Your resident list-maker has, today, a short list of follow ups from recent posts.
1. Based on Erika’s recommendation, I ordered Roseanne Cash’s memoir — COMPOSED — and can’t wait to read it. In fact, I read the first 2 chapters last night even though I’ve got about 8 books on the fire at the moment. Maybe even more than 8. Geez.
2. My book club is one week away and I still have not started Wally Lamb’s THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED. I feel so guilty. It’s 800 pages and seems, at this point, to be taunting me. “Some things never change,” it says. “No matter how much you pretend to be organized and on top of things, you’re still the girl who waits until the weekend before it’s due to write that 20 page research paper. When will you ever learn?!” Uh, never?
3. After reading Tom Grimes’s MENTOR, I sent him a short note telling him how much I enjoyed it. How surprised was I to get the nicest e-mail from him which said, in part, “thanks for taking the time to let me know what you felt after reading the book. As you know, for any writer that’s the most sought after thing — connection with someone else.”
4. Last week I recommended Vivian Gornick’s THE SITUATION AND THE STORY for nonfiction writing guidance. I ended up re-reading it and making more notes. It was exactly what I needed — thanks to Downith for bringing it back into the light.
5. I’ve got dogs on the brain. This is not unusual (ask my husband) but this month I have a dog-ish essay coming out in Redivider which I promise to hoist shamelessly upon you the minute it hits the press. On a related note, yesterday Jess tried to post a photo in ‘comments’ of her muse, Abby, and ended up e-mailing it instead. Blasted technology! But Abby’s picture reminded me so much of a photo of Lea, I had to post them side by side. Check out these gorgeous girls — a couple of wet and happy labs, at attention!
Jess's Abby
My Lea
Teri Carter's Library 
Aw, Abby girl. I feel so special…
I’m knee-deep in classic coming-of-age novels, researching and highlighting and bookmarking for my current writing project. It’s really fun – Great Expectations, Anne of Green Gables, The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird, Emma, The Member of the Wedding – great stuff.
This is a reminder that I want to re-read Anne of Green Gables and The Member of the Wedding this summer. It’s been about 35 years. It’s time.
I can’t wait to read your essay. Please post text and links copiously. You’re entitled!
So glad you got a copy of COMPOSED. I just finished it last night–so many powerful sentiments/quotes/realizations. They will surely stick close for some time.
And of course, big belly rubs for the pups.
As you know, Teri, from my “anal gland expression” post, I’m in the yellow lab club as well :). I’m thinking the house in Iowa will have lots of dog bowls of all shapes and sizes, and folded blankets on the floor for the dogs to curl up on and snooze in the sun.
Number #3: Whoa.
I loved that anal gland expression post. Just thinking about it makes me laugh — though I’m sure the pup found nothing funny, or fun, about it. Hugs to you Lizi, as always. Hope you’re having a good day. (that sounds so lame, but you know what I mean)
I know what you mean about book club. I’ve barely begun mine. I am simply not inspired.
Almost done with Mentor. He’s a wonderful writer but his story makes me sad. I half expect Conroy to severely disappoint him in the end. He has so much stock in the man that it’s bound to happen.
Thanks for the Gornick recommendation. She’s sitting in my bag, waiting for my undivided attention.
Have your read Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs? I just picked it up from a thrift store for 25 cents. A friend said it was a “must.”
I’ll spoil it for you (but not really) that he is not disappointed in Frank Conroy in the end. It’s a very interesting journey. I can’t imagine though, what Grimes’s life was like at Iowa. The other students must have been painfully jealous of his personal relationship with Frank. Though in the end I think Grimes was so busy working on his book that it didn’t matter, which also means he was there to be a ‘real’ writer, and not just there posing as one, which is good to know.
Burrough’s book is great. I suspect you’re going to really enjoy it.
I’m reading Susan Sontag’s On Photography. Again. I get stuck in a rut, and go back over and over the books I’ve already read. Would someone please tell me why I can’t move on to something NEW?
You’re asking the person who’s read (and/or listened to A THOUSAND ACRES, NIGHT, BELOVED, LIT, CROSSING TO SAFETY, etc… no less than 10 times each. No wonder I don’t get through the newbies.
I’d also rather watch movies and TV shows I’ve seen and loved, so there you go.
we had a black lab named elvis who, by the end of his life, was a severe epileptic. i’m working on an essay about him now. he was our first pet. other labs would follow, James Brown (the brown lab), and then we had a mutt, Dorothy Parker who was too wild too keep.
we’re dog-less right now, but i have a feeling that’s going to change soon. my husband’s been wanting a dog since we moved two summers ago, but i laid down the law: no new puppy until all kids have been potty-trained. my two-year old isn’t in a hurry to move out of his diapers. we’ll see.
i can’t talk about the number of books i have going right now; it’s like having to count the number of empty wine bottles in the trash.
That is so fantastic that he responded to your message.
When I read something that touches me, I always think about sending a note, and then just don’t. So true, we’re just here looking to connect with someone else.
I’ve only written 3 notes and have gotten 3 personal and thankful responses. I think it’s because I ended both notes with “No need to respond.” I’d be mortified if they thought I wanted something from them (like BL mentioned on her blog tonight).
That’s always stopped me as well, that it would seem I had an ulterior motive. Mortified. Exactly.
I used to hold back for the same reason. I’ve emailed three authors whose work I really enjoyed and each has been gracious in their response. I’ve stayed in touch with one of them and I can’t wait for her next book. And then there’s Stephen Elliott who wrote me back and I nearly fainted. A couple of well-chosen words from him made my day. Fangirl, yes.