Tayari Jones is here. A white woman smiled at her and said, “I loved your reading last night.” This is because Tayari, like 5 Under 35 winner Asali Solomon, is African-American.

I just asked Franzen why he didn’t add me as a Facebook friend. He said that I talked too fast and that I sounded like I worked in advertising. There is audio.

I am here talking with Harold Augenbraum, the Executive Director of the National Book Foundation.

Me: Who do you use instead of PricewaterhouseCoopers?

Augenbraum: DB Bistro Moderne. [HA has confused my question with the caterer, but this is also interesting and he is a convivial fellow.] One of the perks of being a judge is that they get to pick the restaurant they get to go to. They get $2,500 for six months’ worth of work. Fortunately, Per Se is not open for lunch.

The Almighty Five Bloggers now have their own table here. There was a last-minute pitstop to Best Buy, but we’re all ready to go. More meaningful journalism coming soon.

Denis Johnson, incidentally, isn’t here. He’s in Iraq. The first of many swipes against the good people here at the National Book Foundation. More to come.