After the jump, find the unedited transcript of the Book Club chat.
 
 
 

6:02

Doug Dorst:
Howdy, all.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:02 Doug Dorst
6:02

Stephen Elliott:
We’re going to put comments on hold for the first few minutes.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:02 Stephen Elliott
6:02

Threemoons:
Doug-hee hee I get that issue whenever I google a local biz and forget to put NY in the search…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:02 Threemoons
6:02

Stephen Elliott:
Doug, let’s start with a couple of questions generated by the discussion group.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:02 Stephen Elliott
6:02

Doug Dorst:
Cool. Let’s rock.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:02 Doug Dorst
6:03

Stephen Elliott:
How did you choose the order of the stories?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:03 Stephen Elliott
6:03

Stephen Elliott:
And were there any stories you wrote specifically for the collection?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:03 Stephen Elliott
6:04

Doug Dorst:
Re the order: It was tricky… In the end, I tried to balance the various styles, tones, approaches to reality (or lack thereof).
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:04 Doug Dorst
6:04

Doug Dorst:
I put together a tentative list, and my editor agreed. Made a tweak at the end — decided to close with Astronauts instead of Reptiles. Better motion at the end, I think.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:04 Doug Dorst
6:04

Stephen Elliott:
What did you think of the book club’s selection for favorite story?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:04 Stephen Elliott
6:05

Doug Dorst:
There weren’t any stories that I wrote thinking “the collection needs this.” I was scrambling until the end to get Reptiles and Splitters done, but mostly because I liked them and wanted them in there.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:05 Doug Dorst
6:05

Doug Dorst:
I’m glad people liked Dinaburg. I feel really close to that story.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:05 Doug Dorst
6:06

Stephen Elliott:
Was it your favorite?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:06 Stephen Elliott
6:06

Stephen Elliott:
And also, do you consider yourself more of a short story writer, or a novelist?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:06 Stephen Elliott
6:06

Doug Dorst:
I have a different favorite every day. D’burg is pretty consistently close to the top, though.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:06 Doug Dorst
6:06

Stephen Elliott:
And for the record my favorite story is Jumping Jacks.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:06 Stephen Elliott
6:07

Stephen Elliott:
OK. I’m going to start letting the messages through.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Stephen Elliott
6:07

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
greetings! thanks for being here
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Sarah
6:07

[Comment From MarthaMartha: ]
Thanks for the wonderful collection, first.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Martha
6:07

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
I’m so nervous
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Corey
6:07

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
I could easily see Dinaburg as a movie. The daughter was written brilliantly.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Frances
6:07

Doug Dorst:
At this point, I have no idea if I’m more of a story writer or a novelist. I just want to write stuff that I enjoy, whatever form it’s in.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Doug Dorst
6:07

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I see Dinaburg in best-of anthologies
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:07 Sarah
6:08

Stephen Elliott:
I’ve been thinking that way. For the last year I’ve just been writing The Daily Rumpus email.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Stephen Elliott
6:08

Doug Dorst:
Thanks — Frances, I’m glad you liked April. I think she deserves her own story at some point.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Doug Dorst
6:08

Stephen Elliott:
I think about the validity of form all the time.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Stephen Elliott
6:08

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Dinaburg was very reminiscent of Miranda July, for me–lots of simultaneous cringing and indentifying.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Tara
6:08

Stephen Elliott:
When did you write Dinaburg?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Stephen Elliott
6:08

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Identifying, rather.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:08 Tara
6:09

Doug Dorst:
First draft was when I was a Stegner. Back in 99, maybe? But it took a long time to develop. It threatened to get really out of control for a while.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Doug Dorst
6:09

Stephen Elliott:
How long did you work on it?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Stephen Elliott
6:09

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I liked the opening where Dinaburg said his daughter would be happy with pop tarts and the ending where Kacy’s daughter expressed her approval of the cake
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Sarah
6:09

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Splitters – I laughed all the way through.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Kim
6:09

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Who are some of your biggest literary influences?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Alyce
6:09

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
Miranda July has way more cringe-worthiness
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Sarah
6:09

[Comment From mm: ]
Are you naturally such of an observer of moments or is that how you construct the stories you write?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 m
6:09

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
You’re welcome. April with her own story would be very interesting. I think there are dimensions there that could really lend a great foundation to a very neurotic and complex character.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:09 Frances
6:10

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I’m a pop tart mom btw, not a wedding cake mom =)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:10 Sarah
6:11

Doug Dorst:
@Alyce — literary influences: Denis Johnson, Adam Johnson, all the Johnsons. And Steve Elliott.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Doug Dorst
6:11

Stephen Elliott:
Where you at Isaac?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Stephen Elliott
6:11

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Thanks for joining us tonight. I personally loved Jumping Jacks the most. It reminded me of the 3-page DFW story from Oblivion, the name of which escapes me. A lot of power in its economy.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 John F
6:11

Doug Dorst:
Also: I wish I could write as well as David Mitchell.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Doug Dorst
6:11

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Thanks so much for doing all this. I was wondering if you wrote Vikings or What Is Mine Will know My Face first.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Telaina
6:11

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Did you write Dinaburg in Austin? How did (I think I heard you’re not there anymore) Austin influence your writing. Would you recommend the city from a writer’s viewpoint?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Corey
6:11

Threemoons:
I love the level of detail throughout the book but especially in D’burg where even the daughter’s hair-pulling and pimply boyfriend make sense in the context of the story.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Threemoons
6:11

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
antony and the johnsons?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Sarah
6:11

[Comment From EricEric: ]
Who are you most excited about reading right now?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:11 Eric
6:12

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
Jumping Jacks is a prose poem, wonderful
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 Sarah
6:12

[Comment From MarthaMartha: ]
Did you know it would be a summer release–did you see the NY Magazine approval index a couple weeks ago; it was on the Highbrow and Brilliant axis, slated as a Smart Beach Read.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 Martha
6:12

Doug Dorst:
@Telaina: Vikings came first. I had planned a third story, but it was just too hard to get back into Phil’s head.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 Doug Dorst
6:12

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
I’m interested how you wrapped your brain around the different time periods in each story. None really seem to be set in a very similar period of time or place, yet I feel like there is a quiet theme running through each scene and story. How do you see the stories connecting in your mind?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 R. Rafferty
6:12

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Doug, you do have a Mitchellesque way of coining evocative words. I liked “rattleclank and rumblebump” in Candidate.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 Tara
6:12

Doug Dorst:
Stephen’s responsible for Jumping Jacks– I wrote it for the first PI anthology. I wrote it much more quickly than usual, left some more bumps in the prose. I like how it turned out.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:12 Doug Dorst
6:13

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
I think Isaac’s drunk
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Corey
6:13

Stephen Elliott:
That’s probably why I like it so much.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Stephen Elliott
6:13

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I think lots of us do, too
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Sarah
6:13

Stephen Elliott:
Isaac’s internet is down. I’m flying solo!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Stephen Elliott
6:13

