it is so rare that an author actually helps sell the product for the book store and themselves that other writers should take note.

At first glance, the books subject seems dry begging the question how could anyone take the creation of glass lampshades and spin it into an intriguing tale?

Then Ms. Vreeland begins to tell the story, rather her story, of Clara Driscoll. The audience is taken back in time to the Gilded Age where America began its economic ascent and began its ability to produce, not just admire, serious art.

She reads her novel without hesitation, demonstrating that she has practiced for these moments. Ms. Vreeland changes the inflection in her voice for each character, accentuates the important descriptions that place the reader in her world. Like a rehearsed actor, she changes reading speed and uses just the right amount of hand gestures on stage to draw the audience into her tale.

The presentation is informative without being condescending or pedantic, but as the evening goes on the reading turns into less about the book and more the lamps construction and design. As the screen is filled with images, the author’s knowledge fills the cavernous room to the point where even the cars from the book stores underground are drowned out.
Simply put, this portion of the program is a hypnotic presentation, convincing enough to believe that the creation of the Tiffany Lamp is on par to the construction of the Great Pyramid. This is all due to Ms. Vreeland’s skill as a storyteller. Only when she admits that she simply spent seven months of research on Tiffany does she break her spell.

Only seven months?

It would be easier to believe Ms. Vreeland has written her Masters dissertation on this subject.

Ms. Vreeland knows the history of Clara, the inner workings of the Tiffany production, how the glass was designed, who selects the glass, how it was cut, molded and placed before being sent off to be soldered into place. All of this done on a simple, even stale subject matter, but proof that the passionate author can change a perception, seal a reputation and sell books.

It may be a long time before Seattle has an author whose reading can match Susan Vreeland.