View From a Hotel Window 4/7/17: Northampton
Posted on April 7, 2017 Posted by John Scalzi 19 Comments
Perhaps the most inspiring view yet! Don’t worry, the hotel room itself is pretty nice.
I’m in Northampton at the moment but tonight’s event is in South Hadley, at Odyssey Bookstore, at 7pm, with me, Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch. Our plan as I understand it is to sit around and talk about the writing life for a while and then answer questions from the audience. Like you do! Come on down, we’re going to have a lot of fun and probably you will too.
Tomorrow: I get on a plane and land in Madison, Wisconsin, where I will be at the Central Library at 7pm, sponsored by the Wisconsin Book Festival and A Room Of One’s Own. Please visit me, Madison, I don’t want to be lonely in Wisconsin.
Ah, the Hotel Northampton, a stately hotel that every town should have one like it! If the opportunity exists, visit Herrell’s, which is inside the old department store, Thorne’s, that now has some great shops. There’s an independent book store there as well, and it’d be folly that they don’t stock “The Collapsing Empire.” Noho is a great place; on the edge of Smith College, there’s a great greenhouse… Anyway, enjoy your role tonight as part of the Triple Threat…
PS — looking forward to your stopping by next year at the Brookline Paperback Booksmith, where you can read a chapter of the next book that you’ll be writing after “Head On,” and can entertain all gathered with your (well-tuned) ukulele recital.
I’d think that making ‘pie’ a regular part of your appearances should be a given, like rock stars that want a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones picked out.
*If* it’s not an imposition, please tell Elizabeth Bear that glinda says “hi”…
Seconded on Herrell’s. Their ice cream is quite excellent. Noho was my home away from home for years. :)
Madison is laying on a simply gorgeous spring day tomorrow for your arrival, sir – safe travels!
You may not know this, but your hotel is just blocks from the home of the man who inspired the graham cracker! How can you miss that landmark historical site?
In all seriousness, welcome to Northampton, hope you enjoy your brief visit.
Hope you don’t find a need to use that pole to scale the wall. But take comfort it’s there just in case!
There’s a lovely old view of Northampton, UK just outside the ballroom of the hotel. It might have particular meaning if you’ve read Alan Moore’s Jerusalem. Our Northampton is a remarkable place, if perhaps not to the degree that his is.
Mister Gorbachev! Tear down this wall!
Oh, wait…wrong wall. Any Mexicans on the other side?
The hotel is so embarrassed about the neighbouring carpark that they’ve built a wall to hide it.
Bob Dye,
I was wondering why that pole was there.
Worked in showbiz, thus loved Agent to stars and Red shirts..your one off books are my favorites… any theme about the Biz of the future would be great
Aha- someone has invented the world’s first vertical parking lot.
[head-smack head-smack head-smack]
Somehow, only *now* do I find out that you’re in the area.
[head-desk head-desk head-desk]
Ah yes, the parking lot for the old courthouse, right by what used to be a 7-11 but now is a generic convenience store. Good times, good times.
It was a great event! I’m so glad I noticed you’d be in the area and made it down to South Hadley.
Sorry I couldn’t attend, the day job is the curse of the working class…
Hope you found a good meal in N’hampton.
Darn it. Of all the sites to randomly visit after an amazingly talented person visits town! Do you come back here often?
What memories: I went to college at Mount Holyoke, and browsed (and bought) many a book at the Odyssey. Then I went to graduate school in Madison. I’m clearly going to miss both of those, and I doubt I’ll be able to squeeze my way in to your reading in San Francisco. Some other time.