I met Jodie, aka FFJ [Fabulous Friend Jodie], in a short story writing class at The Loft back in 2003. And even though I totally rolled my eyes when she said her favorite author was Shakespeare, we still became friends. After the bookclub we joined fizzled into oblivious we started a sort-of-monthly book podcast called Bookclub Bitches, which usually features a lot of drunken giggling and talk about “Books I’d Like to Fuck.” When she remembers to renew her domain, she can be found at My Darling Curse.

What books are you currently reading?
Currently I’m reading Jeanette Winterson’s Lighthousekeeping with some of Adam Rapp’s The Year of Endless Sorrows on the side. And in the children’s corner, Charlie and Lola: My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out by Lauren Child.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who?
I would say that my first crush was probably on Holden Caulfield from Catcher In The Rye. I read the book freshman year in high school and he seemed totally my type, a snarky preppy boy from the east coast, a little troubled but up for a great adventure.

If your favorite author came to Minnesota who would it be and what bar would you take them to?
I had a hard time with this question. I tried to think who my favorite author was and three names came to mind, but if they wrote something new now, I doubt if I’d read it. Then it dawned on me that David Sedaris is my favorite author. I will always buy his books, I will always go see him read. So if he came to Minneapolis, I’d take him to Nye’s and teach him how to polka. Every man, gay or not, should know how to polka.

What was your first favorite book?
The first book that I loved and knew I could never live without was The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. This paved the way for The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradly. I know The Mists of Avalon was published first, but I didn’t read it until I was about 30 years old. Both are books I can always read cover to cover, any time, any place.

Let’s say Fahrenheit 451 comes to life, which book would you become to save it from complete annihilation?
We went over this as Bookclub Bitches, and I think my joke answer was The Story of O, but my real answer was The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I’ll leave the salvation of The Story of O to one much sexier than I. And after reading Persepolis by Marjane Strapi, well that’s one book the world absolutely should not be without Persepolis, final answer.

What is one book you haven’t read, but want to read before you die? I
am fearing for my life as I type this, but I have never read The Great Gatsby. I’ve seen the play, but I’ve never read the book. I understand if I must be shunned.