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
god is your co-pilot tonight
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Sarah
6:13

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Internet down is code for drunk;)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:13 Corey
6:14

Stephen Elliott:
Ha!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Stephen Elliott
6:14

Doug Dorst:
@Corey – I wrote Dinaburg before I got to Austin, actually. (I had visited a lot and fallen in love with the city.) Added some details after I moved there. It’s a great writing town. Small scene of people who are genuinely interested in seeing each other succeed.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Doug Dorst
6:14

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Jumping Jacks is fantastic, so melodic
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 R. Rafferty
6:14

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
or not
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Sarah
6:14

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Ditto on what R. Rafferty said. I was particularly interested in how you came up with La Fiesta de San Humberto el Menor, it was such a different pacing and tone than most the other stories.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Frances
6:14

[Comment From TravisTravis: ]
and here I was thinking Jumping Jacks was the result of lots of editing. It’s so short and dense. I feel inadequate hearing it was written quickly
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Travis
6:14

[Comment From MarthaMartha: ]
(If G-d is your co-pilot, a Christian once told me, you should switch seats.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:14 Martha
6:15

Stephen Elliott:
There’s 35 current readers.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:15 Stephen Elliott
6:15

Doug Dorst:
@RRafferty – I wish I had a good answer for how they all connect in my mind. There’s just something in my brain that tells me they belong together. I think if I tried to distill it into a particular theme or set of concerns, I’d probably do a terrible job of it.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:15 Doug Dorst
6:15

[Comment From MarthaMartha: ]
Do you think of it as a summer book, to refer back to the approval and all?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:15 Martha
6:15

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Any tips on getting into the Austin writing scene – thinking of moving?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:15 Corey
6:16
What was your favorite story in the collection?
Dinaburg’s Cake

( 28% )
Jumping Jacks

( 17% )
The Candidate in Bloom

( 6% )
Splitters

( 11% )
Other

( 39% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:16
6:16

Doug Dorst:
@Martha – Not particularly… it’s just when my editor wanted to put it out. A bit less competition, I think, than in the fall.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:16 Doug Dorst
6:16

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Isaac = Man Down!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:16 Corey
6:16

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I’m interested in knowing why “The Surf Guru” became the title–like some people in the discussion group, it just kinda didn’t feel right to me! I know sometimes it’s vagaries of editors or publishers…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:16 Tara
6:17

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
Corey, nix nix
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Sarah
6:17

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Doug, you mentioned scrambling to finish Splitters and Reptiles. What were the major obstacles you were faced with for those particular pieces?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Frances
6:17

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
same here on Surf Guru title choice
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Sarah
6:17
Is Isaac’s internet really down, or is he drunk?
Internet’s down

( 6% )
Drunk

( 78% )
Other

( 17% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17
6:17

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
I like Isaac! I miss him.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Corey
6:17

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
I thought the theme was redemption, attempted, doomed and other. I saw it as a very “American” collection. Not in the flag-waving sense but in the exhaustion and overwhelmed by life.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Telaina
6:17

Doug Dorst:
@Tara– I knew I wanted the title to come from one of the stories. Mostly I thought TSG sounded catchiest. Vikings too boring, Astronauts had been done, Dinaburg had a possible pronunciation issue, and no one but me liked The Monkeys Howl…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Doug Dorst
6:17

Stephen Elliott:
I miss him too. He’s like my wayward adopted son.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:17 Stephen Elliott
6:18

Stephen Elliott:
The one with the drinking problem.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:18 Stephen Elliott
6:18

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Isaac is drunk with a landslide!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:18 Frances
6:18

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I’m too old for “who’s drunk” crap. I’m here to discuss the book and hear what the author has to say.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:18 Sarah
6:18

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
His heart’s in the right place
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:18 Corey
6:18

Stephen Elliott:
So Doug, what’s been the difference between writing your novel and writing these stories?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:18 Stephen Elliott
6:19

Stephen Elliott:
It seems to me like the stories are actually more intricate than Alive in Necropolis.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:19 Stephen Elliott
6:19

Doug Dorst:
Kevin from Seattle (in the Horn review) suggested the Candidate in Bloom as the best title, and I think his reasons were excellent. I suppose I just didn’t think the words themselves were catchy enough.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:19 Doug Dorst
6:19

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Oh I LOVED The Monkey’s Howl, particularly the title…I especially love the kid was called the kid throughout the entirety
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:19 R. Rafferty
6:20

Doug Dorst:
When Monkeys Howl was going to be in McSweeney’s, nobody could think of a good title for it. It was originally “A Long Bloodless Cut”, which an intern (I think) came up with. It was the best we had. I’d originally called it “Rebels.”
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:20 Doug Dorst
6:20

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
I think “What Is Mine WIll Know My Face” would’ve been a cool title
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:20 Alyce
6:21

[Comment From TrevorTrevor: ]
i second that, Alyce
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Trevor
6:21

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I like “Splitters” as a title. It’s interesting to think about how I might have approached/experienced the book differently with a different title! It took me a few stories to get out of the surfer mindset
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Tara
6:21

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I agree, it caught my eye and ear immediately
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Bill
6:21

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
How do you move from sort of traditional short stories like Dinaburg and the Gachet and Splitters stuff? Do you just have a really vivid imagination? Or do you consciously try out different styles or forms?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Sarah
6:21

Doug Dorst:
@Frances: The big obstacle in Splitters was in attempting to manage the main-text and footnote storylines. Honestly, I still don’t think I pulled it off.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Doug Dorst
6:21

[Comment From KevinKevin: ]
Hello, Doug. How much did the stories change between their first publications and the final collection? “The Candidate in Bloom” is the only one I have, and it’s much improved.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Kevin
6:21

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
I kept waiting to find out where the Hagfish’s Feast would come in and when it did it was grotesquely delightful
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 R. Rafferty
6:21

Doug Dorst:
@Alyce: I think you’re right.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:21 Doug Dorst
6:22

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I liked the moment when ‘splitter’ was defined in’Splitters’. So calm.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:22 Kim
6:22

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
you pulled it off. splitters was positively DFW-esque!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:22 Tara
6:22

Doug Dorst:
@Sarah– I do consciously try to think of different ways of telling stories. Mostly because I think it’s fun. And if I’m not going to have fun writing, I might as well get a job that actually pays.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:22 Doug Dorst
6:22

Stephen Elliott:
Ha!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:22 Stephen Elliott
6:22

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Amen to that, Doug.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:22 Frances
6:23

Stephen Elliott:
There are few benefits to being a writer, and they’re hard to name.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:23 Stephen Elliott
6:23

Doug Dorst:
@Kevin — some stories changed a lot; all of them changed a little. San Humberto probably evolved the most.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:23 Doug Dorst
6:23

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
I may be alone in this, and sorry Doug, but Splitters was my least favorite in the bunch…I’m curious where other people warmed up to it
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:23 R. Rafferty
6:23

