This story is part of the Arts and Culture Reporting Corps, sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: Two authors walk into a bookstore on a Friday night, and…
That’s it. I’ve already chickened out before writing a punchline. Writing is hard sometimes, you know? Impressive how any of the professionals here at the Hauxeda do it every single day. And astounding that two local-ish authors have published actual ding-dang books!
(“Ding-dang” is not a technical publishing term, to be clear.)
I’m talking about Lillian Stone and Nicole Chilton, both of whom have released new books this July and are hosting a conversation and book signing at Pagination Bookshop this Friday, Aug. 4, which you can attend. (More on that below.)
Stone is a humor writer and reporter based in Chicago. Her book is “Everybody’s Favorite: Tales From The World’s Worst Perfectionist,” a collection of essays and humor pieces that reflect on her ’00s-era Ozarks upbringing. Her humor writing has appeared in The Onion, The New Yorker and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.
Chilton is a writer and artist based here in Springfield. Her newest publication is “The Dream Symbols Card Deck,” a different format that complements her 2021 book “How Dreams Speak.” Both feature her writing and original illustrations, helping readers to explore their dreams in an approachable way through discovering common themes and considering reflection questions.
The two writers, whose work I both enjoy and admire, are friends of mine, so I didn’t want to run the risk of veering into “The Chris Farley Show” territory and turning a friendly conversation into a professional interview. “Hey, remember when you wrote a book? The one that just came out? …That was awesome.” Nobody wants that.
They’re fun writers. Let’s try something fun! I’ve always liked reading snappy Q&A features in magazines, so I snapped some Qs their way and they provided enlightening and insightful As in return.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a kid? What did you love about it?
L.S.: I was very into the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books because the writing was delicious and manners are cool. I also discovered Haywood Smith’s “The Red Hat Club” when I was in junior high and re-read it about a million times. I had never read a book featuring such rowdy, badly behaved women, which I loved, although I’m almost positive it’s aged poorly.
N.C.: My first dream dictionary, which you can still find in stores, was a paperback called “The Dreamer’s Dictionary” by Lady Stearn Robinson. It was partly what made me so interested in not necessarily what my dreams meant, but how someone came up with the explanations.
Otherwise, I absolutely loved “Matilda” by Roald Dahl. I didn’t envy Matilda for her awful family life, but oh those scenes of her reading books all day at the library…a dream!
Q: What’s the best book you’ve read lately?
L.S.: I’m a huge horror head and I read Mariana Enriquez’s “Our Share of Night” earlier this summer. I haven’t been that absorbed in a work of fiction in a long time. I wish I could go back and experience that first read again — it was really magical. I also just read “Mrs. Caliban,” a novella about a woman who has a spicy affair with a frog-man, which is a bit of a slay.
N.C.: Lately, I love essay collections (like Lillian’s, of course) and short story compilations. Leonora Carrington is a surrealist painter and writer who has a collection of short stories that are so bizarre and visual and worth seeking out — as is her art.
Q: When you read, do you bookmark, dog-ear pages or let the fates decide?
L.S.: This is a huge point of contention in my household. I break the spines, dog-ear and baptize books in the bathtub with me, but my partner is very careful with his books. We live together and I’m trying to be gentler with the shared reading material.
N.C.: Bookmark! Typically a marketing postcard from The Moxie or the Springfield Art Museum. They fit perfectly in my books and remind me of upcoming events too.
Q: Something you’ve learned about the publishing process? Anything that surprised you?
L.S.: I think I expected someone to sit me down and tell me exactly what to do, when to do it and how everything would work, which never happened. I feel like I’ve been stumbling around blind throughout the process, which is why I’m so insanely grateful for my agent and friends who’ve been through the process before me. It’s all very mysterious, which is exciting but also anxiety-inducing. Also, still waiting for someone to deposit a check for $1 million into my mailbox. Maybe tomorrow?
N.C.: Regardless of which path you choose — self-publish, hybrid or working with an established company — work with a third-party professional for your contracts (an attorney, an agent, etc). My contract was probably 15 pages long and I had no idea what half of it meant. There weren’t any red flags, but if authors are spending so much time on the creative process it’s important to make sure that work is protected from the beginning.
Q: Fill in the blanks with something related to your book: Writing a book is like _ because _.
L.S.: Writing a book is like Y2K fashion because it’s really fun, really uncomfortable and there’s a chance you’ll look back in 15 years and think, “Oh, man, what did I do?” Also, if there’s a thong involved, everyone will know.
N.C.: Writing a book is like dreaming because half the time when I go back to what I’ve already written, I don’t remember having done it. It feels like someone else’s words and thoughts.
Q: And finally, I think it’s super inspiring that you both have books published now thanks in part to sharing your work online. Any words of encouragement for other creative folks?
L.S.: You can do it from anywhere! I started growing my following in the satire and humor community from behind the popcorn counter at the Moxie. Do the work you love to do and don’t be shy about sharing it far and wide. That’s how my agent found me — from a McSweeney’s humor piece I sold for $30.
N.C.: One of my favorite books is “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. He has a great weekly newsletter and a series of books on creativity. Ultimately, you have to put your work out there if you want it to be seen. It can be so scary, and still is. Workman Publishing found me through Instagram because I would post my illustrations and use hashtags that — unknowingly to me — my editor was interested in. I gained the confidence to do this because of Kleon’s books.
Want to go?
What: Authors Lillian Stone and Nicole Chilton book release event
When: Friday, Aug. 4, 6 p.m.
Where: Pagination Bookshop, 1150 E. Walnut St., Springfield
Admission: Free
For more information: Follow Pagination Bookshop on Facebook, or visit their website
