I’m driving to Kansas in a couple days. There’s a zine fest and some readings happening. I hope to sell some books. I’m looking forward to seeing Adam, Elizabeth, and Jessie, perhaps meeting a few new people. I’ll probably write about how it went next week.

I realized after last week’s letter went out that I forgot to mention Kansas. When you read this, I will be driving back to Chicago. Things get away from me sometimes. Had I mentioned it, maybe you’d have canceled your weekend plans and driven, flown, or walked to Kansas to see me. I’ll miss you but that’s my fault.

Irvine woke me with a text at 6am last week, saying he’s coming to town for a tribute to our friend Don at the Metro. I go but don’t stay too long. Don’s funeral was a couple months ago. It’s very hard to process his passing and being in a room of people I mostly don’t know to grieve communally is not my bag.

The next day I meet Irvine at a coffeeshop in his old neighborhood. Then we go to lunch where he insists the waitress snaps a picture of us. I look like I’m catching flies. It’s good to catch up with him. He remains a machine of productivity and good cheer. It’s unbearably hot but he’s happy as a clam. Don’t know how he does it.

I’m reading American Skin for the first time since it came out with Don’s memorial photo card as a bookmark.

My book-release went well, I think. Here’s a passable recording of it.

Pete wrote some of the most touching words I’ve ever read about my work this week in his newsletter.

I was a guest on Framed & Bound to talk about Can You Ever Forgive Me.

Will be at Printers Row Lit Fest this weekend sharing table space with Maudlin House (AKA Mallory) in the Small Press Tent. Come say hello and buy a book or three.