She’s Right, Of Course (Signed Books, Part the First)

A few years ago, when I lived in Maine, a friend of mine called me from Seattle. “Do you know Thisbe Nissen?” he asked, figuring that I might have crossed paths with the writer in my Iowa City days. No, I didn’t know her, not personally. We had a few mutual friends. The paper I edited had run a review of her novel. Beyond that . . . “I can tell you she’s hot,” I told him. That seemed important to me at the time. Turns out all he wanted to know was whether he was going to be bored when his girlfriend took him to Thisbe’s reading the next night.

I didn’t think about the conversation after that. Not until a week later, when I came home from work to a package, postmarked Seattle. It was Thisbe Nissen’s novel, The Good People of New York.

I flipped to the title page. How lovely. It was signed.

So in case you read this, Thisbe: The creepy guy that was for is me. (Signed Books, Part the Second.)

Comments

[TJ]

Ha ha. Katie Holmes--I mean, Kate Cruise--comparison in 5, 4, 3, . . .

[thisbe nissen]

well, it's a tiny little world on this web - no sooner do you post this post, it seems, when my friend kevin emails me to say "you have to see this" with a link. how funny! i very clearly remember a guy at a reading coming up and telling me that whole story and asking if i'd be willing to sign the above in a book for you. why not? i said. and five years later... ah the wonders of modern technology! it wasn't really creepy; it was kind of flattering. so, five years later: thanks! we haven't ever actually met, have we? i apologize for not remembering if we have.

[Brendan Wolfe]

No apologies necessary either way, and I'm relieved that the whole deal wasn't/isn't creepy. We haven't met, but I was recently invited to an after-reading party at your place (I think it was at your place) by Laurel. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the reading or the party.

Anyway, you're welcome, and continued success . . .