Vera Day 4: Going Nuts in DC! (Plus Culinary Notes)

This city is kray-kray in the best way (except for the politics)

It’s not every city where readers gift you a “My Husband’s Little Meatball” t-shirt in Russian.

Even rarer is when they get you to actually sign it.

While their wife looks on. See what I’m telling ya? The best readers ever!

My day began beautifully with an early dinner at the Michelin-starred Tsehay in Adams Morgan.

When it comes to chickpeas there is shiro and there is SHIRO. This is the most remarkable I’ve ever had on this side of the Atlantic. It was soaking in Ethiopian butter. I nearly exploded with pleasure.

Then another highlight! Martinis with my beloved new friend Angie Kim! Angie and I have been reading each other’s work forever and dreaming of raising martinis together! The dream finally came true.

The reading was pretty full considering there was some kind of hurricane or something happening outside. DC residents have been through a lot recently, but they’re still standing (and reading!). And the questions people had about Vera and about the direction my work is heading in was, like, graduate level.

And finally some friends including Angie and my Oberlin roommate Mike Zapler headed to the infamous Comet Pizza! We asked for the basement, flashed some QAnon signs and were briefly arrested but finally got to sit down over a pineapple and pepperoni pizza (Angie’s idea, not bad!) and a couple of negronis.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I love my freaking readers. And I love the people who join me on stage during these events. Fewer people read literary fiction than ever, but when we all get together, things get truly wild. Won’t you please join us!