Chuck Palahniuk was in town to promote his latest book Rant which is told in interviews, people speak in the first person, about a mass murderer, there's a whole thing with rabies, stuff right up Palahniuk's alley. He is better known for writing the book that became Fight Club

When I first got there (6:30p didn't turn out to be early at all), there was already a long line wrapped around the community room of the Park Branch library @ 1833 Page St. He was sporting a tux with a tail jacket and wearing some cool yellow sneakers. There was a whole getup with a bride costume for pictures. Sadly a lot of guys decided to pose with the bride outfit as well.. what gives

The room was so packed, I didn't realize he had such a huge following. Chuck made a joke about violating fire code and promised not to read "Guts" from Haunted which has been known to make people pass out. It is that good. Lo and behold while relating some great finger severing stories, one kid in the back collapsed. He didn't lose consciousness but his face was completely drained of color. Chuck joked about how he paid the kid but that was some impressive shit hahha

Chuck chose to read "exclusive" short stories, fan letters, did trivia (inflatable moose head and book prizes) and answered questions in the room. He read two stories: "Love Nest", a disturbing house where a couple indulge in their latest gunslinging fetish; and "Cold Calling", about telemarketing. Both were really amazing, Chuck knows how to build a story up. The letters he read were partly inspired but mostly extremely scary. Reality is something else. Chuck is a fantastic storyteller, I do find him a bit obsessed with structure and a self awareness about his relationship to the reader. I think he touches on that bordering on geekery over Amy Hempel in Stranger Than Fiction which is his last work I read

He mentioned the upcoming movie adaptation for Choke, his 4th(?) novel, revealing that he would very much like to stalk Sam Rockwell who will be in the movie. He promised another book next year, better get crackin on "Rant". I got my copy signed ($28 courtesy of Booksmith, that's just criminal) and also got him to scribble on the first page of "Guts"

After the reading Chuck was gracious enough to stay and sign multiple books for everyone, posing for pics. The event started way before the scheduled 7pm, I wasn't the last out and it was around 10. All in all, it was a lot more exciting than the Pessl reading though Marisha is of course cuter



palahniuk giveaway from kewlio, this is a mad dash giveaway at the very end for those who didn't get no prizes (he also gave away fake cigarettes with talc so now everyone can stand outside the bar with the cool kids)

Some pics, entire set