Jennophilia Trumps Linsanity

Jennophila Trumps Linsanity
As Word Events Heroine Crosses River

Manhattan readings enthusiasts flocked to Housing Works last night to hear a panel
of authors read and take questions as a prelude to the honor of buying books from
Greenpoint's renowned events coordinator Jenn.

Authors of fantasy and science fiction, Myke Cole, Hillary Jordan and Naomi Novik held a discussion overseen by Tor.com editor Ryan Britt, while a restive crowd waited to thrust money into Jenn's hands for hard-copy books. The event was a co-production of Housing Works and Jenn's customary perch in the city's arts scene, Greenpoint's Word Bookstore.

The only trouble was Jenn was so busy that some of her Manhattan groupies, like me, didn't get a chance to talk to her on her rare author-event excursion into the city. I would have been thrilled to invite her for a drink at the nearby KGB bar, but she was too busy selling books. Simply put, she runs the best readings at the best bookstore.

To have been able to entertain Jenn at my customary watering hole would be a thrill on the order of Jeremy Lin calling me up and asking me if I wanted to play "21."

But, swallowing my disappointment, I walked over to the KGB bar where I met agent John McElwee, who had just finished conducting the bar's Tuesday Night Nonfiction reading with author Jamal Joseph. I immediately got into an argument with him over who admired Jenn more. John tried to outdo me by mentioning that he lives in Greenpoint and sometimes
contributes books to the store's stock. Not bad. I ride my bike in the rain across the bridge for Jenn's events like the time she presented Irish novelist Emma Donaghue to perhaps an audience of ten. It was Super Tuesday, let the voters decide who admires Jenn more.