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Writing and fun. I like that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:23 Corey
6:23

Doug Dorst:
No sorry needed. It’s an odd duck, for sure.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:23 Doug Dorst
6:24

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Stephen do you also have a reptile that eats your appendages when you finish a blog post??
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Tara
6:24

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
It looked like you were having fun, moving from one form to another. I liked that feeling of enthusiasm or something like that that was maybe my own enthusiasm but created by the variety
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Sarah
6:24

Stephen Elliott:
@ Tara It’s true.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Stephen Elliott
6:24

[Comment From BillBill: ]
How did you decide to play around with some stories and the method of delivery as opposed to the ones you told in a more straight-forward way?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Bill
6:24

Stephen Elliott:
I think Isaac’s back.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Stephen Elliott
6:24

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I thought the names of people & plants in’Splitters’ were somewhat Nabakovian – Quilcock – Quilty. Wordplay, smart, wink-wink.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Kim
6:24

Doug Dorst:
I don’t want to knock the tightly-unified story collection as a form. I mean, I might try it sometime. But for this one, I wanted to range pretty far and wide.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Doug Dorst
6:24

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
Because your style is so diverse– and yes, you like to have fun (which shows and makes it fun for the reader, too)– do you have any special writing warm ups/ techniques?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Nancy Lili
6:24

Isaac Fitzgerald:
I resent everyone who voted for me being drunk, but am intrigued what people who chose “other” thought I was doing.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:24 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:25

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Splitter was really fun to read. And it handled the whole “lost love” thing better than most straightforward stories I’ve read recently.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:25 John F
6:25

Stephen Elliott:
Splitter got a lot of votes for a favorite story.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:25 Stephen Elliott
6:25

[Comment From TravisTravis: ]
I’m curious about your writing process. Do you have a strict schedule? Or is it just on the whim when you sit down and write?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:25 Travis
6:25

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Isaac: other=both, to me
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:25 Kim
6:26

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Splitters was my favorite by far, delicious and fantastical.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:26 Tara
6:26

Doug Dorst:
@Bill — I try to let the material dictate what form the story wants to be in. Dburg, for example, felt like it wanted to be very straightforward, with a very slow build. Gachet had the various portraits idea built into it. (There are in fact two of them in real life.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:26 Doug Dorst
6:26

Doug Dorst:
@Kim– you give me too much credit. Quilcock was, above all, just a dick joke.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:26 Doug Dorst
6:26
Are we moving too fast? Too slow? Chaotic but fun?
Too fast

( 6% )
Too slow

( 6% )
Chaotic, in a good way

( 75% )
My fingers hurt from typing too fast.

( 0% )
It’s all a blur.

( 13% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:26
6:27

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I just liked the idea more than the execution as far as Splitters goes.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Bill
6:27

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Personally, I enjoyed the variety. The range in your writing made it very easy for me to plow through these stories within a couple of days, then have enough time to go back and re-read my favorites.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Frances
6:27

[Comment From T. BurtonT. Burton: ]
Reading “Vikings” and “What is Mine Will Know My Face,” I was consistently reminded of that great Townes Van Zandt quote, “Aloneness is a state of being, whereas loneliness is a state of feeling. It’s like the difference between being broke and being poor.” Did you consciously include this theme in creating the stories, or did it come about more organically by how you defined Phil & Trace and their relationship?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 T. Burton
6:27

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I liked the Quilcock pronunciation explanation too.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Kim
6:27

[Comment From BillBill: ]
Do you ever find yourself second guessing that impulse and rework straight-forward prose into something more experimental? Vice-versa?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Bill
6:27

Doug Dorst:
@Nancy Lili — Yes. My warm-up technique appears to be to waste several hours on the web, waste several more telling myself I’m a fraud, and finally, if I’m lucky, telling myself, oh, hell, just type some words already.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Doug Dorst
6:27

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Your imagination is incredible. It was so much fun to anticipate the next inventive creative twist. When reading a book of short stories I’ve hardly ever spent so little time in between two stories just dying to see what comes next.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:27 Alyce
6:28

Threemoons:
Doug–hey, that sounds like my job hunt strategy!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:28 Threemoons
6:28

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Waste hours on the web + fraud=
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:28 Telaina
6:28

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Actually, maybe a weird comparison, but Splitters really reminded me of Lemony Snicket! Lots of jokes buried in footnotes, asides, editorializing, narrator’s privilege, and especially vocabulary.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:28 Tara
6:28

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
You really did cover a LOT of ground in this collection. And very convincingly.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:28 John F
6:29

Stephen Elliott:
But I know none of these stories really came easy to you. You kind of slave over these things.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Stephen Elliott
6:29

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Tara Lemony Snicket! Yes!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Nancy Lili
6:29

Doug Dorst:
@T Burton– That’s a really nice way of putting it. I think those stories came from the characters, and the themes just emerged from that. The aloneness/loneliness distinction is something I’ve thought about a lot, though, just in going through life.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Doug Dorst
6:29

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Splitters at times reminded me of one of the shell stories in The Cloud Atlas…anyone familiar?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 R. Rafferty
6:29

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
How long did it take to write?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Corey
6:29

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
me, too with the Lemony Snicket connex w/Splitters
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Sarah
6:29

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I found ‘a handful of saffron’ in Dr. Gachet unrelistic. Do you know how expensive & labor-intensive saffron is??
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Kim
6:29

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I can’t spell fast.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:29 Kim
6:30

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
@T. Burton: Just catching up. But wow I love that quote. Thanks.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:30 Alyce
6:30

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
I thought the collection as a whole was more about the things that are out of reach. The things we want but can’t seem to attain. Am I alone on that? Was that intentional?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:30 Nancy Lili
6:31

Doug Dorst:
@Bill – Sometimes, although usually if it doesn’t work the way I originally think of it, it doesn’t end up working well. ( while I can think of times I went from more-experimental to straighter, I can’t recall any that went in the other direction.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:31 Doug Dorst
6:31

Stephen Elliott:
I kind of thought it was about hope. Each character goes down, but still believes they have a chance.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:31 Stephen Elliott
6:31

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
I mean, I definitely see how loneliness was a strong motif in the book. But that’s not what I thought tied everything together..
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:31 Nancy Lili
6:31

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
RE stephen & hope YES.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:31 Telaina
6:32

Doug Dorst:
@SE – I wish I could write more quickly and more, I dunno, lightly. That’s one reason I particularly liked writing Jumping Jacks — I didn’t have time to obsess or worry, and so I didn’t. I’m gonna try to do more of that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Doug Dorst
6:32

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I kind of saw that as delusion. It’s still hope, mind you, just not such a pretty form.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Bill
6:32

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I perceived each main character as just really strongly individualistic and those types can be lonely/loners
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Sarah
6:32

[Comment From MarthaMartha: ]
Oh, there was alot of misguided hope there from the baker to the idea of taking care of Mo.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Martha
6:32

