An Author’s Worst Nightmare… in Reverse

By Andrea Daniel

Book Release article appeared in the April 2011 edition Scribblers, Screamers and other Wordslingers

The book has been written, edited, printed, and the author has done the due diligence of pre-release promotions. The book signing event has been planned and now the author anxiously awaits the date. As the date approaches, ask any author his or her greatest nightmare, and the reply will more than likely be that no one will show up.

She didn’t voice it, but poet, La Shaun Phoenix Moore just knew there were going to only be about 10 people in the audience for the March 1, 2011 book signing of her debut book, The Absence of Smoke and Mirrors (Dakota Avenue West Publishing, Detroit, MI). Nommo presented her book release at Kuumba’s Cove, in Detroit, a venue she considers a safe space for poets.

Days before, her Tweets and Facebook posts voiced that March 1 was a big event for her; she was super excited. On March 1, her 8:49 a.m. post was, “Tonight is the night and I’m scared.” At 7:19 p.m., two hours before the event, she posted, “I’m extremely excited about tonight.” When she arrived a little before 9 p.m., there were cars parked all along Iron Street where Kuumba’s Cove is nestled among the loft spaces. She walked into the venue, and the place was nearly packed. She greeted folks, more people arrived, and MC, Prostell opened up the open mic portion of the evening. And still, folks came.

Phoenix is widely known in the poetry community as a Slam Poet. She coached the 2004 and 2006 Detroit National
Poetry Slam Team and was the five-year host of the Byte This Poetry Series at Cliff Bells (Detroit). She sits on the Executive Council for Poetry Slam, Inc. and is the Event Director for Women of the World Poetry Slam. So she’s no stranger to the mic. But the night of her book signing, the fact that her nightmare hadn’t become a reality brought her to tears on the stage.

She held the book in her hands and read poems, which were pure poetry. No Slam elements. Afterward, the book signing line snaked around the room.

Phoenix had brought with her one book to read from, in her purse, and 40 others to sell. She left with the one book she read from, in her purse. Check out LaShaun at www.lashaunphoenixmoore.com.