To be "good" or to "drink a lot and get into trouble" -- that is the question
December 17, 2009
Christmas is almost here. Have you been good this year? I hope so. Funny how the term “being good” changes as we grow older. I don’t know if I’ve been good. With a new book out there in the world, I haven’t really had time to be bad. Things have been very, very good. The Trofimuk entourage travelled this fall – Toronto, Calgary twice, Banff, and Vancouver twice. Once arrived, we were kept very busy promoting Waiting for Columbus. And now, or very soon, Columbus is coming out in the UK, which we are thrilled about. So, bad or good, I’ve been getting presents all year. Here’s the thing: The e-mails from readers have been an unexpected bonus. When a reader takes the time to find me and write an e-mail about the book, whether they like it or have a problem with it, it’s pretty gratifying. I love hearing from readers! Listen, if you want to become a better writer, do not hang out with other writers (you’ll just drink a lot and get in trouble); rather, hang out with readers. Rilke said something about no work of art being complete until it is delivered to an audience – well, for a writer, I think, the circle is complete when we communicate with a reader – when we know that something of our intent, our vision, or story, was communicated.
You can read me expounding about writing (including this bit about the value of going to book clubs and listening) in a brand new interview at Evadne Macedo On Writing. Evadne is a fine interviewer. I loved working on her questions.
Also, there’s a story/review of Columbus just out in
Fast Forward Weekly, an arts mag out of Calgary.
And, first out of the gate in the UK, a glowing review of Columbus on line at TheBookBag.co.uk. (Check out the new swanky UK cover!!!)
Finally, there’s a nod to the brilliant Grover Gardner reading of Columbus on the Audiobook, and a pretty brilliant review as well, at The Brown Book Project — November 9th, 2009.
That’s all I have. We’ll talk before Christmas. Be good. Oh, and by the way…Tiger Woods…Yup. July 5th, 1969…I slept with him too!!!