Stephen Elliott:
Yes, delusion as hope. Very American.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Stephen Elliott
6:32

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
jumping jacks, yes! more.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:32 Sarah
6:33

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
@Nancy Lill – thats really interesting…i don’t know if it was so much loneliness as it was a longing for missed opportunities or unobtainable ones
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 R. Rafferty
6:33

Doug Dorst:
RRafferty: Cloud Atlas is pretty much my favorite book of all time… although I wasn’t thinking about it when I was writing Splitters. Mostly I was just having fun playing in the sandbox of botanical rivalry and ill humor.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Doug Dorst
6:33

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Yes! And the exhaustion from so much hope and possibility. Or alleged possibility.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Telaina
6:33

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
ha!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Tara
6:33

Doug Dorst:
@Kim — good point. Shoulda dialed it back.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Doug Dorst
6:33

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
yeah, choices made that make for a bit of loneliness
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Sarah
6:33

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Could you talk a little about what your working on now? I read something about your next book and it sounded very interesting. Something about a couple being buried alive, was it?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 John F
6:33

Stephen Elliott:
Someone once told me every story was a love story or a story about loneliness.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:33 Stephen Elliott
6:34

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
oh WAH!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 R. Rafferty
6:34

[Comment From CoreyCorey: ]
Kerouac said every story was a love letter to the world
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Corey
6:34

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Kacy’s character in Dinaburg made me think of a handful of famous stage moms and pushy over-achiever types I have known in my life. A little on the lonely side, not completely content, but when you step back, she’s got the husband, the kids, the house, the dog, and even the successful business.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Frances
6:34

Doug Dorst:
@Nancy Lili– That wasn’t necessarily a conscious decision (theme: things out of reach), but it does seem to be the sort of story I’m drawn to.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Doug Dorst
6:34

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@RRafferty I see “unobtainable ones” as valid. Most characters seemed alone or in their own worlds, alluding to something like loneliness.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Nancy Lili
6:34

[Comment From BillBill: ]
Well stories about loneliness usually involve love also.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Bill
6:34

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I’d like to know where you get your obsession with Taxonomies (I’m looking at Splitters and Reptiles, but also to a certain extent Gachet, and even Surf Guru).
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Tara
6:34

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
@Stephen two heads of the same coin.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:34 Telaina
6:35

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Maybe I should have said fascination, not obsession
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:35 Tara
6:36

[Comment From BillBill: ]
Yeah w/ Tara, I’m always really interested when someone goes into that much detail, into the science and biology of something to express it in prose. That was definitely a strength.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 Bill
6:36

Doug Dorst:
@John F– I’ve started a novel about a couple who fake their own deaths, but I’ve back-burnered it for now. Needs more time to stew. In the meantime, I’ve got a couple of stories going, as well as a weird thing that seems to be threatening to turn into a novella (and thus dooming itself to irrelevancy). And I’m working on a screenplay, too.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 Doug Dorst
6:36

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
@nancy lili – ah, good point, i suppose that feelign of longing for the unobtainable and missed opportunities inevitably leads them into their lonliness
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 R. Rafferty
6:36

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Also, could you talk a little bit about the song that inspired La Fiesta
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 John F
6:36

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
By the way, I liked all the Austin TX references in Dburg– I almost expected to see references pop up throughout the book. As an Austinite, being able to actually picture the scene as it might be in real life, was fun. But I am definitely glad you didn’t keep it up, because that would have kept it too local.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 Nancy Lili
6:36

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Ooooh, a screenplay! That’s exciting!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:36 John F
6:37

Threemoons:
I saw every story as having characters that were “stuck” or “loosery” and unable to get out of it. Something about striving or NOT…about accepting defeat in a way.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Threemoons
6:37

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I keep buying novellas from Melville
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Sarah
6:37

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I like novellaas
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Sarah
6:37

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I saw taxonomies as a more general theme though too (I’m not just asking whether you were a biology major, ha). Taxonomies being… a way to classify the world and make it all make sense.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Tara
6:37

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Were the taxonom. plant names in Splitters made up?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Kim
6:37

[Comment From TravisTravis: ]
I’m curious what you read, not necessarily what your literary influences are. Splitters, obviously, but there are times when you seem to skirt really close to newer theory produced in academia.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Travis
6:37

[Comment From DerekDerek: ]
steven king’s best works that turned into movies were novellas…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Derek
6:37

[Comment From BillBill: ]
good work of any length is worth your time.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Bill
6:37

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
Yeah, novellas are totally the next big thing.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Nancy Lili
6:37

Stephen Elliott:
Oh, good point Bill
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:37 Stephen Elliott
6:38

Doug Dorst:
@Tara — my wife is a plant taxonomist. So in a way, Splitters is kind of a demented love letter to her. As for Reptiles, I just have an inner science geek. It was fun to let it out.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Doug Dorst
6:38

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
why does the couple fake their deaths? if that’s not a spoiler
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Sarah
6:38

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
It was a pleasant surprise to see Phil and Trace reappear later in the collection. What was it about these characters that compelled you to return to them?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Neal
6:38

Stephen Elliott:
I think spoilers are OK at this point.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Stephen Elliott
6:38

[Comment From BillBill: ]
Aww
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Bill
6:38

[Comment From FrancesFrances: ]
Demented love letters…so punk rock.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Frances
6:38

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
spoilers for a book that’s not yet written?!?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:38 Tara
6:39

Doug Dorst:
@John F — all I have to say about that song — “Paradise” — is that it’s fucking awesome, and everyone should listen to it. (I’m a big AE fan.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Doug Dorst
6:39

[Comment From BillBill: ]
write the whole book in spoilers
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Bill
6:39

Stephen Elliott:
Ha!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Stephen Elliott
6:39

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
Phil and Trace seemed the most Denis Johnson to me, so it was suiting that they make a second appearance in the book.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Nancy Lili
6:39

Stephen Elliott:
There are 40 readers in the chatroom.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Stephen Elliott
6:39

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
how many typers?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:39 Sarah
6:40

Stephen Elliott:
You’ll have to count that one up.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:40 Stephen Elliott
6:40

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I second the previous question about what you read/are reading, particularly when you’re writing! I always wonder whether reading something while you’re also trying to write something is… confusing? inspiring? distracting?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:40 Tara
6:40

Doug Dorst:
@Threemoons– it’s funny how many reviewers (both those who’ve like my stuff and those who haven’t) have referred to many of my characters as “losers.” I don’t see it that way– they might make poor decisions, they might be a little deluded, but I think they’re every bit as worthy of respect as those who’ve succeeded. Obviously, these are scars from my high school experience showing through…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:40 Doug Dorst
6:41

Doug Dorst:
@Tara — that’s a good point. I think we’re all looking for ways to order the world. (Stories themselves– any kind of narrative– do that, too)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:41 Doug Dorst
6:42

