Four Inane Questions with KC Book Beat’s Trisha Otis
Photos Courtesy of Trisha Otis
If you’re reading this, Trisha Otis wants you to know you deserve a gold star. She’d be happier if you were reading a book, but this magazine article is a good start. Otis is the proud owner of Sun Fox Books—a pop-up bookstore and, as she tells us, one of only three recipients of the 2024 James Patterson and American Booksellers Association Award.
A former military child, Otis moved to Missouri back in 2008. Since then, she’s been passionate about getting books into the hands of anyone and everyone. She also serves as vice president of KC Book Beat. “We’re a non-profit dedicated to connecting readers with local literary talent,” she says.
As we head into 2025, Otis is determined to get the word out about the organization, which has become a destination of sorts for local authors and book enthusiasts. The goal of KC Book Beat, you ask? To celebrate the vibrant literary scene of the Kansas City metro area, bringing together a community of readers, writers, and local businesses.
When she’s not busy being a literary change agent, you can guess what she is up to: reading and writing. We caught up with the bibliophile as she was gearing up for the New Year and cajoled her into answering our whacky questionnaire. Oh, and Otis reminded us to support local bookstores in 2025. It’s mandatory. Bless.
The Pitch: Name a movie you unabashedly walked out of.
Trish Otis: Despicable Me was a nightmare. Between the obnoxious Minion noises coming from the audience and the relentless visual chaos on screen, I was ready to lose it. The whole film felt like an assault on my senses—bright colors, fast-moving scenes, and people mimicking the Minions’ sounds like it was a contest.
Photos Courtesy of Trisha Otis
Oh, and let’s not forget the crying kids in the theater just to complete the experience. I made it a solid thirty minutes before I tapped out. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone sits through that overstimulating mess without needing a headache pill afterward. No, thank you.
What celebrity would you prefer to be trapped in an elevator with?
It’s a tie between Mark Hamill and Jeff Goldblum. Both are hilarious, kind, and genuinely good people. Jeff Goldblum is endlessly charming, constantly enamored with life, like a human Studio Ghibli film, romanticizing even the mundane. I’d happily chat with him for hours.
As for Mark Hamill, we could easily have a long conversation, and I’d have him do lines from his iconic voice work as The Joker and, of course, whiny Luke Skywalker. Both are such unique personalities, and I’m sure either one would make for a fascinating and entertaining conversation that I’d never want to end.
You’re having a cookie named after you. What’s in The Otis?
Okay, picture this—You bite into a soft, gentle yellow cookie. A zest hits your tongue, and you are delighted with lemon. It gently melts in your mouth and lures you into a sense of euphoria. But then, you discover there are swirls of pureed strawberry throughout.
This gives you a perfect balance of sweet and tart. It is topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. You are transported to a meadow, and everything is right in the world.
What’s one thing you could easily give up as a New Year’s resolution and never miss it?
Giving up chocolate? Piece of cake. Well, not cake, because that would be chocolate-flavored, but you get the idea. I’ll miss it for exactly five minutes until I realize I can replace it with something equally comforting, like binge-watching Netflix or emotionally eating an entire bag of chips.
I’ll pretend I’m making healthier choices, but deep down, I know I’m just avoiding the guilt of eating a whole chocolate bar in one sitting. At least my dentist won’t look at me like I’m a walking cavity. And, in a week, I’ll forget it was ever a problem until someone offers me chocolate, and I weep.
Photos Courtesy of Trisha Otis
Bonus 5th Question: What city would you make a pact or vow to never, ever visit again?
Ugh, Detroit. I nearly missed my brother’s engagement party in DC because of them and I will never forgive! There was an issue with our plane and so we had to fly to Detroit! And the airline was like, “Oh, here’s some vouchers for a hotel since we don’t have a flight for you until the morning.” Okay, fine, whatever.
We all get bussed to a hotel to find the airline is a dunce and didn’t check that the hotel was fully booked. So, we get bussed off to a seedy hotel with uncomfy beds. We made a flight early the next morning, and I made it to my brother’s engagement party, and it was fine.
Was this actually Detroit’s fault? No. Will I forever blame them? Absolutely.
