Tuesday, March 22, 2011

An Afternoon with Walter Mosley

A couple of years ago I wrote a "Dear Walter" post to Walter Mosley.  In it I said that if I were to ever see him on the streets of New York I'd probably run up on him and slap his ass or wrap my legs around his waist.  It was right after I read his book Killing Johnny Fry and I just realized that Walter Mosley was a cross-genre writer par excel lance who has written an excellent piece of erotica...

Well on this past Sunday as I was leaving the Brooklyn Public Library auditorium after listening to Walter Mosley in conversation I walk directly to Walter.  And what did I do...

I smiled.

I looked up at him with the biggest 2 row, possibly some upper gum, smile.  I refused to speak because I knew my voice would betray me.  I'd speak with unnecessary vibrato and I would probably babble...

In my head, during the question and answer period, I was imagining this post with a pic of me and Mr. Mosley smiling it up.  But as I walked past him, I knew this post would not look anything like my imagination.  I figure not only should I anticipate my pics and posts but my conversations too!  Nevertheless I had a wonderful time listening to him speak of how he created his characters, how he writes daily (even while on tour) and his many inspirations.  I listened as he read from his latest Leonid McGill series "When The Thrill is Gone" and how he read his work with the rhythm of a poet.  If he was not wearing his uniformed black fedora, I would have envisioned us in a dark smoky theater, him wearing a black beret and after his reading all of us would give our reactionary hand claps and finger snaps.

He's nothing how I imagined he would be... he's witty and funny and he's what my mother calls "quick with it"... that means he has the right answer for every question and it comes right on time.

I don't regret walking past Mr. Mosley without asking for a photo... I guess because when I looked up and smiled at him, in passing, he gave me a big ole, wide ole gap-toothed smile right back...



6 comments:

CareyCarey said...

This was a lovely post. It said so much.

And btw, Walter is one of my favorite authors. I love his non-pretentious writing style.

But please, no more images of you with your legs wrapped around his waist. *smile*

And I love witty people.

Unknown said...

Thank you for not running up to him and wrapping your legs around him O_o

I never wanted to do anything to Walter Mosley but, if I could bring his character Fearless Jones to life, I'd wrap my legs around him (and a few other things around a few other things of his. . .haha)

I can't with that photo of Walter.

ChpterReads said...

you might kill me for this one but I have never and I do mean NEVER read anything that this man has ever written.. now I remember you reading his works but I never saw the reason.. I guess I need to pick up at least one of his books and actually read now don't I??

Just Kel said...

CareyCarey... He's just as nonpretentious in person. His voice kinda shocked me but then he sounded like a friend in my head. Ok, no more mentions of me wrapping my legs around him but after seeing him I realize he won't be able to hold me up anyway. LOL

Sharon... LOL I love Fearless too and Easy but I'm not sure how I feel about his new character Leonid... he's definitely not a sexy dude. But if his mind created these characters, then I was thinking that maybe these men were pieces of him... but no worries, I won't be putting ole thunder thighs on Mr. Mosley.

Liryc... You know how I feel about Walter and after all this time you still haven't picked up a book?! You'd probably enjoy it. But wait until you break from school before you delve in. How's everything?!?!

ChpterReads said...

I'm well.. can't complain.. I'm trying to get back into the groove of things but I've been having some trouble.. I desperately need to write but I can't seem to find the time... what am I doing now.. not sleeping to write and do things that make me happy..

I am definitely going to look into reading some of his works over the summer while I lay on a beach somewhere tropical..

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