New Beginnings

Let's Try That Again

Kindle Me This

On Eagles, Warmth and Thanks
Sitting at my desk first thing this morning I happened to glance out the window just as an eagle motored pretty much across my line of sight. Though seeing an eagle scooting through our personal airspace isn’t exactly uncommon, it still took my breath away. That’s just what it does.It was fairly early and the mist hadn’t burned off the day. In the distance -- beyond the mist -- a blue sky threatened to bre

“You’re so gangsta, I’m so thug...”
What I’m listening to right now...“You’re so gangsta, I’m so thug, you’re the only one I’m dreaming of/You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there’s nothing I can’t be/I want the world to see you be with me.” And a kickin’ ukulele. Nice.

Is Sarah Palin’s Book A Book?
Writing on her own blog, Pinky’s Paperhaus, Los Angeles Times’ lead book blog maven, Carolyn Kellogg, eloquently argues that, despite appearances to the contrary, not only is Sarah Palin’s book not a book, Kellogg herself would rather read Edmund Morris’ biography of Ronald Reagan (that kinda says more than it says. Kellogg is skilled that way.On Palin’s Going Rogue (snicker), Kellogg writes:

Quote of the Week: Susan Orlean
“Being a writer requires an awkward balance of utter confidence and abject insecurity. Both necessary, neither sufficient.” -- Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief, The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup)Interestingly enough, this quote came to me via Twitter, as retweeted by the fabulous Sandra Gulland. It wouldn’t fit as a retweet and it was, in any case, just too great a quote to be lost in the sludge of the Twitter timeline.This captures precisely what I’ve often

I Heart Reading Groups
I always forget how much I enjoy spending time with reading groups, either on the telephone or, when possible, in person. I got to do that yesterday in James Bay in Victoria, B.C. with a really terrific group. OK, I’ll be honest: I’ve yet to meet a reading group I did not like. They’re readers, so they’re intelligent and interesting. And they want to talk about my book so... what’s not to like?The James Bay group are currently discussing Death Was the Other Woman, which has it’s own reading group guide. If you’d like me to attend your reading group, please cont