We seem to be getting the hang of this Zoom thing! I’m speaking not only on behalf of myself and 1455, but I think it’s obvious that as a society, we’ve made the necessary and inevitable adjustments, and most will agree that even as “Zoom fatigue” sets in (yes, it’s a thing), it’s much better to have–and utilize–this technology to connect. The alternative is to wait it out for live events, and not only is there no fun in that, it’s self-defeating. Plus, the show must go on! (And speaking of shows, our upcoming literary festival is going to be virtual, free, and amazing. Check it out!)
It is, then, with tremendous pleasure that I introduce this month’s featured author, Chris Register. As our conversation presumably will make quite clear, while any honest interrogation of where we are (and where we’ve been; where we’re going) as a country is both necessary and welcome right now, we can super-size that assessment when it comes to Chris. His Conversations with US project delivers precisely what so many pundits (and politicians, and professors, and genuinely concerned citizens, etc.) admonish everyone to do more of: get outside our bubbles, listen to other voices, absorb other perspectives, and encourage open-ended discussion.
Obligatory (and impressive!) bio, below.
Chris Register served in the Peace Corps, graduated Georgetown Law, and litigated cases in U.S. district court before undertaking the Conversations With US project. This 50-state, 16,000-mile bicycling exploration of America now invites readers to ride along and connect with the landscapes and people of our shared nation
The Conversations With US project is grounded in the notion that there must be more to America than the typical refrain offered by politicians and cable news pundits–that we are a nation divided. Is being at odds with one another really what defines us? Or is there another side to America–a common thread running along the Mississippi River and over the Rocky Mountains, connecting city streets with gravel farm roads? Readers can decide for themselves after meeting hundreds of Americans who shared their thoughts and stories with author Chris Register as he pedaled a loaded touring bicycle some 16,000 miles across the USA.
Please enjoy–and share!–the video below, and be sure to register for 1455’s 2nd annual Summer Literary Festival (and hear Chris in action, where he’ll take a much deeper dive into the various options for writers navigating the contemporary publishing scene–and how to get their works into the world). In the meantime, be safe, and be well.
