I interviewed Kiran Desai today at Third Place Books and she was so friendly and down to earth! She's also very encouraging towards people who are struggling to become writers. I'm sad she won't be writing for a while (not until she finishes her book tour).

Quoted: Kiran Desai's second novel earned her the 2006 Man Booker prize plus a long list of other awards, and has quickly become a reader favorite, as well. A story of the pain of exile and struggles with cultural identity played out by a cast of colorful characters, it is set in mid-1980's India and shifts between first and third world situations.

Harvey Pekar (author of American Splendor) is coming to Seattle on April 19th! Tix are only $5, but when I bought mine at Elliott Bay, they told me the event is likely to sell out.