In what promises to be a fun and funny evening, local author Abbi Waxman will be signing her latest novel, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, a charming and hilarious ode to Larchmont and bookish women everywhere, at Chevalier’s Books tonight at 7 pm. Waxman will be joined in conversation by her longtime friend and prominent local writer, Hilary Liftin. If you love books, Chevalier’s and Larchmont, this is one evening you won’t want to miss.
In her witty bio, Waxman describes herself as “naturally lazy and disinclined to dress up.” Prior to becoming an author, Waxman worked in advertising as a copywriter and then a creative director at various advertising agencies in London and New York. Waxman’s clients ranged “from big and traditional, (AT&T, Chase Manhattan Bank, IBM, American Express, Unilever, Mercedes-Benz) to big and morally corrupt (R. J. Reynolds) to big and larcenous (Enron). Eventually she quit advertising, had three kids and started writing books, TV shows and screenplays, largely in order to get a moment’s peace.”
We met Waxman at the bookstore one day and have been looking forward to reading her latest book set in our beloved Chevalier’s bookstore.
“Larchmont Blvd is the linear heart of Larchmont Village, populated by cafés, restaurants, boutiques, artisanal store of many kinds, and one of the few remaining independent bookstores in Los Angeles. That’s where Nina Lee Hill works; spinster of this parish and heroine of both her own life and book you’re holding in your lovely hand,” writes Waxman.
“I love this neighborhood,” Waxman, who moved into Windsor Square about 16 years ago, told the Buzz. This is her third book set in the neighborhood and some of the characters migrate into the other books.
“It’s a neighborhood,” Waxman explains, “so some of the characters know each other. The neighborhood is a character in the book as much as the other characters.”
We meet our heroine Nina as she battles with a customer who wants to return a book because she’s found it boring. While Nina is an amalgamation of all the millennials Waxman knows, the character Liz Quinn, the book store manager will seem very familiar to Chevalier’s customers. It’s based on the real Liz — Liz Newstat, longtime manager of the bookstore.
“Liz is a genius at book recommendations, a sadly rare talent these days,” said Waxman. “She has wonderful suggestions and is hugely supportive of authors and books. This is my love letter to booksellers!”
The book signing is tonight at 7 pm at Chevalier’s at 127 N Larchmont Blvd.
