Here’s the short version:

At 7:00pm on July 29th, we (Robbi and Matthew of Idiots’Books) will be doing a reading/talk/slideshow/Q&A/signing at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

The long version is that we’re thrilled to be doing a reading/talk/slideshow/Q&A/signing at Politics and Prose because Politics and Prose is one of the finest independent bookstores in the country. To tell the truth, we have no idea why we have been asked to read at Politics and Prose because people like Jimmy Carter, Billy Collins, and Dave Eggers read at Politics and Prose. And Sugar Ray Leonard. Apparently, he did a reading at P&P last Friday.

To give you a sense of what you might expect should you decide to join us, here’s the publicity blurb that will soon go up on the P&P web site.

French Explorers, Sacred Cows, and Disappointing Babies:
Making and distributing odd, commercially non-viable picture books for adults

Author/illustrator pair Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr of Idiots’Books (www.robbib5.sg-host.com) will read from their catalog of satirical illustrated volumes and discuss collaboration, running a small press, and their ongoing battle with genre. Perhaps you have not heard of Matthew and Robbi, but the New York Times, New York magazine, Slate.com, and BoingBoing.net have said nice things about their work. There will be a slide show. Q&A and signing to follow.

The reading is still six weeks off. We will remind you again. And again. But knowing that you are busy sorts of cosmopolitan people, we thought it best to give you plenty of notice so that you can circle the date on your calendar. We would be so pleased to see you there.

And who knows—you might even run into Sugar Ray.