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
You said you write because it’s fun for you. What else drives you to write for a living?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 John F
6:42

[Comment From BillBill: ]
i think it’s kind of a cop out to just call a character a loser when even the losers in life have interesting points of view. The term loser just makes them seem unnecessary or unimportant, which is all too far from the truth.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 Bill
6:42

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
A short story collection as a taxonomy of taxonomies!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 Tara
6:42

Doug Dorst:
@Kim– yes, all made up. Some are inside jokes or shout-outs to friends; some I thought were funny; some were justnonsense that I just liked the sound of.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 Doug Dorst
6:42

Stephen Elliott:
@tara When I’m writing a book I try to read things that are similar in tone and topic. While working on Happy Baby I re-read Blood Meridian and it stopped me cold for months.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 Stephen Elliott
6:42

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
What story did you find yourself most at home and comfortable writing?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 R. Rafferty
6:42

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Well, in the sense that the characters experience loss, they are losers but not in the traditional way of using the word. Lots of loss, for all of the characters. Things are given and then taken away. Things are expected and then not received.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:42 Telaina
6:43

Doug Dorst:
@Travis — I mostly read contemporary fiction. I’m not a theory guy in the least. I’m a little embarrassed, actually, about how much lit theory fails to make sense to me. or to interest me, I suppose.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Doug Dorst
6:43

Doug Dorst:
Oh, god. I’m really far behind. Sorry.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Doug Dorst
6:43

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I think “losers” will be re-defined by the changing world so I’m open to losers I guess
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Sarah
6:43

[Comment From BillBill: ]
and it seems trivial to judge the downfall and not the climax that lead up to that point.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Bill
6:43

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I would have imagined you could go the other way too–i.e. trying to read only things that are very different than what you’re trying to write to avoid “interference”
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Tara
6:43

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Isn’t everyone a loser a little bit?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Alyce
6:43

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
On the topic of losers, irrelevant to the discussion though, when I was little my mom grounded me for two weeks because I called my brother a “loser.” She yelled, “He’s not a loser! What has he lost? No loss!”
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:43 Nancy Lili
6:44

Doug Dorst:
@Sarah — they have different reasons for faking their deaths. Don’t want to say too much about it, though.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:44 Doug Dorst
6:44

[Comment From BillBill: ]
nothing lost, nothing gained
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:44 Bill
6:44

[Comment From BillBill: ]
something
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:44 Bill
6:45

Doug Dorst:
@Neal– I think I just liked them, and I thought they had more stories in them. There’s a degree to which they’re modeled on some friends of mine, which probably made it more fun to work with them.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:45 Doug Dorst
6:45

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
each member of the couple has a different reason? cool
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:45 Sarah
6:45

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Was Lars in St. H. the Surf Guru’s evil doppelganger?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:45 Kim
6:45
Was Nancy’s punishment for calling her brother a loser excessive?
Yes

( 33% )
No

( 8% )
I’d need more information

( 58% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:45
6:45

[Comment From BillBill: ]
do you ever worry about modeling characters after people too much?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:45 Bill
6:46

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
I love hearing a good writer say they don’t do lit theory.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Telaina
6:46

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
That was the full story btw. I guess, English is my mom’s second language. I don’t think she understood the funny insult of calling my brother a “loser.”
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Nancy Lili
6:46

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Ditto on the lit theory.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Kim
6:46

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
re: lit theory: I still have no idea what po-mo really means.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Sarah
6:46

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
@Telaina: Me too
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Alyce
6:46

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
just write.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Sarah
6:46

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
just read.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:46 Sarah
6:47

Doug Dorst:
@Tara — sometimes I want to avoid reading other stuff while I’m writing (for fear that I’ll be too much influenced by it — in a way, Vikings is probably an example of that). But sometimes reading other people’s stuff is inspiring, gets me excited enough about the act of telling stories that I can start to ignore that inner You’re-a-fraud voice.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:47 Doug Dorst
6:47

[Comment From KimKim: ]
po-mo means after joyce, woolf right?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:47 Kim
6:47

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Kim Let’s not do the post modernist talk here.. It’ll give us all a headache
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:47 Nancy Lili
6:48

Doug Dorst:
@John F– What drives me to write for a living? The fact that the only other thing I’m qualified to do is be a lawyer. Been there, did not love it.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Doug Dorst
6:48

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
What do you find Vikings was influenced by?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 R. Rafferty
6:48

Doug Dorst:
@JohnF– but also, there’s nothing like the feeling of writing when it’s going well. I kinda live for those moments.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Doug Dorst
6:48

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Sorry NL
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Kim
6:48

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
in grad school the psych everyone ended up going to made everyone wear a rubber band on their wrists and snap them when the “you’re a fraud” thoughts started. It was hilarious watching people in class snap away.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Sarah
6:48

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
I did really like the choice of putting Vikings before the later Trace and Phil story, even though it is second chronologically. It gave the latter story a bit more resonance, though I think it still would’ve stood pretty well on its own even without Vikings.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Neal
6:48

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
Ooh, more on this lawyer history, please?? How did you make the transition to writing? When did you fall in love with it?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:48 Nancy Lili
6:49

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
@doug did you pass the bar on your first try? Was it the multistate one?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Telaina
6:49

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Kim Virtually hugging you.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Nancy Lili
6:49

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
wow you’re too imaginiative to be a lawyer
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Sarah
6:49

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Sarah Lawyers can get pretty imaginiative.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:49

Stephen Elliott:
Good lawyers should be imaginative.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Stephen Elliott
6:49

Stephen Elliott:
Peter Orner’s also a lawyer.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Stephen Elliott
6:49

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
law school must’ve been hellish
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Sarah
6:49

Doug Dorst:
@RRafferty — probably Jumping Jacks, in that I gave myself permission to just let it fly. And Reptiles, too… mostly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted it to be, but I decided just to follow it and find out.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Doug Dorst
6:49

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Not nice, Sarah. My sister is a public defender
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Telaina
6:49

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
define “good lawyer” I guess
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Sarah
6:49

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I’m a lawyer too! take it back, @sarah
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:49 Tara
6:50

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Sarah The same way I define “good liar”
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:50

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
my bro’s a land of lincoln legal services laywer
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Sarah
6:50

[Comment From TrevorTrevor: ]
lawyers and writers are of the same ilk, I’ve been told. both have a great love of language.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Trevor
6:50

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
Didn’t know you were a lawyer, Doug. That’s where I am right now – what made you decide to take the plunge into writing full time?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Neal
6:50

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
@isaac wah, wah!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Tara
6:50

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Good lawyer=public defender. God’s work.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Telaina
6:50

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
lol isssac pretty good for an inebriated person
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Sarah
6:50

Doug Dorst:
@Kim — hadn’t thought about that, but I like it. I think I just thought the San Humebrto story needed an evil Norwegian.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:50 Doug Dorst
6:51

Stephen Elliott:
His Internet died so he’s using the wifi at the bar across the street.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:51 Stephen Elliott
6:51

