VOTM: What’s the most unusual experience you’ve had at a reading?
CARSWELL: The second strangest that happened to me at a reading occurred at an art gallery in NYC. The air-conditioner was broke and it was so hot that the gallery owner moved the reading onto the sidewalk in front of the gallery. Some clown double parked on the street in front of me. Not a minute later, an ambulance came chugging down the street and got stuck behind the double-parked car. I stopped reading to wait out the cacophony of sirens and arguing (because the guy who double parked was so put out that the he had to move his car for some stupid ambulance). The people who attended the reading on purpose seemed to enjoy my story. Passersby heckled me like I was a street preacher.
Sean Carswell is the author of five books, most recently the novel Madhouse Fog (Manic D Press, 2013). He is the co-founder of the independent book publisher Gorsky Press and the music magazine Razorcake. He teaches writing and literature at CSU Channel Islands. He knows that, when hunting roosters, one must be very, very quiet.
Come heckle Sean at MCASD in downtown San Diego on Friday, February 6 at 12pm.