Cousin Corinne + SNOW

1. Emma Straub & Mike Fusco. Fusco did the design for the magazine, and Straub’s book-release for Other People We Married will be at Book Court tonight. She says that there will be free champagne! And that it’ll be awesome! 2. Noah McLaurine & Zack Zook, who was the emcee for the evening. Both of these fine young gentleman edited CCR.

BookCourt partied last night to celebrate the second issue of its very own literary journal, Cousin Corrine’s Reminder. Besides publishing writing, the magazine also includes “comix” and photography. As for the party, we were given booze, and could gawk at paintings, photography, a slideshow of images from the magazine with plenty of nudity, and the attractive crowd.

The party started at seven, but the first “reader” of the evening didn’t go on until about eight, which gave us plenty of time to mingle. Zack Zook, a longtime employee of Book Court and the editor of the journal, emceed the evening, and told us that while he has been at the store for hundreds of events, this was only his second time as an actual introducer. He also let us know about the next issue, which will be published in June, and will feature 50–60 more pages of photography, as well as double its Comix Block.

1. Rachel & David. Rachel works at The Strand and persuaded David into going because she promised it would be a good time. 2. Reader Priscilla Becker & writer Jonathan Ames.

Nine different contributors read/presented their work, so here are the highlights…

George Emilio Sanchez told us about trying to find work as a Native American actor in the late ’70s. The only problem was that he is of Southern, not of Northern, American Descent, which was not good enough for him to be in The Last of the Mohicans — he wondered if maybe he should have worn more denim to the audition. He was, however, perfect for a role in “One Life to Live,” as Chief Molino, and we even got to see a clip of him as the warrior chief.

Priscilla Becker read her spare, disorienting poetry. I really enjoyed hearing her work, but it did cause the woman next to me to write ALL POETS ARE CRAZY, which she then circled emphatically three times.

Adam Wilson, whose novel Flatscreen will be published in 2012, read to us from “Foreign Bodies,” which was published in the journal. The story featured an Oxycontin-swallowing couple who liked to use a lobster in the bedroom. Quote of the night: “We all give head and then fall into boiling water.”

1. Cousin Corrine’s Reminder, in sculpture form. 2. Reader Catherine Lacey with Brad Dececco, a photographer. 3. Aubrie & Ryan, who are both poets. Ryan wanted to make sure I included that Aubrie has read every single Twilight book. Twice.

During the Comix Block, we saw what “heroin-addled human question marks hovering on their one hoof” look like in Dean Haspiel’s comic.

Todd Colby’s poetry was charming and funny as hell, yet still managed to not lack substance. The writer was sporting a bandanna around his neck, a look that, he said, he was single-handedly bringing back for men.

By the time the reading ended — which was around 10pm — the snowstorm was in full swing. Fortified by liquor and great art, we made our way home into the white.

–Julia Jackson is working on her MFA in fiction at Brooklyn College, and is a regular contributor for Electric Dish.

1. Victoria tending the FREE bar! There was Prosecco, red wine, and Guinness. YUM. 2. Now that’s some snowy shit!

1. Paintings by Amelie Mancini, whose art is in the CCR. 2. Photography by Noah McLaurine.