Paul Auster secretly wants to live in LA

Last night author Paul Auster (right) sat down with LA Times Book Review editor David Ulin at the Writers Bloc reading series. They talked a lot about process — after having a cup of tea, Auster goes to an apartment to write, picking up a tuna sandwich along the way — that writing is a lot of work and actually quite boring. Aspiring authors love to hear about how successful writers write, and the audience ate it up.

There wasn't much discussion of his new book, Brooklyn Follies, so as not to give anything away, we suppose. This isn't Auster's first New York book; in fact, three of his books are often referred to as the New York trilogy (City of Glass, Ghosts, The Locked Room). But the way he thinks about his home, Brooklyn, makes us understand that deep down, he's not a New Yorker; he's an Angeleno. Because he said:

• Brooklyn is this sprawling residential place.
  
• It's not paradise by any means.
  
• I've lived there so long, it's become a part of me.

While the theater wasn't packed, almost every person in attendance stood in line to get something signed. Auster looked pretty exhausted as things were wrapping up. Sleep well on your way back to NYC; we know you'd rather be in LA after all.