Aimee Bender brought her fantastical fiction to Square Books Monday
night in support of her latest hit, The Particular Sadness of Lemon
Cake. The audience was eager to meet Aimee and have their books signed.
Some hardcore fans, who have been buying Aimee Bender books from Square
Books for years, showed up to meet one of their favorite writers for the
first time. This was Aimee’s first trip to the Magnolia State and it
was not to be missed. Before the reading began attendees indulged in
some homemade chocolate-lemon cake and lemon cupcakes (thanks Caroline
and Katherine) while others chatted with Aimee before taking their
seats.After reading from the opening chapter of her new novel, in which 9-year old protagonist Rose Edelstein realizes her sense of taste is connected to her mother’s emotions, Aimee fielded questions from the audience and talked about her peculiar fictions. She gave some insight on the idea behind The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake saying, “feelings are something to digest.” Later when asked where her brand of fiction comes from she replied with a response once used by Southern-gothic queen, Flannery O’Connor, when she was told her stories somehow didn’t add up: “Fiction never adds up.” Aimee said that, after spending years of trying to make her fiction “add up” and worrying about it, she finally just let it go. And it has taken us on a most intriguing adventure.
If you have never read Amiee Bender’s work we praise it highly and suggest picking up her latest, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.