Morehead State University: Scott McClanahan Answers Questions and Steals Things

Was in Morehead, Kentucky yesterday for a Q&A session with storytelling warrior Scott McClanahan and Tom Williams, the Chair of English at Morehead State University and a word soldier in his own right.

The two spoke in an open forum and Scott took questions from folks in attendance.  It was a cool afternoon.  Before the session, I confessed to Scott I was once an accomplice to a theft from a hotel room in Morehead while doing a reading there in 2004.  He smiled, reached into his bag and brought out a small sign, the kind you see in the bathroom at hotels and such, the one warning guests not to steal from the rooms.

"I stole the sign that told me not to steal anything," he said and laughed.  "I think I'll take it up with me for a prop."

SCOTT SHOWING HIS HOT HOTEL SIGN

And he did.  And he pointed out to the folks at The Coffee Tree Bookstore he stole it, tying it into an answer he gave about stealing work for writing, stealing for creative reasons, stealing, stealing, stealing.  Picasso had said the same before, but Scott had a prop.  Win.

It was a true pleasure, after exchanging messages and chats for a long while, to finally get the chance to meet Scott, who was every bit as down-to-earth and sincere and honest as I'd come to think he might be through reading his work and corresponding with him up until then.