Book Launch and Straight into Summer, Interview with Kelli Russell Agodon, BOA’s Blog Post and Making a Flare, Corona Cocktail, and Readings Tomorrow and Monday!

Book Launch! And Straight into Summer!

Summer has Arrived in Seattle! It’s supposed to be 80 today, and 90 this weekend! So we went straight from February to August with no spring in between. Too bad – since spring is my favorite season.

On the plus side, my book Flare, Corona has officially launched, I have my Seattle debut reading at Open Books tomorrow, a great interview with Kelli Russell Agodon went live, and I have funny videos and graphics to share – including how to make a cocktail (it turns out I did not miss a secret calling as a bartender.) I’m posting a little early this week because I have a reading tomorrow and a reading and interview on Monday, and I wanted to give you all the news in between.

Interview with Kelli Russell Agodon

Kelli did a wonderful interview with me about Flare, Corona for The Linebreak (and will also appear in the upcoming issue of Redactions.

It’s funny, revealing, and sounds like a chat between two old friends – which it is! So check it out.

Here’s a little bit of the interview:

Kelli: “But I’m wondering, in this world which can feel like a lot of terrible news, how do you make space for art?”

Jeannine: “I have to admit I wrote more during the pandemic – I’m sure that’s true of many people. I think I wrote over 200 pandemic poems over the last two and a half years, not all of which were brilliant, but they were one way of dealing with the uncertainty and stress that went along with living through a pandemic. I also read through a ton of Joan Didion and Virginia Woolf, neither of whom I knew much about, read two fantastic huge nonfiction books about writers (Red Comet and The Equivalents, both of which I highly recommend), and walked through about every neighborhood in a five-mile radius. And planted about seven trees.

Gardening, photography, getting together with friends, seeing art, reading–all these things feed the creative side of me and make it easier to be productive as a writer.”

Reading at Open Books in Seattle Tomorrow Saturday the 13th with Special Guest Martha Silano (and Macarons)

I’ve got my poetry set all set up and so excited to be at my favorite all-poetry bookstore tomorrow with my friend Martha Silano (whose poem was a clue in NYT crossword this week, what what!) and we’re bringing fancy macarons to share during the book signing afterward in the Parlor.

This is my first time reading at Open Books’ new location in Pioneer Square. I’m hoping we can keep it cool (and I’m bringing a few cold drinks with me just in case) and that people show up since we are having beautiful sunny weather after an entire spring of rainy gray cold days. I had to drag out all my summer dresses and sandals after wearing sweaterdresses and boots earlier in the week. I’m happy to say you can also order a personalized copy of Flare, Corona from Open Books here. Support indie bookstores!

Flare, Corona Cocktail – BOA’s Flare, Corona blog post, and a (Funnyish) Video

So, BOA did a blog post about cocktails, food and drink in Flare, Corona:  A Cocktail Pairing for FLARE, CORONA with Jeannine Hall Gailey – BOA Editions, Ltd. and then I did a video about how to make the cocktail (recipe at left.)

It’s sort of funny because it’s obvious I’ve never used a cocktail shaker before and Glenn keeps whispering things about  how to make the cocktail but you know, I wasn’t really pursuing a mixologist future. The drink itself is pretty good if I do say so myself though!

Another Virtual Reading and Interview at Writers & Books in New York on Monday the 15th!

This even is actually taking place in New York State, because Peter Conners, the publisher of BOA Editions, will be doing the post-reading interview. I hope I sound smart (and my Zoom connection holds.) It’s Free on Zoom – here’s the link for attending: Jeannine Hall Gailey: Flare, Corona – Writers & Books (wab.org)

Thank you to everyone who has bought the book, written an Amazon or Goodreads review, sent me a kind message – book launches are hard but you guys make it worthwhile.
More pics to come in the next post!