Reader survey
You come across the term “spatial deconcentration” in a novel about squatters on the Lower East Side in the mid-nineties. You: A) Know what it means B) Don’t know what it means and look it up C) Don’t know what …
Phuc Tran’s TED talk, now with 100% Less Marimba!
In case you missed it the first time I posted it, or want to watch it again. (And really, you should.) Here is my friend Phuc’s TED talk, now edited so you can watch just his brilliance instead of skipping …
Phuc Tran’s TED talk, now with 100% Less Marimba! Read more »
Attention Beloved Bookish Folks and Media Types
I’m filling out my author questionnaire for Tin House and it has a spot where I can list people who should receive review copies—that is, people in a position to promote or review the book, or adopt it for an …
Quietly losing it with election jitters
Please, may Obama win. (He will. He HAS to.) Please, may a certain faction in power in the Republican party not steal the election (or at least not succeed, if they try). GAH. Hold me. Or tell me a joke. …
In answer to questions I was not asked…
PANK recently sent me questions for the author interview they’ll be posting as a followup to my story that ran in their September edition. The questions have me thinking about the story, and people’s varied reactions to it. My own …
The power and pitfalls of the subjunctive
My friend Phuc Tran recently gave an absolutely beautiful TED talk about viewing life through the lenses of the subjunctive and imperative moods. You MUST see this. (Note: If you aren’t so into marimba, skip to 20:11, where Phuc’s talk …
Hey, Oregon! Can we have a word before you fill in that ballot?
Our public schools are in sorry shape, and you know it. With the ballot you got in the mail last week, we can start to do something about that. All of Oregon: please, please vote YES on State Measure 85 …
Hey, Oregon! Can we have a word before you fill in that ballot? Read more »
The Uprise Books Project
I went to Wordstock today, got to hear some great readings, sit in on a panel on marketing (the takeaway–no one really knows what works or doesn’t or why), and ogle lots of great books. One of the highlights of …
The days before the rains come
The rains are supposed to start on Friday, so today Girlie and I headed out with our strollers for what will probably be our last sunny walk to the library until next year. Oh, we’ll still walk to the library …
Gathering acorns
Some switch flipped in my brain today. Some alarm went off, screaming, “Winter’s coming! Winter’s coming!” It’s the same alarm that drove me to knit endlessly while pregnant with both kids, only then the alarm screamed, “Cold baby! Cold baby!” …