Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego

Ever since my friend Catherine told me about running into Mary Gaitskill on the subway, and initiating a gushing/awkward fan conversation with her, I have had book + subway fantasies. Not that anyone would recognize me from my author photo and want to talk to me; I'm not completely insane. But that I would see someone reading my book on the train. (And then would have to resist yelling THAT'S MY BOOK I WROTE THAT BOOK.)

My publicist snapped this shot on the F.

Meanwhile, savvy readers know that they can win a free copy of my book by writing in to my advice column. If you live outside the U.S., this can be an even better deal. That's how my book made it all the way to Grace in Korea:

But unfortunately, I don't think it will be a big hit there.

Grace: have i told you about my perils in trying to explain the plot of your book to my asian peers

 me: hahaha NO

 Grace: i didnt realize it either

  but like

  it's pretty weird if you DONT live with your parents

  in almost every major asian country

  until you get married

  it's just what you do

 even today i was telling my students how "he still lives at home with his parents" is an insult

  and they couldn't believe it

Maybe it will be a hit in Belgium. Here's Annelies, whose English is at least 8,000 times better than my French, surrounded by domestic bliss. Her colleagues are "absolutely curious" about my book, she says. I wonder what the cultural expectation about "moving back home" is there?