[Continuing my run-down of the A.D. book tour…]
I took A.D. to the Boston area September 8 and 9, my first experience on the Bolt Bus (very cheap, very pleasant). My ol’ pal (and Beastles collaborator) dj BC (Bob Cronin) was kind enough to host me in his Somerville abode, where I got to hang a bit with his awesome, feisty wife Stacey and their adorable daughter Stella.
My first event was Tuesday night at Brookline Booksmith, a large, extensive store devoted to new and used books. I did my presentation in front of a good crowd of about 30 folks, which included a motley group of characters from various stages in my life, everywhere from "around the block," to camp, to junior high school, to college, to the 1990s comix scene! It was wonderful catching up with Chris, Jessica, George, Pete, and A. Dave, as well as fielding questions and signing books for a very engaged group. The best moment of the night was when a girl in the audience, just starting college in Boston after moving up from New Orleans, realized she personally knew Kwame, one of A.D.’s characters!
The next day I was scheduled for a late afternoon signing at one of my favorite comics retailers, The Million Year Picnic, operated by the sweetest man in comics, Tony Davis. Beforehand, I had the privilege of getting to see my favorite cousin, Lauren, who took time off work to come into the Harvard area to have lunch with me. I’ve known her since she was a baby, and it’s so great to see how well she’s doing and hear about her wonderful, growing family. Before heading over to The Picnic, Lauren and I passed The Globe Corner Bookstore, which had recently posted a kind review of A.D. on their blog and was featuring A.D. on their shelves.
It was a bit of a slow day at MYP, since the new comics were delayed due to the previous Monday’s Labor Day holiday, but Tony and his employee Anthony kept me engaged and entertained throughout the two-hour signing session. And it turned out that Tony has many family connections to NOLA, and just happened to get stuck in the city in late August 2005 right before Katrina struck. (He made it out of town just in time, and was able to fly back to Boston from Baton Rouge before the shizzle hit the fizzle.)
The signing done, I threw my pens into my case, slung my bag over my shoulder and headed back to South Station. The Bolt Bus delivered me back safely into the welcoming arms of NYC and I made it home before midnight. Not a bad two-day jaunt to Beantown.
