THIS GLOWING (Pt. 1)

Blogging has been sporadic at best, partly because my life has been changing at a dizzying pace. Last week I arrived home from my first-ever writing residency at Writing Downtown in Las Vegas. I knew when I first received the invitation that attending would represent a major shift in my life and career. What I didn’t realize was how profound that shift truly is.

I didn’t stop to consider the fact that New Orleans is below sea level, and Las Vegas is 2,001 feet above. The flight in was very rough in the last hour or so, and when I arrived at MacCarran International, the queasiness of the turbulence combined with the shift in altitude left me feeling truly terrible for a brief time. When I emerged from the jetway I had to spend a few minutes hovering near a trashcan because I feared I wouldn’t make it to a bathroom in time to be sick.

The feeling passed, but my adjustment to the altitude was slow. I think it honestly took me more than a week—which is surprising, because flying to Denver and then traveling uphill to Gunnison, Colorado didn’t bother me nearly as much. I hope it’s the turbulence that made the difference, and not the several years I’ve aged since ascending that far.

Writing Downtown is connected to the Writers Block Book Shop, which is—and I can’t stress this enough—truly a wonderland. My photo skills are not the best—Meg Elison takes much better pictures than I do, and she’s posted several to her Instagram detailing the wonders of that place. Beside the circular checkout kiosk is a sign reading ARTIFICIAL BIRD SANCTUARY AND BOOK SHOP. The place is full of stuffed birds—but more than that, there are dioramas and displays of all kinds—from dinosaurs with transparent skins that show their bones to an Aubrey Beardsley illustrated edition of Le Mort D’Arthur, to an army of creepy puppets hanging from the ceiling, to a plastic sculped bear wearing a shocked expression as he gazes up at a mobile hung with origami birds. If you are ever in Las Vegas you must must must visit this store.

The displays and decorations are meticulously assembled and arranged by Scott Seeley and Drew Cohen, the shop’s co-owners. Scott is a veteran of the literary world who ran the original McSweeney’s retail store and co-founded 826NYC. He is tall and a little raw-boned with shaggy steel gray hair and a slightly preoccupied expression. As someone whose mind usually operates on at least three different tracks simultaneously, I recognized and liked him right away.

The apartment itself was a second-floor loft space with an upstairs bedroom and master bathroom and a full kitchen, living room, and half bath downstairs. It’s not nearly as visually dense as the book store, but it is beautifully decorated, with book posters, stacks of volumes arranged carefully on the living room shelves, and semitransparent blinds that break light to make the space seem larger than it is. That’s where I spent most of my time, writing, relaxing, and adjusting to the thin Las Vegas air.

Next week, I’ll post more about my Vegas Adventure. STAY TOONT!