I dedicated the novel “Rose In A Storm” to the real Rose, and we put in a photo of her to go on the dedication page. Seemed appropriate. The novel is not about her, but she surely inspired much of it. She stood by me through some lonely and difficult winters and I appreciate it.
Intimate readings are part of any writer’s life. Many times – especially before I wrote about dogs – I had intimate readings in bookstores all over the country. That is, two or three people came if I was lucky. You never know when you go to a reading if you will have an SRO crowd or be talking to the bookstore staff. And poets can have it worse than anybody.
When it happens, you just imagine there are 100 people there and do your thing.
Mary had an intimate reading last night in Glens Falls as she read from her new book of poetry “Whistling Woman.” I read from my forthcoming novel “Rose In A Storm.” We took Mary out for Thai food to celebrate her 80th birthday. We had the sweetest time with a small group of people in this lovely bookstore in an upstate New York town on a cold and windy winter night. We had great fun. Mary and I talked about her poems, and my photos and my novel.
Sometimes, those kinds of readings are the most special and memorable.
Off to the Red Fox Bookstore to read from “Rose In A Storm” and to accompany Mary Kellogg as she reads from “Whistling Woman.” 7 p.m. Always wonderful to be with Mary. Maria and I are stuffing her with Thai food before the reading. Photos to come.
You hear a lot of things about love and its prospects. Some relate to age, gender and the fickle nature of human beings. After many years of being unlucky in love, I got lucky. Or did I? Did I open the door? Let it in?
Is it true that it is so much more difficult for women than men to find love? Or to keep love after first blush? I do not live by statistics, as I know too many people – men, women, of all ages – who make their own news, create their own statistics. I think you need to be brave to find love. You need to let someone get close. You need to open yourself up. You need to ask every single morning, “what can I do to love this person? To show her that she is important to me? To think of her and give her something that she needs?”
It was hard for me to find love. I was terrified. I knew I had to try and be brave.
This doorknob has been on the carriage barn for over a hundred and fifty years.
The first galleys of my new novel “Rose In A Storm” arrived today and it was very exciting to get them and browse through. Can’t say what it meant. Maria was the first person to tell me I could do this and I got so much help and support. Wow.
The book is dedicated to the “Real Rose” and there is a photograph of her on the dedication page. I have a surprise planned for tonight. I’m going to Mary Kellogg’s reading of “Whistling Woman” tonight at the Red Fox Bookstore in Glens Falls, N.Y. (7 p.m. 518 793 5352) and I’m going to bring the galleys and read a bit from “Rose In A Storm.” The world premiere, at one of my favorite places with some of my favorite places. Just between us. (This is an anauthorized appearance and will be denied by all tomorrow.)
