The Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show rides in, and rides out again.: seanan

The Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show rides in, and rides out again.

This past Saturday was my fourth Toby-related book event at San Francisco's Borderlands Books, home of naked cats, tolerant employees, and, every six months or so, the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show. We've appeared in other locations, but Borderlands is the one we keep going back to; Borderlands is the home base for this particular flavor of insanity. Why? Because we like them.

This particular party was slated to start at six and run until nine, giving us three hours in which to sell books, answer questions, make music, and feed people vast quantities of sugar. We arrived at the bookstore en masse around four-thirty, while the prior event was tearing down, and toted ALL THE THINGS inside. Seriously, when we go into carnie mode, we're a scary mob of ALL THE THINGS. It looks like we're planning to actually move in. Wisely, people scattered; just as wisely, Kate (who met us at the bookstore) hauled me away to put food in me, since I'm about as much help during setup and tear-down as a Gila monster with a machine gun.

People began showing up around five-thirty, while we were in the midst of final touches, final placements, and soundcheck. Jeff ran our small but spunky sound system, while Kate worked the raffle table and ensured (along with Mom) that everyone got a ticket of their very own. Six o'clock hit, heralded by the arrival of my cupcakes, and we got that party started.

As always, the festivities were divided between music, Q&A, baked goods, and drawing prizes in our raffle. The questions were new and different, the raffle prizes were an awesome mix of standard and surprising (including some special additions by the bookstore, which made things even more spectacular), the cupcakes (from Cups and Cakes Bakery) were delicious, and the music was rocking. The set lists:

SET ONE:
1. "Thirteen." Michelle "Vixy" Dockrey, lead vocals, tambourine; Maya Bohnhoff, Seanan McGuire, backing vocals; Tony Fabris, guitar; Betsy Tinney, cello.
2. "Dear Gina." Seanan, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, creepy creepy cello.
3. "High Desert." Maya, lead vocals; Jeff Bohnhoff, guitar; Kristine Bohnhoff, backing vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Betsy, cello.
4. "Pocket Man." Maya, vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.
5. "We Can Be Anything." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.

SET TWO:
1. "Radio Free Luna." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
2. "Manhattan Sleeps." Maya, Kristine, vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.
3. "Tam Lin." Vixy, Maya, Seanan, vocals; Jeff, guitar; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello; Vixy, djembe; Maya, shaker.
4. "Walmart." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello; Vixy, tambourine.
5. "Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Vixy, djembe.

SET THREE:
1. "Alligator in the House." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, kick-ass cello.
2. "Tanglewood Tree." Seanan, Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
3. "Apprentice." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Jeff, Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
4. "Got to Fly." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar.
5. "Wicked Girls." Seanan, Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.

"Thirteen" and "Apprentice" are on Vixy and Tony's first album, Thirteen.
"Dear Gina" is on Seanan's third album, Red Roses and Dead Things.
"High Desert" and "Radio Free Luna" are on Jeff and Maya's fourth album, Möbius Street.
"Pocket Man" is on Jeff and Maya's third album, Aliens Ate My Homework.
"Manhattan Sleeps" is on Jeff and Maya's second album, Manhattan Sleeps.
"Tam Lin" and "Alligator in the House" are on Tricky Pixie's first album, Mythcreants.
"Tanglewood Tree" and "Wicked Girls" are on Seanan's fourth album, Wicked Girls.
"Got to Fly" is on Marian Call's second album, Got to Fly.

A good time was had by all. We raised the roof; I signed more books in a single sitting than I ever have before, even at Comicon; the cupcakes lasted eight minutes, tops; nothing got broken. We're already making plans and getting our ducks in row for the next time that the Circus comes to town.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and to everyone who didn't...see you next time!

Lost_Violet

March 23 2011, 15:28:51 UTC 6 years ago

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I frequently wish I lived anywhere near San Francisco, but wish so even more when I read about the circus! Maybe the DD will wind up in a northern California med school and provide me with a handy excuse! Or maybe I'll just hie off one day to experience the fun...

seanan_mcguire

March 25 2011, 14:55:45 UTC 6 years ago

If you were going to try to make a Circus, I'd recommend September, when we have the One Salt Sea party. It's going to be a blast.

keristor

March 23 2011, 15:30:54 UTC 6 years ago

I don't suppose anyone got a recording? Especially of "Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn" (I'm assuming that this is Cat's new one?).

catsittingstill

March 23 2011, 23:15:12 UTC 6 years ago

I would also like a recording of this performance. Heck, a recording of all three sets would be great :-)

6 years ago

phoenixrave

March 23 2011, 15:36:29 UTC 6 years ago

I'll try my best! About 18 years ago, I ran off after the (Hollywood) circus. I worked and I Worked, and it was a lot of fun. 14 years later, I switched gears to become a teacher, and that's been it's own bag of tricks. During the Education study, I've resisted the Establishment's attempts to squish me into the mold. Something's been missing. Everybody's favorite Cobalt fiddler helped me to realize what's been missing. I don't do rules well. Time to shake things up again. To quote a gifted songwriter, "I have always been an outlaw, and my story is not done."
I'll be back to the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show when I can. Until then, I'll be terrorizing the (small-minded) mundanes and befriending the unique wherever the road takes me. Cheers to the lucky ones who made it!

