Books – Page 3 – Peter V. T. Kahle

Friday Night at Third Place Books

25 people came out on a Friday night at 6:30 to hear me read from Passage of the Kissing People. Third Place is a remarkable venue, lots of parking and the staff is super. Kudos to Wendy Manning and Steven, they had everything I needed for my presentation. But it’s a huge barn, with restaurants and a stage and bookstore all in one large former clothing store. Events happen all day and into the evening there, and they schedule tight. Scouting the place on a previous Friday we learned that the author slot is 6:30-7:30. At 7:30, over on the main stage, a rock band starts up. I reworked the show after the launch party, added some more historical shots, and cut the quiz presents from 5 to 3. And blessings upon Phoebe Kitanidis and Khoa Le. I had a dream of a video of my performance, but no camera and no experience. To have them give up part of a Friday night to help me was a major lift. Learned some things about setting up so I stay out of my own light. A good crowd with juicy questions that intrigued me, some who’d already read the book and came for answers. Q&A finished up at 7:20, we had some good blues backup while I signed. The kind of night that makes me feel like I have connected with my audience, I’ve given them something they will value.

Comments Off

May 22, 2012

Books / Theatre

Book-It Repertory Theatre does Racing in the Rain

Book-Its narrative theatre style of presenting novels fascinates me. Last night’s performance of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Seattle writer Garth Stein (adapted by Myra Platt) was powerful and moving. Unusually, I had not read the book before I saw the play, so I can’t compare them yet. The hard part in any literary adaptation, whether it is to the screen or the stage, is what to leave in, what to take out. Two views I have heard from others who had read the novel first were completely contradictory. One couple felt that the central appeal of the novel (which is told from the point of view of a race car driver’s dog, Enzo) was the dog’s thoughts and commentary about his master’s life; and the adaptation gave them too little of what they liked most. They enjoyed the play, but couldn’t help but long for more. The other view, expressed by a woman, was that the novel was “a little too Jonathon Livingston Seagull” for her, and that she liked the play better than the book as a result of the choices made. I’m curious enough to plan on reading Racing. I’ll report back. Meanwhile, the play I saw last night. Carol Roscoe’s direction made for a very physical high energy performance. David S. Hogan’s performance as a (talking) dog carried the conceit without a hitch. His canine body language held character throughout. He was well matched by Eric Riedmann as Denny, and their rapport together as man and man’s best friend, was an excellent recreation of the emotional bond without crossing into saccharine country. Book-It does wonders with minimal staging and props; what little they use is always imaginatively multi-functional, as when twin red leather ottomans can be either living room furniture of the seats of a race car. The Center House Theatre space (set in this case in the round) is framed by 2 massive round pillars that are structural supports for the building. Andrea Bryne Bush used these to good effect, with ramp/risers platforms curving around each pillar and a clear oval area in between for the central action. The Art of Racing in the Rain is sold out for the remainder of the run. You may have missed your chance to see this one, but keep an eye on Book-It. Next Up: Friday May 5 A Language of Their Own by Chay Yew at the Richard Hugo House.

Comments Off

May 4, 2012

Books / Passage of the Kissing People

Family Reconnects After 61 Years

Nancy Bartley’s Article in the Seattle Times 4/29/12 (He’s a ‘nobody’ no longer) struck a chord. Though his commitment was in 1951, the same period when my parents were on the staff of the Sonoma State Home, so many of the details were familar.

Jerry Wooliver was a little boy in high-top baby shoes when he was taken from his mother and siblings and sent to a state institution. He never saw his family again, but for 61 years they lived on in hazy memories.

60 Minutes did a story in 2009 (A Dark Chapter in Medical History) about the commitment of Mark Dal Molin to the Sonoma State Hospital in 1961. So often these actions were taken for the best of intentions, but the toll on the families was harsh, and for some there was terrible guilt. Mr. Dal Molin felt his wife and daughters were being consumed by Mark’s care, but they were shocked by his action. The family split as a result. One of the most poignant things I saw there was a small carousel another family donated to the institution, with a brass plaque on the neck of the white horse reserving it for their son.

Comments Off

May 2, 2012

Books / Passage of the Kissing People

Book Launched! Passage of the Kissing People is a Go!

The book launch party for my novel 74th Street Productions threw 4/25 was beyond my wildest dreams. I hoped for 50 people to show up at Razzi’s Pizza(high fives to them). They gave us their newly renovated basement, and we needed every inch of it. It was a dismal night, rain blowing sideways, and a major road construction project in the street out front, but at 7:00 people started pouring in.

We had over 120 people there, packed elbow to elbow, even out in the hallway, all there for a tale of love, betrayal and family language. I tried something new for me, a slide show with a few sound effects. I got the idea from Mary Gleysteen, long time ace bookseller at. When I was working on Naked at the PodiumI interviewed her for the section on bookstore presentations, and asked her for her thoughts. She said, “I wish novelists could do a slide show, or something with some visual aspect.” So I did. As the book is set in 2 eras, 1953 and 1997 I used slides and sounds to indicate the change in the eras–an old Western Electric phone vs a Motorola SmarTec cell, with the sound of the ring tones was one.

Another new thing, I asked everyone there who had a blog, a Facebook page, or Twitter account to post something about the book and the event. I have no idea how social media really works, but I’m trying to plunge into it. Looking out over that crowd convinced me that no man on earth goes better friended than I.

Comments Off

May 2, 2012

Family Language / Passage of the Kissing People

Book Launch Tonight

Tonight is the launch party for my novel Passage of the Kissing People. (More info about the book, including the first chapter, is available elsewhere on this web site.) Family language played a huge role in the development of the story, because it is based on my family history, and particularly the years 1952-53 when we were beginning to create our own family language. My sister and I were 5 and 7 then, that age where you pick up words at school or from books or movies and try to fit them into your world. For years I told stories about that time and place (and the Sonoma Vallley and the Sonoma State Home were places that made an imprint on a kid’s mind) but with this book I was able to find a way to use those stories in a larger cause. My wife always told me to make the book non-fiction, because it is so much easier to sell than fiction, but I didn’t have a narrative thread. That had to come from the fiction side of my brain. I’ve been steaming around with my hair on fire trying to get everything ready. Now there’s nothing left but the Big Show. Further bulletins will be issued as developments warrant.

Comments Off

April 25, 2012