Ep 3: Kevin Sampsell, Powell’s Books
Epigraph
For our third episode, we interview Kevin Sampsell, bookseller at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR.Â
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Introduction [0:30]
In Which Emma & Kim Feel Like Literary Underachievers Compared to Kevin’s Many Bookish Pursuits, Then We Order Lifestyles
[0:43] When he’s not bookselling at Powell’s Books, Kevin runs the small press Future Tense Books, along with their new ebook imprint Instant Future. He’s also the author of A Common Pornography: A Memoir and This is Between Us, as well as the editor of Portland Noir.Â
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[1:13] Drink of the Day: The Lifestyle – Jameson Irish Whiskey and ginger ale (from Ablutions: Notes for a Novel by Patrick deWitt)
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Chapter I
In Which We Discuss Rad Trans & Queer Books, Talk About Customer Anti-Merchandizing Techniques, and Discover that Kevin is a Greasy Buddy Holly
[2:35] Emma’s reading Witches of America by Alex Mar (pubs 20 Oct 2015)
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[2:54] Kim’s reading Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson (pubs 22 Sept 2015)
Also mentioned: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson
[3:28] Trans/Queer books!
- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
- Trans: A Memoir by Juliet Jacques (pubs 22 Sept 2015)
- George by Alex Gino (pubs 25 Aug 2015)
- Please Don’t Kill the Freshman: A Memoir by Zoe Trope (Future Tense edition, here)
- Being by Zach Ellis
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Also mentioned: the Tin House Writer’s Workshop, Bad Blood Reading Series
[8:36] Kevin is reading SO MANY GOOD BOOKS RIGHT NOW
- The Revolution of Every Day by Cari Luna
- Savage Park: A Meditation on Play, Space, and Risk for Americans Who Are Nervous, Distracted, and Afraid to Die by Amy Fusselman
- Yet another shoutout to Lidia Yuknavitch: The Small Backs of Children and The Chronology of Water: A Memoir. Have you read her books yet? Just go do it. Right now. We’ll wait.
- Hollywood Notebook by Wendy C Ortiz (also mentioned: Excavation: A Memoir)
- Cult of Loretta by Kevin Maloney (also mentioned: Adam Wilson)
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[14:37] August Releases!!
- The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips
- The Scamp by Jennifer Pashley
- Voices in the Ocean: A Journey Into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins by Susan Casey
- Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
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 Chapter II
In Which Kevin Discusses Working at Powell’s (Largest Bookstore in the World?), The Power of Small Presses, and Publishing E-Books
[20:58] Powell’s City of Books Store Map
[23:46] White Elephants: On Yard Sales, Relationships, and Finding What Was Missing by Katie Haegele
[24:20] Weirde Sister by James Gendron (coming 2016 from Octopus Books – check out an excerpt to get psyched)
[24:39]Â Sexual Boat (Sex Boats)Â by James Gendron
[32:56] Some authors that have moved between Small Presses and Big Publishers:
- Alissa Nutting – Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls, Tampa
- Lindsay Hunter – Daddy’s, Don’t Kiss Me, Ugly Girls
- Maggie Nelson –Â Bluets
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Small Presses Mentioned: Starcherone, Featherproof, Wave
[36:10] Future Tense’s e-book imprint Instant Future
[36:44] Starvation Mode by Elissa Washuta (author of My Body is a Book of Rules)
Chapter III
In Which We Talk About Even More Awesome August Releases, Kevin Observing Customers Buying His Book, Author Crushes, and MORE BOOKS
[40:22] More August Releases:
- Dome of the Hidden Pavilion: New Poems by James Tate
- New American Stories, edited by Ben Marcus (who previously edited The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories)
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Pro-tip: the bathroom at Powell’s is upstairs in the Purple Room. Now you know.
[44:05] Kevin’s Go-To Handsells
- A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews (available in paperback Jan 2016)
- Stories in the Worst Way by Gary Lutz
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Also mentioned: All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews, Home Land by Sam Lipsyte
[46:57] Kevin’s Impossible Handsells
- Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso
- Diary of a Teenage Girl: An Account in Words and Pictures by Phoebe Gloeckner
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Also mentioned: George Saunders, Lydia Davis, Barry Hannah, Donald Ray Pollock
[48:45] How to Keep Up with ALL the Books?
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[49:00] Reading Backlist:Â Fahrenheit 451Â by Ray Bradbury
[49:30] Short chapters: Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
[50:17] Kevin’s Station Eleven/Wild/Desperate Desert Island Books books
- Stories in the Worst Way by Gary Lutz
- The Age of Wire and String by Ben Marcus
- Sorrow Arrow by Emily Kendal Frey
- Sharon Olds (author of Stag’s Leap)
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[Collage by Kevin Sampsell, using the cover of Sorrow Arrow by Emily Kendal Frey]
[52:07] Kevin’s Favorite Bookstores (other than Powell’s)
- Skylight Books in Los Angeles, CA
- McNally Jackson in New York City, NY
- Reading Frenzy in Portland, OR
[52:46] Kevin’s Favorite Literary Media
- OTHERPPL with Brad Listi Podcast (Kevin was on Episode 227)
- Noon Literary Annual
[53:50] Last Book Kevin Gifted: Do It Yourself Guide To Fighting the Big Motherfuckin Sad by Adam Gnade
Also mentioned: Dear Shane: a Mental Health Resource About Staying Alive by Craig Kelly
Epilogue
In Which Kevin Tells Us All the Places YOU Can Find Him On the Internets
- Website:Â www.kevinsampsell.com
- Twitter:Â @kevinsampsell
- Collage Tumblr:Â kevinsampsellcollages.tumblr.com
- Future Tense Books:Â www.futuretensebooks.com
- Instant Future Books:Â www.thisisinstantfuture.com
Find Emma on Twitter @thebibliot and writing nerdy bookish things for Book Riot. Kim occasionally tweets at @finaleofseem. And you can follow both of us [as a podcast] on Twitter @drunkbookseller!
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