March 25 2011, 15:29:30 UTC 6 years ago

Excellent plan!

indilwen

March 23 2011, 15:42:12 UTC 6 years ago

Thanks so much for signing my books, and for introducing me to Borderlands!
I can't believe I'd never been there before -now I want to buy everything they have in there.
The cupcakes were delicious (Mad Tea Party rules my soul), and your voice is *incredible*. I'm so glad I got to be there, and that I could drag my little sis along. She loved it :)

March 25 2011, 15:29:48 UTC 6 years ago

I'm so glad you both had fun! It was great seeing you!

spectralbovine

March 23 2011, 17:14:18 UTC 6 years ago

The questions were new and different
Except mine!

5. "Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Vixy, djembe.
Everyone, backing vocals

I signed more books in a single sitting than I ever have before, even at Comicon
Wow, nice!!

March 25 2011, 15:30:02 UTC 6 years ago

Well, yes, but you do so like your recurring question.

sassy

March 23 2011, 17:39:40 UTC 6 years ago

A great party as usual - and I am now addicted to cupcakes!

March 25 2011, 15:34:21 UTC 6 years ago

Yay!

themysteriousg

March 23 2011, 21:02:03 UTC 6 years ago

It was lovely. Thank you again for encouraging me to come and treating my kiddo so well:) He loved the ballon and his sister was quite jealous. He did not go to sleep on the way home but sang most of the way back:)

March 25 2011, 15:34:49 UTC 6 years ago

That's awesome!

I love that we get so many kids at the book release parties. :) It makes them feel more like parties, and less like, I don't know, work.

March 23 2011, 21:02:33 UTC 6 years ago

And yes, your voice is lovely.

March 25 2011, 15:34:56 UTC 6 years ago

Aw, thank you.

yellowblackhaze

March 23 2011, 21:39:46 UTC 6 years ago

'A gila monster with a machine-gune.' Now there is a great title and/or concept to put in a book. I quite like one of the descriptions our local football commentators uses to describe a particularly awkward player: 'about as graceful as a cow with a cup of tea.'

March 25 2011, 15:35:06 UTC 6 years ago

That's brilliant.

sheistheweather

March 23 2011, 22:30:35 UTC 6 years ago

Is "Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn" one you wrote, or is it a cover, or is it a traditional?

Sounds like the show went very well! Just what the fourth Toby Daye book and its creator merit.

March 23 2011, 23:11:33 UTC 6 years ago

Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn is one of mine.

If it's okay with Seanan I plan to put it on my next album, along with Maydaye

But that's a while out yet--I am still getting practiced up and working out arrangements.

bigherman

March 24 2011, 02:49:23 UTC 6 years ago

I had a blast, as usual, and it was really fab to see both Tony AND Vixy, a combination I haven't experienced before.

Next time I have to remind myself to bring in all my questions about how fae genetics and DNA inheritance works. (Mostly having to do with ABxAB changeling crosses and if they could, conceivably, make an AA [fae], because they seem to make a BB [human], although there would be hundreds of A's and B's and it would be like one in a million if you managed to get all of one set. Especially since the parents would need to have non-overlapping halves of the fae gene code.)

March 30 2011, 01:42:44 UTC 6 years ago

ABxAB changeling crosses, if they have four children, will get AB, BA, AA, and BB. But even the BB will have a little access to fae magic, and even the AA will be a little bit human.

artbeco

March 24 2011, 05:04:12 UTC 6 years ago

Hi dear-
Just wanted to let you know there's a whole set of photos from the Travelling Circus and Snake Handling show up over at my Picasa photo album site:

https://picasaweb.google.com/109550079873094967998
will take you my public albums, and Seanan's Book Release Party is the first one you see, and you can click and view one at a time or make it doa slide show, or even order prints or whatnot if you like.

Fabulous music, fabulous time, fabulous books. And sometime when you're over I shall draft you to sign the copies I bought (it seemed a bit much to ask then and there, considering the line!)
So very pleased for you and so very proud of you too,if that's not too presumptuous. ;)
*massive hugs*

March 30 2011, 01:43:09 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, fabulous!

And that's not presumptuous at all. I do love you so.

groblek

March 24 2011, 05:15:14 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you for the great party! The company was great, the cupcakes were excellent, the music was awesome, and we enjoyed hearing you field all the questions. Also, we had fun introducing Baby Josh to filk, and were pleasantly surprised at how well he did during the evening. The only casualty of the trip was our book budget - we don't tend to have a lot of restraint in a bookstore, especially one full of the sort of books we like.

March 28 2011, 20:26:24 UTC 6 years ago

Awesome!

I'm so glad you came. :)

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