Imaginary Friends, kids, and escapism

Do you know kids who have imaginary friends? Did you have them? Ever wonder what kept you involved with the friends whom no one but you could see?

I wondered, and here's my take on it in Psychology Today's "Geek Pride" blog, in conjunction with the insightful Ethan Gilsdorf.

Ethan's book, "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks" has just been tapped on Barnes & Noble's recommended gifts list! (He's an actual friend, not an imaginary one.)

I was never a gamer, but apparently, with a childhood populated by imaginary friends, I have Geek Pride.

Thankful for readers and writers

I'm thankful for readers, for writers, for friends, for my family, for a whole day to read an entire novel (Dara Horn's "All Other Nights.")

And you? What are you thankful for?

Athens, (GA) you're getting a rockin' new bookstore!

Athens, watch out for the Avid Bookshop, coming your way in 2010. In the meantime, the Avid
Bookseller's been busy over here in Atlanta.

Surrounded by Notebooks - What's Your Method?

I just changed purses and realized I needed a different notebook in the current bag. (Size issues.) I carry notebooks everywhere. In fact, I buy them all the time, but I'm very specific about paper weight, binding, unlined sheets...

What's your writing on the go habit? Notebooks? What kinds? PDAs? Do you download when you get home? Sticky notes? A tape recorder?

The only time you'll see my name and "superstar" in the same article

Aw, thanks Jamie Gumbrecht at the AJC. Here's a really nice article about the upcoming A Cappella books 20th anniversary celebration, and the "superstar" authors who are reading from their favorite (not their own!) works!

Reading Tips from a Writer

In which I get to flog "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men," because it is truly, truly, an amazing book.

Here's an interview that's up this week at Working Writers and Bloggers !

Guest blogging over at My Machberet today!

Come with me to My Machberet today.

This blog is one of several by Erika Dreifus, who's got her finger on the pulse of writers' goings on. If you haven't subscribed to her Practicing Writer e-newsletter - and you're a practicing writer - I'll give you a five minute break to go do that now, class!

Don't even mess with me!

I'm telling you, I am a lean, mean workin' machine. (Okay, lately not so lean.) What with teaching, writing new work, doing freelance writing - which I love - and getting the word out some more about Invisible Sisters, I am not a thing with feathers. Oh, wait, that's hope. I am hopeful. I am also a thing with fangs.

Fourth Quarter

I made the first notation in my 2010 appointment book today.

Kind of a bridge to the future there, huh?

I'm feeling superstitious or ungrounded or flakey today, so I asked my (vintage!) Magic 8 ball a question and it said "Yes, Definitely."

How about we let me pretend that it's really right?

Thanks!

Since we're talking about recommendations...

... Since we're talking about recommendations, the whole discussion abut PW's top ten list being composed entirely of male authors has gone somewhat viral, and has generated this counter-list action by the website SheWrites.com.

While I'm no fan of gender separation (am I an author? A woman author? An author who writes material more of interest to women? My book is about - mostly - women?) sometimes the "anything s/he can do, I can do better" response does need to be brought up, simply to balance the scales of people's awareness.

Check out what's going on over at SheWrites.

And since we're talking about women writers, let's talk about Atlanta's oldest feminist bookstore, Charis Books and More (happy 35th Charis!!) where Sandi Wisenberg, "The Adventures of Cancer Bitch" ) and I will be reading and talking about "the other side of cancer" Saturday night at 6:30.

Recommendation

I was asked to recommend a book. Not mine, some other book. To be mentioned in a piece about what writers read.

Oh my g-d. One book?

Excuse me while I fret about which book and why. The answer can't be "all of them."





(picture of glowing brain via Adweek.)

Angel neighbor

A big kiss (or a bottle of red wine, actually) to R., my amazing neighbor who's recommended Invisible Sisters to friends, and somehow managed to agree to host a book group he's not even IN, at his HOUSE, which is across the street from MINE, so it would be easier for me to meet the group.

Book angel wings - and wine - to you and your partner S.

I swear, it's all about the word of mouth.

Twenty Authors! Twenty, plus double the intellect!

You want authors? You got 'em. You want authors talking about books that matter to them? You got 'em.

First weekend of December. A Cappella Books, Little Five Points, Atlanta.

No homework required.

How I know I'm almost home

When I see this out of the right side of the car. I'm about two hours out of Atlanta, and will be home before I know it.

Thanks, E., for the ride home from Charlotte. Thanks, Queens University of Charlotte alumni and friends for a full house reading on Thursday. Thanks 200 + people in the auditorium in St. Louis the day before!

So happy to workshop an essay this weekend with the most excellent, appearing in the role of guest faculty, Rob Spillman of Tin House magazine (go to their workshop in Oregon, y'all!) and the Queens grads weekend!

Currently reading

Currently reading "Syncopated, " which is advertised as non-fiction "picto-essays." Whatever you want to call it (mini graphic novel essays?") this is really terrific.

Reading this when I'm not doing elbow deep surgical edits on my ms.