Fame and Book Expos by Darin Strauss

I was in LA for the book expo. It's like a car show for books, but more intimidating - probably thousands of books on display, and the authors' booths out on the huge floor; it's in those well-lit emporia usually reserved for big technology roll-outs. It was great, though: I signed hundreds of books, and there was a line to meet me, which was humbling. I almost didn't make it in: a fight broke out in the parking garage (this was LA), and security guards came, and so by the time I got to the hall, I had to sneak in, using my friend John Hodgman's pass. Now, I'm no John Hodgman. Still, it was a nice event. Then Hodgman was nice enough to take me out to dinner at the Chateau Marmont, where he is famous enough to be staying. (I'm not there yet.) We sat next to one of the Olsen twins, and Nicole Richie walked in as I was getting up to leave. It was very Hollywood. And Hodgman was in fine form. I wonder what any of this had to do with selling books, but what do I know?

I like LA, but it always takes me a while to get acclimated to that low parched brown city. I also saw my friend Gary Oldman (since I'm name dropping), who had optioned my book Chang & Eng. He's so cool about being recognized. It would bother me, I think-all these strangers interrupting your dinner to ask for photos and whatnot-but he handles it with real grace. That's all for now.

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Darin Strauss, More Than It Hurts You, family, drama, doctor, accident, literary, Penguin Books, books