Tayari Jones is having a party on March 20 at Busboys and Poets. And aside from the fact that I can personally vouch that Tayari is both a good novelist and an exceptionally amicable person, the solipsists here, no doubt thinking “What’s in it for me?” might wish to know that there will be canapés and stuff.

But I’ll up the ante. If you’re a Washington, DC local and you email me a photo of yourself with Tayari AT Busboys and Poets, then, when BookExpo comes along in May (along with the expected cocktail shenanigans), find me and I will personally buy or abscond with (if they’re free) two drinks: one for me, one for you. And we will have ourselves a crazed chat for at least twenty minutes. Granted, it’s quite likely that I’d talk with you anyway. Among literary geeks, I’m a sociable sort. Fueled with enough liquor, I’d talk with just about anybody. Including the beverage in my hand or the sad man who plays the piano. But since incentive is the name of the game…