Brooklyn Book Festival

Went to the Brooklyn Book Festival today.

My main goal was to see Rev Run speak in the afternoon, once I got there I'd wished I'd arrived earlier in the day as I discovered most everyone that spoke had autograph sessions afterward. Oh well. Will know of next year!

A variety of books/topics were on hand in a long stretch of booths and Target had a tent set up for kids where kids and adults could get their pic taken with Bullseye the Dog and get free disposable cameras.

While I hovered around the kids area to see if a children's author my mom had wanted me to see was still there (Mo Willems) I heard a guy trying to get his kid's attention. I turned and then just kept turning. It was Paul Giamatti.

Soon it was time to hear Rev Run, his brother - Daniel, and his wife Justine speak about their books. While they were getting set up a lady started shouting, "Run! Run DMC! I love your music!"

Run asked which was her favorite album. I really didn't hear an answer as she just kept yelling "Run!" and various forms there of.

Run and his wife said they would not have been at the festival had it not been for the call from the eldest Simmons brother. They said Russell would have been there but he was busy in L.A.

The books they represented were diverse. Danny is into many forms of writing including graphic novels, Justine wrote a children's book and Rev Run has a book with his words of wisdom. He admitted to not reading his brother's book because he has a short attention span. He is more interested in bite-size books like his own. Both Run and Justine named self-help books as their favorite kind of book.

A quote from Run - What you give away you keep, what you keep you lose.

Run was caught in the middle as Justine interjected in an effort to promote - Run shook his head and said, "Well, you've seen the show...." Then he talked about how his brother used to make his life miserable. One example was chasing Run around with a comb so he could drag it thru his knotty afro - just to cause him pain. Run doesn't have to worry about 'fros now! ;)

They wrapped up their talk early and said they'd be autographing their books at a nearby booth. I scurried over and got Run's book to be autographed for my bro - the one who introduced me to Run DMC and who played his cassette so many times that it broke.

I was afraid by the time I bought the book and got to the other side for autographs there would be a huge line but there wasn't yet. It was just me and Run.

"Um...are you ready?" I asked.

"Yeah, let's do this!" Run responded. Then adding - "I need a pen."

He asked who he should sign it for and just like that my moment with Rev Run was done.