Ahem...

Stuff White People Like

Things have been a bit quiet on the old blog lately because I'm deep in a project. However, I'm not so deep that I can't be embarrassed by the above, esp. in light of my previous post. Thanks to Tai for turning me onto the Stuff White People Like blog, which does tend to make me feel a bit assy with self-recognition.

Oh, and I'm listening to an amazingly funny and smart audio book. Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin is a picaresque novel/satire about the British royal family. It has made me cry with laughter about four times already and the author's handling of language is mesmerizing.

Finally, I am working on a special audio treat for Out There-ers... Stay tuned (but not too closely because it could be a while.)

Heroes, dangers of

I try not to have heroes. Sure, there are people I admire. But I tend to keep my expectations low. Lately, the skimpy ranks of my heroes has been reduced by one, thanks to the extra-curricular adventures of one Mr. Eliot Spitzer, hound dog.

But I do have a few literary heroes. Foremost among them is Richard Price, author of Clockers, The Wanderers and Freedomland. I read Clockers every year. It is the best American novel of the past generation. Yes, that's what I think. I felt somehow vindicated when I heard that the finest American T.V. show in recent memory, The Wire, was in part based on or inspired by Clockers. Price has also written some of my favourite episodes of the show.

In spite of my mildly embarrassing hero-worship-tinged feelings, I didn't dare to hope that Richard Price would be personally interesting or witty or any of that. And then I heard him on Fresh Air and again on the New York Times Book Review podcast. And holy crap if he isn't hilarious, self-deprecating and thoughtful and possessed of a wonderful high-low way of talking and seeing the world that I could listen to forever. I'm getting a bit old for this sort of thing, but I would love to call him up and tell him I admire his work and ask him to lunch. You know, play the fresh-faced writer card, which is no longer an option due to, well, my face. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only fan he has. There is probably a steady stream of fresh-faced fans asking him to lunch and one has to consider the effects of such a rich diet on his temperament. It's often best to leave our heroes alone for the sake of both parties.

So I won't call him up or write him a letter. What I will do is lay some heavy hints on the people near me that my birthday is fast approaching. Richard Price has a new book out called Lush Life. If you wanted to get me something I will treasure, that's it.

Along these lines, I finally bought myself Season 4 of the The Wire. I tried to hold out until my birthday, but I couldn't. I just finished watching episode seven. Dukie just smiled. Kima cracked her first homicide. Prez is getting it right in the classroom. Bubs is having a terrible time. Omar's in lockup. And my heart is busted.

This is what having heroes does to a person.

I would like to thank...

the Canadian Library Association for shortlisting Another Kind of Cowboy for the CLA Young Adult Book Award 2008!

Take it to the bank

I've begun writing not one but TWO advice columns. The first you can find at the Savvy Reader and elsewhere. The other is horse-related and will be published in the Canadian Horse Journal starting later this spring.

As my husband and members of my family well know, I love to tell people what to do. So this is quite the opportunity!

Muchas Gracias...

to the members of the ALA for nominating Another Kind of Cowboy as a Best Book for Young Adults!

Twitch much?

You will be alarmed and, I hope, properly sympathetic to hear that since giving up Amazon, random googling of self and celebrities with whom only a select few are familiar (i.e. Phoebe Price, who is famous for having red hair and... I'm not sure what else) that I have developed an assortment of physical ailments. Which I will now very generously share with you.

The Twitch. It is located just under my right eye. It's been with me for several days now (perhaps since the last time I checked DListed.)It is persistent enough that I have to go around with my finger pressed into my eye socket. I'm thinking of naming it. If you have any suggestions (other than Twitch) I'd be happy to hear them. If you see me out somewhere, please make a point of staring fixedly at the twitch because I love that.

The Clot. Last weekend I went over to Vancouver to talk to some terrific young writers in Burnaby. I spent many hours in the car because I refuse to get out of my car on the ferry. (See below.) Anyway, on the drive back to catch the ferry home, I developed an acute case of what I suspect was deep vein thrombosis. My leg began to hurt very deeply, which is probably why they call it "deep vein thrombosis". I tried pointing my toe, the way they recommend on long flights, but I was driving and every time I pointed my toe I had to take my foot off the gas. This caused sudden deceleration. My car is an Echo and weighs approximately 35 pounds, so I can't count on momentum to keep it going. Toe pointing also seemed to cause the car to swerve, which was frightening for me and the other 2.4 million drivers on the freeway, so I had to quit treating myself for my condition. I survived, barely, but now my deep vein thrombosis has moved into my knee. I think the clot is being held in place by my knee cap. (Any doctors out there might let me know if this seems likely.) The knee aches steadily unless I'm working out or walking quickly. Needless to say, Frank is getting a lot of extra exercise. I'm having to eat double just to cope with the condition and its side-effects. I've purchased a giant container of Ibuprofen and am popping them regularly in order to stop the clot from getting more inflamed and bursting forth and stopping my heart, which is one scenario I've thought about quite a bit.

So... is it worth it? Would I be better off going back on the Internet? No. I think in balance, having a permanent eye twitch and life threatening blood clot in my knee is preferable. I'm getting a LOT written. In those rare moments when the pain allows me to sit at my desk and the twitch eases enough for me to focus on my computer screen.

Let me end by thanking you for your caring and get well wishes.

xoxoxo