Audio downloads: Reading about the Hurricane and Fresh Air archived

A few weeks ago, when I was in Iowa City, I decided to do something a little different with my reading: I read from the beginning, the middle (Valentino section), and then for the first (and last) time, I read from the chapter of the dogs and I evacuating New Orleans just ahead of Hurricane Katrina. It was difficult to get through. You can download it in Real Player format here. Or go the the Live From Prairie Lights website.

Part of what made the reading so difficult is that the chapter--for me anyway--has the immediacy of the evacuation experience itself, with everything familiar just slipping away until there is just me and the dogs. I began writing it just after the evacuation, when I found myself in Tallahassee and was asked to read something at a Katrina benefit sponsored by FSU. The other readers include David Kirby, Robert Olen Butler, Janet Burroway, Elizabeth Dewberry and others. That audio is here:Huricane Katrina Benefit.

And, for those who missed it, my Fresh Air appearance is now archived: "Rescuing Dogs, And Learning from Them."

Ann Arbor, Oxford, New York, Boston, Philadelphia

Some more events:
Ann Arbor Book Fair
Saturday, May 13, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Lifestyle Pavilion on N. University Avenue
Introduction: Tanya Hilgendorf, Director, Huron Valley Humane Society

Square Books, Oxford MS
Tuesday, May 16, signing at 5pm; reading at 6pm

Housing Works Used Book Cafe, New York, NY
Thursday June 1st, 7pm
Panel discussion with Julia Szabo, Allison Pace, Rebecca Skloot and Lee Harrington

Kiehl's, Boston, MA
Friday June 2nd, 4-7pm
Signing and adoption day with the MSCPA

Kiehl's (the original East Village store), New York, NY
Saturday June 3rd, 11-2pm
Signing and adoption fair with Bide-A-Wee

BARC/BQE, Brooklyn, NY
Saturday June 3rd, 4-7pm
Signing, animals, celebration of the rescuers of Brando

Dog Days of Summer/Headhouse Square, Philadelphia
Sunday June 4th
Reading and signing with Alison Pace and Julia Szabo as part of an afternoon adoption fair with entertainment sponsored by the Alliance for Philadelphia Animals.

Obscure Louisiana Law: Dogs Can Drive...as long as there are no cats in the car

Brando's Kiwi Element
Originally uploaded by kfoz.

I've been getting email asking for updates on what's new with Brando (and Zephyr and Sula...everyone has their favorite). Here's the man of the house behind of the wheel of our new evacuation mobile, a Kiwi Element with...absolutely no extras. Special thanks to Brando's grandparents for helping to make it possible.

Zaniness in Seattle

I've been meaning--for a while now--to link to Zane Miller's blog aka Inzane. Zane put me up while I was in Seattle, and even drove me around town. Had I ever met him before landing at SEATAC? No. So, how, you may wonder, did this happen? Was he hired by my publisher to make sure I got to my events on time? (Insert the deafening sound of the entire country laughing.)

No no no. Zane is the older brother of Mr. Case Miller, according to legend. And Case (aka as the "blind-to-dog friend" of The Dogs Who Found Me) foolishly introduced us via email and then made us promise not to discuss him. Which we didn't. Not even for a minute.

But the point of this post is this: there are some really disturbing, hilarious photos on his blog, from some zany convention thing, I suppose. Zane is the geekier of the two brothers, and that's saying a lot. But my favorite part of his blog are the comic strip formatted anecdotes. He should do more of those. Or perhaps even do a little strip of Brando, Zephyr and Sula!