As #034 (Snuff reference) I was able to meet him before the event. I'm not sure who took this photo, but I found it and all others @ chuckpalahniuk.net. You can access this site by clicking "The Cult" in the links sidebar.
The auditorium was packed with over 500 people. I was sitting just out of view in the upper right of the frame, a couple rows back from the stage. The demographics were what you would expect: Primarily 20-30 year olds with tattoos and piercings abound. Much more hair was dyed black than blonde, and the bunch was lively.
He began the presentation by dispersing blow-up dolls for an inflation competition. He gave away autographed copies of KNOCKEMSTIFF by Donald Ray Pollock to the winners.
I'm glad I didn't catch one of these. I got on the new fangled way: EBAY.
He then settled in to share some stories and anecdotes. I call the one above Petey. I shot it on my digital camera, and it's only jumpy at the beginning, so bear with it a few seconds. He also read a short story, LOSER, that was an exclusive for the book tour. In it, an acid filled frat pledge is on The Price is Right and makes it to the showcase showdown. These things happen in the story, but that is not what the story is about. Like many of his other works, it is caustic commentary of societal obsession with image and materialism. I'm not including it here because I want to keep it as an experience for only those in attendence (and Paige). If he ever publishes the story, I'll post it.
Following a rather mundane Q & A, he closed by tossing signed autograph hounds to the audience. Unfortunately, I didn't get one of these.
Along with the blow up doll, the autograph hound is a prominent item in SNUFF. The other item is a cyanide pill. He couldn't really give those away, much less sign them.
No comments:
Post a Comment