Today was the launch of Ms Jeanine Cummins' new book THE OUTSIDE BOY, about which I sagely and reflectively once said:

"The Outside Boy will charm you, fascinate you, delight you, snake into your heart and bust it wide open. I’m hard pressed to think of a narrator more lovable than Christy Hurley, who describes his lost, beautiful world — that of the Irish travellers in the late 1950s — in prose that’s as profound as it is funny. What a graceful, perfect book."

And I totally didn't even get paid to say that, even though I used snake as a verb.

Look at this byoooteous cover:



Not to mention this byeeeeteous article that came out in the Huffington Post today.

I know.

And then tonight was a reading and party involving CHAMPAGNE and STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE at Mr. Dennehy's in the West Village. Beforehand, I met Ms. Elyssa East for red wine and vanilla cupcakes just to ensure I had an adequate sugar intake for the day, and then my sister came and lots and lots of people came and it was all Irish gypsies and merriment and lives being changed forever. I think alliances were formed and babies made tonight, too.

I mean look at that cake:



And because I am like the best friend ever in this world, and because Jeanine AKA Tink is like 50000 months pregnant, and because this book was a long time a comin and I was there watching said comin for said long time, and because I enjoy partaking of free booze, I am driving with her to DC tomorrow for two readings/parties there and then attending her Queens reading on Saturday and then driving with her up to Boston next week for yet another night of unbelievable glamour.

Here, let me be more specific so that you might alter all of your plans and attend all the following events with me:

JUNE 2

Germantown, MD @ 7pm

Borders at Milestone

Reading & Signing for The Outside Boy

JUNE 3

LAUNCH PARTY! Bethesda, MD @ 7 pm

Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle on Cordell Street

www.flanagansharpandfiddle.com

Reading, Signing, & Toasting The Outside Boy

JUNE 5

Glendale, NY @ 5 pm

Borders at Atlas Park

Reading & Signing for The Outside Boy

JUNE 8

Boston, MA @ 7 pm

Boston University Barnes & Noble

Reading & Signing for The Outside Boy

That is all for now, even though I did many exciting things this weekend, like for example I went FROG HUNTING. I have also magically switched to italics now and there is no way to stop them, and they have ruined everything.

In a last act of despair, I leave you with the following photos:

The end.