Took the day off from writing and spent it thusly: morning, basketball, where, given how actually rotten I usually am and adding the fact that I haven't touched a basketball since May, I did not stink as badly as I deserved to. Then, afternoon, at the Brooklyn Book Festival, where I was on a panel on writing the five boroughs. After the panel, signed books, then went over to the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine table and signed the new issue, which has a story of mine in it (set in western China, no less). Bookending, as it were, around that, I hung with some folks at the MWA table, then at the Akashic Books booth, heard Tony Danza in conversation with Borough President Marty Markowitz (just imagine the density of Brooklyn accent on that stage), strolled the booths and examined the wares of dozens of independent publishers, and ended at another panel about writing New York (do you detect a theme here?) which included Nathan Larson, a writer I admire. Also had a brief visit with the fabulous Cheryl Tan, who looked even more fabulous in her red-and-white dress after I gave her the red-and-white Target volunteer glasses I'd scored. Came home feeling energized, happy to be a citizen of this writing world.