The Happy Booker: Snow Day

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Yes, we know. It's been a while. We missed you. And judging by our full email bag, you missed us too.

Thanks for the many inquiries and notes. While we're almost never too busy to blog, last week just kicked our sorry blogging ass. There were all those daily spa visits in the name of journalism—we love journalism!— and kid's school projects (3-D Rosetta Stone, anyone?) and something called "daily life" that completely subsumed us. Go figure.

But now we're back with a vengeance. We've got a few Friend of the Happy Booker Reports for you, some way cool iPod programming, more literary musing on Chapters bookstore, and a wild set of link-o-ramas in the pipeline. Here's a little something on an exciting NYC event that we were sorry to miss, provided by the awesome Todd Zuniga. And there's plenty more where this came from—so stay tuned!

Friend of the Happy Booker Report: Opium Magazine Reading by Todd Zuniga

While our events have been rarely photographed outside of the .print #1 launch party, the OpiumMagazine .reading Series #8 at Happy Ending in NYC was filled with an outstanding, marvelous looking crowd worthy of a pro-photog. Standing room only, it was a great turnout, bustling with literary energy.

The night kicked off with a letter written from a man in Califonia state prison—he'd seen the reading listed in the New Yorker. His name was Turbo, and he was hoping to be added to the site. We're aiming to get his letter scanned and up, post-haste.

After the letter, a short film by John Leary, featuring Kung-Fu Kittens. Hilarity.

Then Opium's technical director (and leader of Opium's .live movement), C. J. Kershner took the stage, wearing a oxblood ascot. Dreamy. He read his story from .print #1, and captivated the crowd with his verbal flair and orgasm-inducing neckwear.

Next up was the dulcet melody of Michelle Orange, who read from her 12-part McSweeney's story. No special neckwear, but a careful reading that twisted and surprised the wowed crowd.

The final reader was humorist/hilarioso, Tom Lombard i. A last-minute fill-in, Tom used a laugh track and cricket chirps to support a handful of hilarious tales. The crowd was in stitches.

And the conclusion, a short film by Jonathan Hayes based on Donald Barthelme's "The School." One of the greatest short films I've ever seen, it was beautiful, heartbreaking and left everyone gob-smacked.

After, people drank, and drank and… We can't wait for Dec. 15, for the next one.