Sir Salman signed scores of books in Shorewood on Wednesday: Tonight, he'll sign books in Shorewood Hills

"So have you read any of his other books?" the woman sitting behind me asked her companion.

"I haven't read anything by him," was the reply. "I guess I will now," she continued.

They were discussing Salman Rushdie, who'd just finished talking about his latest novel, and had now taken a seat at a small table, where he would soon be accommodating the scores of people who'd queued up at Schwartz Bookshop in Shorewood to have him sign their spanking new copies of "The Enchantress of Florence."

Glancing behind me, I confirmed that both women were clutching copies of the book.

Faster than my camera can capture, Salman Rushdie signs copies of "The Enchantress of Florence" at Schwartz's Bookshop in Shorewood. The arm in the right hand side of the photo belongs to chauffeur and facilitator to the literary stars Bill Young.

Author readings, appearances, book signings – call them what you may, they're a dicey way to wile away a couple of hours. Sometimes illuminating. Sometimes excruciatingly boring. Sometimes they attract hordes of fans. Sometimes you find yourself staring at a swath of empty folding chairs, keeping company with half a dozen other people who seem to be disappointed that no one is serving refreshments.

Some authors read from their books, droning on without excitement or inflection. Some are much better at this. Some talk about their books and offer some insights. Others just leap headfirst into the de rigueur question and answer period that inevitably involves questions about how they write, when they write, and where they get their ideas.

Possible answers: With a Mont Blanc pen, in the morning, and Syracuse (or Singapore or Sydney). My answers: Slowly, as often as possible, and from Himself (or my subconscious, or a snippet of overheard conversation).

Still, you need to take risks once in a while – and you need to push away from the computer and widen your horizons. You need to bask in a bit of sunlight and inhale some fresh air. So I drove down Interstate 94 on Wednesday to hear Rushdie speak, read, and answer questions in Shorewood because I have something else to do on Friday when he'll be doing the same thing in Shorewood Hills.

Articulate, intelligent and surprisingly unassuming, Rushdie strode to the front of the bookshop at 7 pm. After a brief introduction by the independent bookshop's president, who noted that Rushdie had been knighted last year and then mistakenly referred to the author as "Sir Rushdie" instead of using the correct form of address – Sir Salman – the acclaimed author began to speak about his book.

"The Enchantress of Florence," he told the audience of several hundred people, "terrifyingly is my 10th novel" and it is "a more completely historical novel than I've written before." Then he provided a considerable amount of background information about the shape of the world 400 years ago and how it shaped the structure of the novel. He also told the audience about Turkey's tulip obsession and warned us there was a reference in the section of the novel he was about to read to one tulip that was "a bit obscene," adding, "But I will warn you before we get to the dirty tulip."

Then, he switched eyeglasses. No bifocals here.

A few minutes into the reading, the microphone started to sputter and it became impossible to understand Rushdie. The fault was temporarily fixed, but persisted off and on throughout his appearance. Every time it sputtered, Rushdie tapped and twisted the device until it functioned properly, always maintaining a sense of humor.

He read until about 7:30 p.m. and then began answering questions. Most were predictable as, to a certain extent, were his answers, since he's clearly been asked and answered the same questions on many occasions: A question about his "celebrity status" and the fatwā issued in 1989 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, after the publication of "The Satanic Verses." A question about how/why he could write from a woman's point of view. A question about what he planned to write next. A question about what advice he'd offer to aspiring writers. A question about his fledgling career as an actor.

The answers were thoughtful and sometimes wandered into more interesting territory. A selection of his comments and observations (sometimes paraphrased):

• Writing is a very private act. Very humbling. Most days you can’t do what you want

• If you're any kind of writer you pay attention to your life and learn from it.

• I hope there is an artistic continuity in my work – no rupture around 1989.

• I grew up in a world of fierce women (including three sisters and no brothers) and that taught me how to write about them.

• The Queen asked me "What next?" two weeks ago and I told her I need to find another children's book to write.

• On writing: On the whole it's better than having a real job. I'd do this even if no one paid me.

• All writing is rewriting. You're very lucky if you get it right the first time.

• I tend not to read a lot of fiction because it infects you and I don't want to be infected by other authors. I always make a moment in the day to read poetry, to remind me to pay attention to language.

• About being a writer: If there is nothing inside you demanding to be expressed, stop. It better be because you have to do it, because it feels necessary.

Salman Rushdie will discuss and sign copies of "The Enchantress of Florence" at 7 p.m. Friday, July 11, 2008 at Borders Books, 3750 University Avenue in Shorewood Hills.