Jillian Lauren

Melissa and me.

With Stephen Elliott and Sonya Chung.

Tuesday I did a conversation event with Melissa Febos at the gorgeous Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn. Melissa’s book Whip Smart chronicles the four years she spent as a dominatrix. Kind of. Really, it’s just a kick ass coming-of-age memoir. I so enjoyed talking to her about endings (narrative not happy), power, sexual currency and the challenges of using life to make art and vice versa.

We had an all-star guest list, including Sonya Chung, Cintra Wilson, Stephen Elliott, Sini Anderson, Julien Nitzberg and Catharine Dill. Not to mention appearances by summer camp friends and by family members who are miraculously still talking to me.

It’s amazing to be back in New York touring with this book. New York is the place where I made so many of the mistakes that gave me a book to write in the first place. I love when life brings me full circle.

Two very different books by two equally rad women came out today and I’m so looking forward to running out to buy both of them: Sonya Chung’s novel, Long For This World, and Melissa Febos’ memoir, Whip Smart

As a side note, the talented Miss Melissa will be appearing in conversation with me at Powerhouse Books in Brooklyn on May 4. My plan is to convince her to dye her hair blonde so we can do a rousing rendition of “Two Little Girls from Little Rock.” Go to her facebook page and leave tons of harassing wall posts to help her see my point of view. It’s just a little peroxide…

More Some Girls tour dates coming soon.