Doug Dorst:
@Bill — yes, I do worry about it. I’ve made some mistakes in that realm that I regret. It’s a tricky business, for sure.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:51 Doug Dorst
6:51

Isaac Fitzgerald:
Stephen meant to say church. The church across the street
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:51 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:51

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
Isaac has to drink to keep getting internet?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:51 Telaina
6:51

Stephen Elliott:
I’m out of town so I can’t keep an eye on him.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:51 Stephen Elliott
6:52

Isaac Fitzgerald:
Let’s not get side-tracked here, but I ordered garlic fries and a water (and a beer to be delivered at 7:01)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:52 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:52

Doug Dorst:
RRafferty– Vikings, to my ear now, feels awfully close to a Jesus’-Son-era Johnson emulation. I still like it, and I love Phil’s voice, but there’s some tonal shading (and a few moments) that I’d do differently now.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:52 Doug Dorst
6:52

[Comment From BillBill: ]
yeah I usually try to only model characters after friends who have moved away or won’t read my work, kind of feels like walking a tightrope.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:52 Bill
6:53

Doug Dorst:
@Sarah — that’s great. I’m gonna use that. In private, though, I think.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:53 Doug Dorst
6:53

Stephen Elliott:
I’m a big believer in using my life in my work.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:53 Stephen Elliott
6:53

Stephen Elliott:
But you have to figure out some things first. But Doug, you don’t use your life too much in your writing.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:53 Stephen Elliott
6:54

Stephen Elliott:
In most of your stories the author doesn’t seem present. They’re not “protagonist author” stories.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:54 Stephen Elliott
6:54

[Comment From KimKim: ]
St. H reminded me a little of Night of the Iguana, the movie, John Huston, from the ‘native’ perspective.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:54 Kim
6:54

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
he has a very rich inner life you have a very rich outer life maybe
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:54 Sarah
6:54

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Before this ends, I want to say that while I wish we could all meet in real life, I love this so much.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:54 Alyce
6:55

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
That’s what I liked so much about Splitters–the way it played with the author/narrator. I love reading something and realizing halfway through the narrator can’t be trusted!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:55 Tara
6:55

Stephen Elliott:
Thanks Alyce. That’s so great of you to say that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:55 Stephen Elliott
6:55

Doug Dorst:
re lawyering: I had always loved writing, but I had never allowed myself to believe that I was allowed to do it. I went to law school straight out of college b/c my parents wanted me to — which is a lousy reason to do anything — and it wasn’t until I got through two and a half years of abject depression that I hit bottom and decided to apply to MFA programs. Kind of as a cry for help.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:55 Doug Dorst
6:55

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I love it, too and can’t thank Stephen, Issac and the authors enough
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:55 Sarah
6:56

Stephen Elliott:
So you went to Iowa then for an MFA, right?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Stephen Elliott
6:56

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Alyce Seriously, I wish book club meetings in real life stayed as on topic as this one. And that the authors could always be present.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Nancy Lili
6:56

Doug Dorst:
I practiced for a year in SF after I went to Iowa– figured I’d give it a shot, pay off loans, etc., but I did not distinguish myself in the work, and I was lucky enough to be offered a Stegner Fellowship, which made it easy to pull the ripcord.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Doug Dorst
6:56

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Alyce @Sarah @Nancy <3 <3 <3
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Isaac Fitzgerald
6:56

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
nice ripcord!!!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Sarah
6:56

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
MFA as a cry for help=love
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Telaina
6:56

[Comment From John FJohn F: ]
Yeah, I actually have to get going, but this was great, as expected. Thanks, everyone, especially Doug. I’d be re-reading your book now if I hadn’t just lent it to a friend.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 John F
6:56

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
or ‘chute, whatevr
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:56 Sarah
6:57

Stephen Elliott:
Thanks John!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:57 Stephen Elliott
6:57

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
3 Internet book club hug
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:57 Alyce
6:57

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Do you find that experience hitting bottom when you were in the LAW reflects in any of your characters?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:57 R. Rafferty
6:57

Doug Dorst:
SE: I think I do use my life a lot in my writing, although I tend to mask it pretty heavily. I absolutely do not have the courage to do what you do.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:57 Doug Dorst
6:58

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Do you surf?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Kim
6:58

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
I’m'a hop right down to my local bookstore (Bibliohead!) and tell the proprietress to stock Surf Guru!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Tara
6:58

Stephen Elliott:
I mean, of course you use your life, but you don’t put yourself at the center of the story. The reader can’t draw conclusions about you, the way they can (and will) in protagonist-author fiction.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Stephen Elliott
6:58

Threemoons:
Good question, kim!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Threemoons
6:58

Doug Dorst:
SE: yep, MFA at Iowa. It was a great experience. I needed that kind of support and structure, I think, to convince myself that it was OK to think of myself as a writer.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Doug Dorst
6:58

[Comment From TrevorTrevor: ]
I was waiting for that one, Kim. Didn’t want to take it from you.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Trevor
6:58

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
but it’s nice that splitters is based on parts of your life since your wife is a plant taxonimist. it just comes out differently that’s all that’s the wonderful thing about storytelling everyone does it differenently
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:58 Sarah
6:59

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
it’s what keeps me reading
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Sarah
6:59

Stephen Elliott:
Next month is going to be so different from this.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Stephen Elliott
6:59

Doug Dorst:
RRafferty– Yeah. i was pretty miserable. So when you find one of my characters being miserable, there’s no question that my experience informed his/hers.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Doug Dorst
6:59

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
you deffo have some chops, for sure
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Sarah
6:59

[Comment From BillBill: ]
oh?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Bill
6:59

Doug Dorst:
@Kim — I’ve surfed a couple of times. Poorly.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Doug Dorst
6:59

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
@Stephen: Tell me about it.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 6:59 Alyce
7:00

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Maybe much more lower-case communication
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Alyce
7:00

Stephen Elliott:
Well, Tao Lin is a very withdrawn guy, for one thing.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Stephen Elliott
7:00

[Comment From BillBill: ]
yeah
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Bill
7:00

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
ttao lin? eeeh! eeeh! eeeh!!!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Sarah
7:00

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Alyce ha!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:00

[Comment From KimKim: ]
scare quotes next month y’alls
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Kim
7:00

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
What’s next month? (I don’t pay attention. That’s not the thousand page one that I’m already having anxiety about.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Telaina
7:00

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
how fast does he type?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Sarah
7:00

Stephen Elliott:
I think he’s extremely talented but he has nowhere near Doug’s polish.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Stephen Elliott
7:00

Doug Dorst:
Hey, are there any big questions I’ve missed?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Doug Dorst
7:00

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
San Humberto is my favorite. For the record. Just throwing that out there.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Nancy Lili
7:00

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Alyce He’s super open though, lower case or no
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:00

