Win, Lose or Draw.

Proudly representing Featherproof Books, James Kennedy emerged from last night’s epic Literary Death Match triumphant. Before that, though, there was a lot of quipping and hand-waving from inimitable LDM host Todd Zuniga…

…as well as some inspired judging by Shawn “Shawnimals” Smith, Jessica “Girls Guide to Rocking” Hopper, and yours truly. We huddled very seriously to discuss the well-matched performances of Davis “Blank: a Novel” Schneiderman versus Rebekah “Artifice Magazine” Silverman, and James “Order of Odd-Fish” Kennedy versus Andrew “Self-Titled Debut” Farkas. Then in the stunning finale, Kennedy and Schneiderman faced off in a triple-draw-a-thon. All of us judges had to pose on-stage, Live Nude Girl-style (except, you know, with clothes on) while the finalists drew 18-second-gestural-sketches of us, and then special guest judges judged the drawings. At one point, Jessica got drawn with a baby and Shawn got drawn with a penis (which, looking back, now seems weirdly Freudian). Kennedy drew me with a really big smile…

…although it could also look like I’m actually really angry, kind of snarling. Perhaps because his art is so flexible and open to interpretation, Kennedy won. Congratulations, James Kennedy! And everyone else! You rocked!