That sounds wonderful! I hope all of the signings go this well.

I would love that, but we both know this is our home-turf and we're likely to see much smaller turn-outs elsewhere.

Still, we can hope.

Spread the word!

Wow, that's awesome! Sadly, I didn't make it because I fell asleep. Erm. Stupid 5AM wakeup call after a weekend of buffistaness, and stupid Ironman in Coeur d'Alene that meant I had to sit in the Spokane airport and wasn't able to get an earlier flight back and take a real nap...argh.

Not that I'm disputing the above (meara knows me too well!), but was this in reference to the Gordian Knot of Naked Men?

No, no, I think it was in reference to Jilli knowing gay men in Seattle for you, and lamenting you not moving here. And I was like "Dude. Introduce them, he will travel!"

I sort of recall that being correct. There were about fifteen conversations going on at any given time, but I remember that because someone jumped up to put it on the board.

Purple was really great; on Sunday the remaining Buffistas collected together en masse and walked in to the restaurant at 5. "We have twenty people," Juliana (I think) said, "and one child."

Amazing Hostess Lady: "Oh, well, we have a meeting table upstairs. Seats 25. Would that be okay?"

All of Us: "!!!!"

It was seriously an amazing table. We could all *look* at each other and converse without craning necks or wandering to separate tables! We could have put a person in the middle and covered that person with tasty food, it was so big!

The reading did go excellently well. Jilli was charming, effervescent and entertaining, and at times as entrancingly pink as the buttons on her frock coat.

As Pete says it was a home crowd, but I think a wonderful way to begin. I have no doubt Jilli and the book will be as well-received in every venue, because it's that good, and that topical, and she is approachable and charming and smart.

DH was there as well, and I got a flurry of questions about the Goth subculture on the way home. I may be Goth-ajacent, or Goth-friendly, but I am not a font of the information you seek. Read the book.

I will! You're sure we have one coming? We have three coming, from Amazon, to help Jilli's numbers. You may have one for your very own, and I'll pick up or order another for that birthday present. I'm sure Jilli will be happy to sign it for you, even, if you ask nicely.

Won't you, Jilli?

We had to leave shortly after the reading, but the lines for signing were long. Jilli's going to have to do hand-strengthening exercises!

All of Us: "!!!!"

I'm still boggling that we pulled that off without any planning.

Actually, the level of service I received during my entire visit was quite stunning. I did hear some less than flattering stories about Sazarac, but I didn't experience any of that. Certainly the service at the hotel porper was wonderful.

All of Us: "!!!!"

They were really good about it, and the food was wonderful!

I kinda hate you guys for going to Purple (Purple!) without me but I'm glad I got to see pics of the interior. What was the food like?

In other news. Nilly writes poetry without even trying:

faces for fonts who were faceless so far

Our cutie-pie server was well rewarded for her excellent work.

Laga, I only had dessert (a wee vanilla bean creme brulee) but it was excellent.

It was seriously an amazing table. We could all *look* at each other and converse without craning necks or wandering to separate tables! We could have put a person in the middle and covered that person with tasty food, it was so big!

Very hard to pass wine across the table, though!

I want to go there again some time for wine + sweets.

The food is marvelous, Laga. Did anyone have the caramel truffles? Homemade caramels covered in dark chocolate with a sprinkle of seat salt HMOGSOPOLARBEARINGGOOD!! and I'm not a big dessert person.