Everyone has a crazy friend. Not mentally unbalanced, just someone who is perhaps a little bit louder than most, someone who finds themselves in crazy situations and relishes recounting those stories. Someone who takes risks, who packs a whole lot into their day. Their intense personality may occasionally offend those with more mild manners and easily agitated sensibilities. Undoubtedly, however, I have concluded that we are all better off for having crazy friends.
Matt Stewart is my crazy friend. Amongst other ridiculous activities, we have joined a large group in Sevilla attempting to break the Guinness record for largest group breakfast (close, by the way, but no cigar) and dressed up in 18th century colonial garb during San Francisco's popular marathon and drunken walk, Bay to Breakers, to promote his debut novel, The French Revolution. I would not do this for just anyone. Anyway, I'm going to employ my occasional plug privileges to promote both Matt's novel, as well as his launch party this Wednesday at 8pm at Elixir. Though this is Matt's night, Old World Old School will be contributing as well by raffling off a few bottles of French wine. It may not be Volnay, but it sure as hell won't be industrial plonk, either.
Matt writes fiction well, really well. I applaud anyone who has the focus and discipline to write a novel while working full-time, but Matt has written something original and developed a very clever way to get loads of press by debuting the novel on Twitter last summer. He then continued to pursue a publisher, which he now has in Soft Skull Press. Recently the Chronicle reviewed The French Revolution favorably. I'm a third of the way through and am enjoying it. Matt's long, florid, sentences capture San Francisco perfectly, and his third person narrative shows more than a bit of Matt's own character and unique perspective.
Below are the details for this Wednesday night. Viva la revolution!
The French Revolution Book Launch Party at Elixir
Wednesday July 14th at 8pm
16th & Guerrero
Monday, July 12, 2010
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