Noelle Ashley at Great Read in the Park

I met Noelle Ashley at a publishing seminar a few months back. While I was out speaking at a writer’s conference last week, she reviewed the New York Times-sponsored “Great Read in the Park.”

Writers and book-lovers gathered in Bryant Park for the Great Read on Sunday. The goal was “A Celebration of Books,” but the theme should have been “Acting Classes For Authors.” I suggest shy or monotone authors hire appropriate people to impersonate them at readings: Chick lit writers can check Sarah Jessica Parker’s availability; sci-fi authors should use William Shatner.

A major highlight of the event was finding authors who made their work sound alive. Like Isabel Rose, who read dialogue from her novel, The J.A.P. Chronicles, in a thick New York accent. Wearing a tank top and jeans, the young author had the audience howling with her tale of a Jewish mother urging marriage and pregnancy. The protagonist protests that Madonna gave birth in her forties, until her mother tells her, “You’re not Madonna. And nice Jewish girls don’t get pregnant by their trainers!”

Rose receives the award for Funniest Excerpts, followed by L.A. Times reporter J.R. Moehringer. In a perfectly conversational tone of voice, the handsome Pulitzer Prize winner read about growing up fatherless in Manhasset. His memoir, The Tender Bar, told tales of a reclusive grandfather who suddenly “turned into Clark Gable.” Gigi Anders also poked fun at her family, with an air-piercing Cuban accent, entertaining the crowd as she read from Jubana!: The Awkwardly True and Dazzling Adventures of a Jewish Cubana Goddess. In her childhood, her mother took her to a mental hospital and told her to “play with the patients.” It was enough to make you want to cancel Mother’s Day.

The award for Best Accent goes to Frank McCourt. With his Irish brogue, he provided a preview of Teacher Man, coming out in November. McCourt had one of the longest book-signing lines, no doubt due to fans of Angela’s Ashes.

It never hurts to use an animated voice at readings. There’s something special about hearing authors interpret their own words. One audience member described the day as “like books on tape, but live.” As with any live performance, the delivery makes all the difference. Some authors lacked stage presence, or maybe they were just nervous, but other authors connected with the crowd right away, especially through humor. The quote of the day came from Allen Salkin, author of Festivus: “This isn’t a book by some guy who watched too much TV and smoked pot. This is real journalism about the holiday Festivus.” Salkin’s wit was accompanied by a fun-loving look, from his long, curly, brown hair to bright orange clothes.

The Most Intellectual award was a given: A. J. Jacobs actually looks like someone who would read the whole encyclopedia. From the beard to the glasses, he has a brainy air about him. Jacobs, who wrote The Know-It-All, shared trivia with the audience: “Did you know the philosopher Descartes had a fetish for cross-eyed women? I’m glad to know there’s someone for everyone.”

The Business Panel needed no coaching at promoting themselves. In fact, panelists like Mark Hughes (Buzzmarketing) gave out advice on this very subject. “If we cooked as poorly as we run companies, we’d starve!” proclaimed Seth Godin, the author of All Marketers Are Liars: But Great Marketers Tell Stories We Want to Believe. He suggests packaging a product so you’re selling a dream instead of an item. Sally Hogshead (Radical Careering) recommended that writers market themselves any way they can. “Now I can’t be a hypocrite,” she said with a smile, ready to sign books.

While the event marked the seventieth anniversary of the New York Times Bestseller List, not every author present held the distinction of being on the list. But as Godin pointed out, “Dale Carnegie’s book sold 40 million copies, and it was never reviewed in the Times.”

10 October 2005 | guest authors |