In praise of pizza and stillness; plus, my BAFAB contest
4/2/2008: THE RESULTS ARE IN! CLICK HERE.
So we ordered pizza for dinner--mozzarella with carmelized onions, which makes for a delightful combination. I went down to pick it up and it wasn't ready and I had to wait longer than I usually do. I had brought a magazine with me but left it in the car, and rather than go back and get it I made the conscious decision, having recently read this piece in defense of boredom, that I would just sit and wait in a booth. This is unusual for me, because I pretty much always have something to read with me. But it turned out to have been a very productive ten or so minutes.
I noticed the interior of the restaurant more than I have previously. We never eat there, always take out, and it's been under construction for something like 8 years. It looked a little higher scale than I would have given it credit for, all exposed brick and pipes and nice big windows. I watched a big vee of geese fly by. And I eavesdropped on the family in the booth behind me. They were playing some kind of twenty questions game. Which brings me to...
MY BAFAB CONTEST
I hadn't thought of anything fun before, but I've got it now.
I'm thinking of a book.
Your job is to figure out what book it is. Ask yes or no questions in the comments to try to narrow it down. Everyone who leaves a question in the comments will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of the secret book.
Because I'd like participation to be broad (as opposed to one person, say, figuring things out after a spate of questions), please ask no more than two questions each. Your first question will win you one entry in the contest; your second question will win you a second entry.
AMENDMENT 4/1: In addition to asking two yes or no questions, anyone who's asked at least one question may take as many guesses as they'd like about the book, by providing the author's name and the book title in the comments.
The contest will be closed either:
1. When the identity of the book has been discovered, or
2. If no one figures out the book, at midnight, Eastern Time, on April 7th, 2008.
Whichever comes first. I'll hold the drawing for the free book no later than April 8th--earlier if the contest closes earlier.
The winner of the drawing will win the book in question. If someone guesses the book correctly (providing author name and title), they'll win an extra five entries in the drawing (for a possible seven total entries).
Got that? Okay, I'm thinking of a book. Ask me a question....
Posted by Debra Hamel on March 31, 2008 | 
Is it fiction?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: Karen | March 31, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Is the author male
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Susan | March 31, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Is it longer than 200 pages?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Nicole | March 31, 2008 at 11:18 PM
Was it published this year?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: tanabata | April 01, 2008 at 03:18 AM
Is it an autobiography/memoir?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Clare D | April 01, 2008 at 09:15 AM
So now I've realised that memoir and biography are not the same thing. So I am going to use up my last question and ask - is it memoir?
Posted by: Clare D | April 01, 2008 at 09:24 AM
Well, I assumed you meant autobiography, no?
Posted by: Debra Hamel | April 01, 2008 at 09:28 AM
Yes, I must have, I guess. So I reckon I have one more now. I'm going to think about this.
Posted by: Clare D | April 01, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Yes, one more. I'll emend the above to read autobiography so people aren't confused.
Posted by: Debra Hamel | April 01, 2008 at 09:46 AM
Is the Author American?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Kathleen | April 01, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Was it published in 2007?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: Megan | April 01, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Is the author still living?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: Kimmy | April 01, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Was the pizza restaurant... Sorrento's?
ANSWER: YES!
Posted by: David | April 01, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Is it "Born Standing Up", by Steve Martin?
ANSWER: NO!
Posted by: Susan | April 01, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Is the author a literary figure (ie as opposed to sport or science or something)?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: Juxtabook | April 01, 2008 at 01:47 PM
Susan stole my answer! But I waiting for my question to be answered before I guessed!
HEH HEH....
Posted by: Megan | April 01, 2008 at 01:57 PM
Have you reviewed the book?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Tom | April 01, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Hey, Megan, brrrrp/splatter/splatter (that's my attempt at a Bronx cheer) :-)
Posted by: Susan | April 01, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Is it available in paperback?
ANSWER: NO
Posted by: Lisa | April 01, 2008 at 04:08 PM
This may be the best contest I've ever come up with. This is fun!
Posted by: Debra Hamel | April 01, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Is the author a comic actor?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Clare D | April 01, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Hmmm... Was the person on a TV show?
ANSWER: YES!
Posted by: Chris | April 01, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Was it written before 1986?
ANSWER: YES
Posted by: Nicole | April 01, 2008 at 08:20 PM
I'm off to bed, and I have the feeling that someone will have identified the book by the time I get up in the morning! First one to do so, of course, wins the five extra drawing entries.
I had thought this would take the better part of the week, but I guess not! Anyway, I've had a lot of fun with it. So much so that I was thinking of maybe doing it more frequently--but with used copies of books rather than new ones (as this time) so I don't bankrupt myself. Any thoughts on that? Would doing this more often lessen the fun?
Posted by: Debra Hamel | April 01, 2008 at 09:24 PM
ALAN ALDA!!!!!
ANSWER: NO! But remember that the answer would also have to have the book title. If it were correct, which this is not :)
Posted by: Karen | April 01, 2008 at 09:32 PM