Pete Hautman

Pete Hautman


Friday night, Red and I went to see Pete Hautman at St. Paul’s Red Balloon bookshop. The Grand Ave. staple has been attracting quite a few high-profile authors lately, such as Jon and Carol Barrowman (The Hollow Earth) and Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl).
Celebrating the release of his newest novel The Cydonian Pyramid, which is book 2 in his Klaatu Diskos trilogy. The event had an intimate feel, with the chairs set up in a half-circle, and Mr. Hautman answering questions while sitting cross-legged on top of a desk.
With conversation bouncing between time-travel, faith vs. religion, and Star Trek, as well as praise for Mystery One bookstore in Milwaukee, those in attendance were treated to an open forum event. Not to mention a very tasty cake decorated with the cover of the new book. Store-owner Holly Weinkauf expressed her joy in being able to host these sorts of events, and bringing the shop even further into the community.
Besides finally being able to meet Mr. Hautman in person (and have my very, VERY battered copies of Drawing Dead, Short Money, and Mortal Nuts signed) the highlight of the evening was this: On our way out, a young man came into the store. The event was pretty much over by then and the store was kind of empty. He asked if he had missed the signing. Mr. Hautman relied, “We mostly just sat around and talked. So sit down, and we’ll talk.” The young man said that Godless was one of his favorites. As Red and I left, he had pulled a chair close to the signing table, and the reader and the writer were talking books in the middle of a bookstore.
This is why I love going to signings.
Mmm...cake

Mmm…cake