BBGB in Richmond's Carytown hosted novelist Rachel Beanland and me, a nonfiction writer, "in conversation" about writing and the Richmond Theater Fire. We've both written a book about the event (mine nonfiction, hers fiction), so we were sort of a "paired text" activity here (English teachers know what I'm talking about). Look, I'm always up for a conversation with Rachel, and having dozens of reader friends there with us made it even more fun.
We talked writing craft, old-timey Richmond, how to amplify the overlooked voices of women and enslaved people when writing about history, and whether or not our kids appreciate our books. My young daughter supplied some of my interview questions, and some of them were legitimately good (e.g. "Did you have a teacher who encouraged you to read a lot or to be a writer?" I didn't use this one: "Ask her if she knows ANY other people who know a lot about the fire. You know the answer to this, but it will let you brag about your book a little....!")
We appreciated BBGB's amazing hospitality as well as EVERYONE who showed up to listen and buy books...we wish them many happy hours of reading!
