{pics courtesy Tim Schreier}

Jim Ruland, the esteemed host of the esteemed reading series, Vermin on the Mount, contacted me six months ago and asked if Anna wanted to sponsor a VOTM reading in DC. I said, “Aboslutely, what do I have to do?” He said, “Nothing, it’s already done.” That made me feel real good and I made a mental note to consider Jim one of the best people I’ve met in the writing world.

That’s not really true, he didn’t really say that I didn’t have to do anything. He asked that I book some readers from Annalemma Issue Seven: Endurance to round out the bill, like Amber Sparks here, who’s just about everywhere these days in case you didn’t know.

Jim booked the fire too, tapping Roy Kesey to read, who is also everywhere these days.

There was a very attractive crowd in a very attractive room.

Jim’s mom was in the audience so, naturally, there was lots of talk of anal sex and drug abuse.

I’d never known about Al Heathcock or his words until this night. I feel like that’s a gross mistake on my part.

I’d known about Scott McClanahan, but I didn’t know his performance would bring me to the brink of tears because it was so beautiful.

He is an expert magician.

Lindsay Hunter read a piece that we’ll be putting up on the website next week. Lindsay Hunter is from Orlando, like me, and she is fucking awesome.

Also, don’t sleep on Nicolette Kittinger. She’s a great writer who repp’ed Annalemma that evening and we were lucky to have her.

Thanks to Jim Ruland for throwing such an awesome event and thanks to everyone who came out!