Saw Alan Cheuse and Alyson Foster reading tonight At the Hill Center, a terrific new (old) space for the arts on Capitol Hill. Foster is a “new” writer, and Cheuse is, of course, the voice of books on NPR. Foster read from a new novel she’s sold but hasn’t published (or finished) yet, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT, and it was terrific. Wisely, she read from the beginning and I can’t wait to read this novel. She got an amazing introduction from Cheuse from this first in a series of local readings that PEN/Faulkner is hosting, which will feature writers who know each other and admire each other’s work.

Alyson Foster reading from GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT at the Hill Center on Capitol Hill.

Alan Cheuse reading at the Hill Center (admittedly not a great photo)

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT is an epistolary novel (written largely in emails, as I understand it) and the first three or four (my memory is shot) were just terrific. As a “new” writer (that term bothers me, although we all know that new writers are the best type, at least in the publishing industry’s way of looking at things), she was a bit nervous in this reading. She probably thought I was nuts, but I came up to her afterwards and asked if I could offer a criticism. She was nice and agreed to hear me out. I said, Read half as much and half as fast. (She was nervous, but her sentences deserve more time to play out.)

That’s a bit of criticism I got a long time ago, and it makes a difference. As was the criticism of “make eye contact with your audience.” It’s done me good, over the years. She’s a good writer, and readings are a great way to connect. It was cool that her dad was there (I gathered), as was her husband. Neither of my parents ever saw me read, as far as I can recall.

As a GMU graduate, I was really pleased to be a part of this evening, and glad to meet all these great folks.

Cheuse, of course, is an old hand, and was the easy storyteller, an old hand at this. I think I first saw him read in about 1983, when I was in grad school. He made a great comment after the reading when someone asked about inspiration. With all due respect, he said, and I am paraphrasing here, there’s no such thing. I agree. My son came along, and he asked a question of Cheuse about irony. He probably could have chatted up the writer all night, but he was corralled by his “chaperone.”

PEN/Faulkner will, as I understand it, be posting a podcast of the reading and I highly recommend downloading it.