This weekend, Quick Fiction slithered into New York with the ferocity of a freshly molted albino python (trust us, they’re mean). Wrapping ourselves around the Empire State Building, our strategy was soon fated. With precision and speed we struck the Happy Ending Lounge in Chinatown for a Legion of Lit Mags reading. The staff at Happy Ending was very nice and even allowed us to set up our books a full fifteen minutes before opening.

Anthony Tognazzini, a long-lost paizon of Publisher Adam Pieroni (from the old country), represented the journal. However, in his introduction of the heroic writer, the mischevious publisher insisted on pronouncing the writer’s surname with traditional Italian phonetics in spite of Anthony’s clear instruction to do just the oppposite.

Undeterred by this Flaming Hurdle, Anthony delivered a resounding performance, reading four memorable stories, one of which appeared in Quick Fiction, another of which will appear in Anthony’s forthcoming collection, I Carry a Hammer in My Pocket for Occasions Such as These–a title which Adam effectively butchered, viciously substituting the word “Times” for “Occasions.”

Also appearing at the Legion of Lit Mags reading to sing their songs of story to the light yet friendly crowd were Irina Reyn (Ballyhoo), Shari Goldhagen (Small Spiral Notebook), Thomas Hopkins (One Story), and Geronimo Madrid (Bomb).

Following the reading, the editors broke pre-sliced bread with good friends new and old and shared a caraffe of the humblest Montepulciano d’Abruzzo the establishment could offer. When their bellies were full, Jennifer and Adam were spirited away by a bearded prophet who delivered them to magical cake and genuine skeeball.

Early the next morning, the editors made their way to the lower east side until they came upon the famed Housing Works Used Book Cafe, where they smiled for pictures with like-minded editors, writers, and readers for a very good cause.

(Hint: Good cheeseburgers and mediocre service here.)

Reluctantly returning to their chariot, the good editors discovered where the rest of their audience of the previous night’s reading had been: on Canal Street between Broadway and Bowery buying plastic necklaces and two-dollar umbrellas. If you’re ever in town, be sure to drop by and say hello for us.

Anthony Tognazzini Reading at Happy Ending Lounge

The publisher, up to his usual tricks