The Chicago Public Library declared March 14 “Sara Paretsky Day.” They made a wonderful event of it, putting up posters in all the branches, and getting Mayor Rahm Emmanuel to issue a formal proclamation, which declared that V I Warshawski and I had made a major contribution to the city of Chicago and the world. It was very cool, and also a little embarrassing, because I know I’m also the person who nags my husband and doesn’t always hang up my clothes or who cruises the Net when I should be writing.
Here was the best part: John Mahoney and Amy Morton from Steppenwolf did a staged reading of the first chapter from Indemnity Only, the first novel I wrote. I can tell you that Amy Morton is V I Warshawski. The words sound way better when she reads them than when I write them, and I have a new fantasy, that I can persuade Disney to do a TV series and that she would agree to play V I.
Rick Kogan, who is the most generous and thoughtful interviewer I’ve known since the late great Studs died, did a Q & A with me on the stage, Steven Albert from the Court Theatre brought my husband and me and some friends drinks at dinner afterwards, and a good time was had by all.
My thanks go to Craig Davis and all the staff at the library, and to the publicity team at my publishers, G P Putnam’s, who worked together to make this wonderful event happen. And a big thanks and bow to Amy Morton and John Mahoney. It thrilled me to the core to share a stage with them.