Susan Wiggs | Shopping


See for yourself. This is a shot of me at a booksigning–yes, a booksigning–at a military base in Florida. The day was organized around an air show, and there were tables and booths set up in the hangars along the air strip. I found myself sharing a table with an army ranger and his pet, Roxanne the Snake. The ranger wanted me to hold his snake. I said no. I hid behind my tower of unsold books. He insisted, so I told him I would only hold his snake if I sold all these books. (I never sell out at a signing.) But people kept buying books, and I was down to 3, so the ranger bought them all and I had to make good on my promise to hold his snake.

Anyway. Here I am with Roxanne, smiling through my inner silent screams of horror, earning any damn dress I want. For life. So there:
Note that this shot is slightly blurry. Why? Because Mr. Manly-Man Husband of Mine was standing about Note that this shot is slightly blurry. Why? Because Mr. Manly-Man Husband of Mine was standing about fifty yards away, too afraid to come closer, so this is with the zoom lens. And, I admit, I was not exactly holding still.
Diane von Furstenberg has to get her inspiration somewhere, right?

Visit me on the Web! You can find me here: http://www.susanwiggs.com/, my blog is here: http://www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com/ and my photo show at http://www.susanwiggs.shutterfly.com/.
Susan Wiggs
The Charm School - May 1, 2008
Special bonus material–I spotted this on Story Broads:
I want a red dress.
I want it flimsy and cheap,
I want it too tight, I want to wear it
until someone tears it off me.
I want it sleeveless and backless,
this dress, so no one has to guess
what’s underneath. I want to walk down
the street past Thrifty’s and the hardware store
with all those keys glittering in the window,
past Mr. and Mrs. Wong selling day-old
donuts in their café, past the Guerra brothers
slinging pigs from the truck and onto the dolly,
hoisting the slick snouts over their shoulders.
I want to walk like I’m the only
woman on earth and I can have my pick.
I want that red dress bad.
I want it to confirm
your worst fears about me,
to show you how little I care about you
or anything except what
I want. When I find it, I’ll pull that garment
from its hanger like I’m choosing a body
to carry me into this world, through
the birth-cries and the love-cries too,
and I’ll wear it like bones, like skin,
it’ll be the damned
dress they bury me in.
–Kim Addonizio
Labels: shopping, snakes booksigning, Susan Wiggs
3 Comments:
Golly, Susan, I thought book signings sounded intimidating even without snakes. You've definitely earned any dress you want. In fact, I think I've earned a new dress too just for reading about your experience. I'm looking forward to re-reading The Charm School. And thanks for sharing that great poem with us!
Susan, it was wonderful to talk to you at our book club on Wed. night. I am going to be going out to pick up Charm School as soon as it comes out!
50 yards away? Ah a brave man!!! But he did go with you!
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