Las Vegas Weekly

Confessing (Post)Secrets at UNLV

PostSecret creator Frank Warren

Courtesy

Photo: Courtesy

One of the secrets from the forthcoming PostSecret book Confessions on Life, Death, and God available October 6.

The “most trusted stranger in America” was at UNLV Monday night, sharing the secrets of others. Frank Warren is the creator of the PostSecret Web site and books, which feature postcards decorated with anonymous confessions and mailed to him from around the globe. When he comes out to speak, hundreds gather to listen.

Warren, an advocate for suicide prevention, shared stories of how his overwhelmingly popular blog came to be and revealed some controversial contributions that couldn’t be published in his four (soon to be five) books. Afterwards, he invited brave attendees to come up to the microphone and share their secrets live in front of a room full of strangers without the anonymity of an untraceable mini work of art. From weighty thoughts of suicide to lighthearted admissions of stealing false eyelashes from Wal-Mart, the environment was supportive and welcoming. I even took the mic to confess one of my secrets: Thanks to frequent use of spell check, I can’t remember how to spell big words on my own. Oh, and whenever I type the word “and,” it always comes out “nad.”

Check back next week for an interview with Frank Warren and a preview of his new PostSecret book.