[Comment From kenyakenya: ]
hi doug & book club. doug, i enjoyed all the stories, especially jumping jacks. you said the “stories came from the characters, and the themes just emerged from that.” i’m curious about where the characters came from. i live in sf and am especially interested in complex cakes, surfing, and alejandro escovedo. do you surf, or bake? if not, these seem like complex things to choose to write about in a short story.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:00 kenya
7:01

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
what are you reading RIGHT NOW doug??
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Tara
7:01

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
right now he’s reading us
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Sarah
7:01

Stephen Elliott:
ha
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Stephen Elliott
7:01

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Sarah
7:01

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Sarah lol
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Nancy Lili
7:01

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
@Isaac: Oh yeah, I love him and I’m very excited about it. I heard about the book club because of his blog.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Alyce
7:01

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
::sigh:: point taken
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Tara
7:01

Doug Dorst:
@Kenya — I bake cookies. often poorly. I researched the story by talking to Elizabeth Falkner at Citizen Cake in SF. She was extremely cool & extremely helpful.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:01 Doug Dorst
7:02

[Comment From TelainaTelaina: ]
I’m on Eastern time and need to tuck my 10 year old in. Thanks so much Doug, Stephen and Isaac (if you are still sober enough to read.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Telaina
7:02

Stephen Elliott:
Doug, what else has been going on with your book. It just came out, right?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Stephen Elliott
7:02

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
oh duh, I saw her name in the acknowledgments and was wondering why!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Tara
7:02

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I’ve been excited to read him for a while now. Amazon kept insisting, and I do mean insisting, I read him after I purchased Miranda July’s book.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Bill
7:02

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
I’m interested in the endings, actually. The Rumpus just linked to this place where a woman dissects endings and claims that the best endings are the ones where the reader infers what happens. To what extent did you cut/edit the endings? Would you say every ending is full?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Nancy Lili
7:02

[Comment From AlyceAlyce: ]
Hah, yeah it’s an automatic recommendation after an MJ purchase. I’ve heard that before.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:02 Alyce
7:03

Doug Dorst:
@Tara: right now? Just finished The Imperfectionists. And before that, Julie Orringer’s novel, which is a hundred kinds of amazing. About to start Joshua Ferris’ new one. And I’ll probably pick up the new David Mitchell at Powell’s tomorrow. And maybe Jennifer Egan’s new one, too.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 Doug Dorst
7:03

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I have to assume that’s a good thing
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 Bill
7:03

Stephen Elliott:
I want to read Julie’s novel.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 Stephen Elliott
7:03

[Comment From kenyakenya: ]
same with surfing, except not elizabeth?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 kenya
7:03

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
(Jacob de Zoet = awesome… just saw him do a reading in SF last week, swoon)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 Tara
7:03

Threemoons:
Moron alert: just finished troubleshooting my entire system trying to figure out wtf the clicking noises coming in over my music were. It’s the sounds from this chat engine Just turned it off. Much better.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:03 Threemoons
7:04

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
I didn’t really make the MJ connection, but it does totally make sense.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Neal
7:04

Doug Dorst:
SE: yeah, it came out about two weeks ago. Reviews have been pretty good so far, and I’m really happy with the attention it’s gotten. Hopefully things keep rolling that way.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Doug Dorst
7:04

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
are most of the book club members writers or aspiring writers?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Sarah
7:04

Doug Dorst:
I guess I need to read Miranda July.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Doug Dorst
7:04

Stephen Elliott:
Can’t get bigger than Rumpus Book Club.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Stephen Elliott
7:04

Threemoons:
I write on the side for myself; thinking about submitting after a few years hiatus of not submitting to journals, etc.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Threemoons
7:04

Stephen Elliott:
I liked Miranda July’s collection much more than I expected. It’s fantastic.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:04 Stephen Elliott
7:05

[Comment From KimKim: ]
I’m a reader first.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Kim
7:05

[Comment From BillBill: ]
You know, we could talk about this month’s book.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Bill
7:05

[Comment From mm: ]
bigger than the LA Coliseum
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 m
7:05

[Comment From ee: ]
miranda july is a beast
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 e
7:05

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
M. July’s characters makes me depressed sometimes.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Sarah
7:05

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Dorst I think Miranda July is too whimsy for you…
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Nancy Lili
7:05

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
I write, but not as often or as diligently as I should.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Neal
7:05

Doug Dorst:
@Kenya — same with surfing, pretty much. I just did a bunch of research, and then I ran a draft of the story past a law school buddy who had been a semi-pro surfer.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Doug Dorst
7:05

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
Miranda July will make you very uncomfortable. She is so effective at unsettling me. It is genius.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Tara
7:05

Stephen Elliott:
Officially, this meeting ended five minutes ago. But we can keep going.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:05 Stephen Elliott
7:06

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
I just want to give you some hurrahs Doug, I LOVE your characters in every story…they’re so detailed and flawed and because of that more relatable, even characters like the General in The Monkeys Howl who are nothing like me (i luckily have my honking nose intact)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:06 R. Rafferty
7:06

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Does Doug want to continue discussing?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:06 Kim
7:06

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I like uncomfortable when I can read/ watch it and not be a part of it.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:06 Bill
7:06

Stephen Elliott:
You’re off the hook when you need to be Doug, but there’s a lot of love for you in this chat room.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:06 Stephen Elliott
7:06

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Ah rats! I don’t want it to end, I love these discussions with you all, and Doug you’ve been great
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:06 R. Rafferty
7:07

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Yes, BIG THANKS to Mr. Dorst.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:07 Kim
7:07

[Comment From BillBill: ]
Yeah I don’t want to get too distracted and let Doug think I didn’t like his book because it was (in my case) a great way to start out the book club. Thanks for being here!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:07 Bill
7:07

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
MAD love
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:07 R. Rafferty
7:07

[Comment From mm: ]
stephen — is it ok if we email you asinine questions directly? or should we ask all the dumb ones here?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:07 m
7:07

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
I’m just really eager to see what’s coming next from him
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:07 Sarah
7:08

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I think we should all ask a dumb question.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:08 Bill
7:08

Stephen Elliott:
@m You can ask them here. We’re on overtime now. Everything is game.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:08 Stephen Elliott
7:08

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
I hope our own book reviews have helped and will continue to help other readers go out and love your book, as they should! You’re wonderful. Thank you.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:08 Nancy Lili
7:08

Doug Dorst:
@NancyLili- re endings– some fell into place quickly; some were a struggle. Vikings absolutely did not work at all until I tried that coda at the end. I think the whole story depends on it. San Humberto’s ending I knew from the start. TSG just kinda ends, but for some reason I like it that way.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:08 Doug Dorst
7:08

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
It was just a delight to read all those stories, even the ones I didn’t like as much, because it seemed like you were really stretching and trying stuff.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:08 Sarah
7:09

[Comment From kenyakenya: ]
thanks to stephen, issac & doug. this is rad.i’m in the book club b/c i like to read books. thought i’d see if i was doing it right. i also like miranda july’s stories a lot.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 kenya
7:09

[Comment From BillBill: ]
it is nice to just see someone try something different without some overwhelming fear of failure.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 Bill
7:09

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Kenya : )
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:09

[Comment From BillBill: ]
so cheers to that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 Bill
7:09

Doug Dorst:
RRafferty – thanks! (I had a lot of fun writing the general– his insanity lent itself to some really fun language experiments.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 Doug Dorst
7:09

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Wanna get one last one in here: This is kind of an open forum question to all, but at the end of Dinaburg’s Cake do you like or dislike Kacy?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 R. Rafferty
7:09

Stephen Elliott:
The next three books couldn’t be more different from each other.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:09 Stephen Elliott
7:10

Stephen Elliott:
Good question Raffterty
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Stephen Elliott
7:10

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Rafferty I did not like Kacy.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:10

[Comment From KimKim: ]
The Surf Guru was one of my fav stories. Loved the open-ended ending.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Kim
7:10

Doug Dorst:
How about I just get to the end of where we are now?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Doug Dorst
7:10

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
@Bill I would understand an overwhelming fear of failure, especially after having read the collection. However, I think it comes out a little more like “hope” than fear. Which is kind of a motif in the book (and maybe also in Dorst’s life).
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Nancy Lili
7:10

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Kacy was annoying to me. Displaced values.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Kim
7:10

Stephen Elliott:
@Doug. OK.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10 Stephen Elliott
7:10
It’s 7. Should we let Isaac drink now?
Yes

( 81% )
No

( 6% )
Never

( 13% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:10
7:11

[Comment From BrianBrian: ]
@Rafferty- I did not like Kacy
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Brian
7:11

[Comment From BillBill: ]
and once again all is intertwined.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Bill
7:11
Will this really be Isaac’s first drink?
Yes

( 8% )
No

( 33% )
Hell no

( 58% )

Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11
7:11

[Comment From TrevorTrevor: ]
I disliked Kacy at the end.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Trevor
7:11

[Comment From NealNeal: ]
@RRafferty: I liked Kacy, though I’m not really sure why There were plenty of reasons not to like her.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Neal
7:11

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
kacy was kacy. completely self-absorbed. I was more interested in her daughter’s approval.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Sarah
7:11

[Comment From Nancy LiliNancy Lili: ]
Thank you for your time, Dorst. Hope you have a nice evening! We’ve loved having you.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:11 Nancy Lili
7:12

Stephen Elliott:
I second Nancy
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 Stephen Elliott
7:12

Doug Dorst:
@Sarah– thanks. And really, that’s the best kind of read any of us can hope for… y’know, that if a story doesn’t fly, the reader at least thinks about where it failed for them and what the writer might have been trying to do.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 Doug Dorst
7:12

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
I know she was flawed and she certianly wasn’t desirable, but I actually liked her and felt like she was one of the most relatable characters
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 R. Rafferty
7:12

[Comment From BillBill: ]
I don’t really know, I mean, If I were Kacy I would probably dislike myself, but that’s just me projecting myself into the character.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 Bill
7:12

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
(does Issac really have a drinking problem or is this all just a big joke? because it would make a diff in my polling responses)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 Sarah
7:12

Doug Dorst:
@Bill– oh, I fear failure. I’m five-feet-six-inches of dread on two legs. Just sometimes when I’m writing I get to forget that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:12 Doug Dorst
7:13

[Comment From BillBill: ]
that’s a nice perk
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:13 Bill
7:13

[Comment From kenyakenya: ]
ditto @ isaac. did not like kacy. don’t think isaac has a real drinking problem, either.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:13 kenya
7:13

[Comment From mm: ]
this is probably dumb, but how much do you think about framing and phrasing the story for the anonymous reader
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:13 m
7:13

[Comment From mm: ]
for the record i really really loved your stories
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:13 m
7:13

Stephen Elliott:
@Sarah, interesting question. Isaac’s young and doesn’t do a great job at the events when he’s drinking, so he’s not allowed to drink until the event’s over, because it’s just the two of us running it. Plus, I don’t drink. But I don’t think he really has a problem.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:13 Stephen Elliott
7:14

Stephen Elliott:
Mostly I just tease Isaac because I’m a mean boss.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Stephen Elliott
7:14

[Comment From BrianBrian: ]
Thanks Doug,Stephen, Issac and the whole gang.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Brian
7:14

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
(ok.)
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Sarah
7:14

[Comment From BillBill: ]
sounds like you have the bigger problem
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Bill
7:14

[Comment From TrevorTrevor: ]
thanks to Stephen, Isaac, and Doug for your time. This book club is the best. I can’t wait to read your next work, Doug, so keep writing. I’ll have to go back and read your novel now.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Trevor
7:14

Doug Dorst:
Thanks, y’all — this has been a lot of fun. And thanks for all the kind words about the book.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Doug Dorst
7:14

Stephen Elliott:
Thanks Trevor!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Stephen Elliott
7:14

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
Well, @Doug: Come visit us at the RUmpus Book Club whenever you’re feeling a little scared or something!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Sarah
7:14

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
This was awesome, dudes. I was skeptical re: the “free for all” format but it has been super fun!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Tara
7:14

[Comment From KevinKevin: ]
Thank you Doug, Stephen, Isaac, and everybody. Good night!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:14 Kevin
7:15

Stephen Elliott:
Good night Kevin.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Stephen Elliott
7:15

[Comment From SarahSarah: ]
ThankThanks to all!!!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Sarah
7:15

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Sarah, I really didn’t do well at events, but that was when I was a volunteer. All business now that I’m at The Rumpus. Also, S. Elliott is the best boss. But don’t tell him I think that.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:15

[Comment From KimKim: ]
Goodnight John Boy.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Kim
7:15

Stephen Elliott:

Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Stephen Elliott
7:15

Stephen Elliott:
OK. I guess I’ll be going back to the sex worker convention.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:15 Stephen Elliott
7:16

Doug Dorst:
Thanks, Stephen, for all of this. You rock.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:16 Doug Dorst
7:16

[Comment From R. RaffertyR. Rafferty: ]
Thanks everyone, was a lot of fun tonight.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:16 R. Rafferty
7:16

Stephen Elliott:
Rock and roll Mr. Dorst.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:16 Stephen Elliott
7:16

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
you gonna do an edited down version of the chat?
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:16 Tara
7:17

Isaac Fitzgerald:
@Tara Always
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:17 Isaac Fitzgerald
7:17

Stephen Elliott:
Hey everybody consider joining the discussion google group if you haven’t already.
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:17 Stephen Elliott
7:17

[Comment From TaraTara: ]
hott
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:17 Tara
7:19

Threemoons:
Thanks so much!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:19 Threemoons
7:19

[Comment From BillBill: ]
g’night all
Wednesday July 28, 2010 7:19 Bill
7:19

Stephen Elliott:
Night Bill

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