I stopped off at a shop yesterday morning, on the drive back, and had a very surreal moment. My book was there on one of the shelves and just as I walked past, a woman came along, took it down from the shelf and after reading the back cover went off to buy it. I couldn't believe it. What are the chances of that happening? Not only of actually having a book up there in the first place, but actually standing there as someone takes it down and goes off to buy it. For a moment I was stunned. I immediately picked up another book and pretended to be reading, but when she turned out of sight I actually walked off after her. It was Monday morning and there was hardly anyone about and I found myself wanting to whisper 'thank you for buying my book,' or just to tell her that it was my book she had in her hands, wanting to say something, anything... Because what are the chances of seeing that again. Of course I didn't. But it was a very strange moment.

I haven't written here for a while. I've been trying to let things settle and to think forwards, rather than backwards all the time. Obviously I had to do that while I was writing the book, think backwards — wade through all that past, all that heavy sludge of childhood emotion. I felt like a spring recoiling on itself. But once the book was finished it was time to try to go forward again. It's what we all have to do, but that's exactly what I hadn't been doing for so long. I'd gotten stuck. So these past few weeks I've tried to think forwards, and put all the past behind me. But the paperback is out tomorrow, so for a while I can see that will be difficult to do.

December probably isn't the time for it, but I'm looking around for another job at the moment. This job was only ever meant to be a stepping stone - a way back into things — temporary cover that I knew would come to an end, but I feel quite anxious now that it is - anxious about what the next step will be. Not sure which way to turn again. Not sure I'm tough-headed or tough-hearted enough to go back to a career in law full-time, even if that was possible, but not sure what else I can do. It's hard knowing what you're cut out for.

My plan for today was to go for a long walk somewhere, preferably through woods, kicking up piles of dry leaves as I went. But I woke up today to rain — heavy, noisy rain gunning down for most of the morning. So instead I stayed inside reading the Fly Truffler, a beautiful, unusual love story that'll be a long time getting out of my head. I'm typing here to delay reading the last pages.

Booking Through Thursday

What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of? You know, not Little Women or Huckleberry Finn, not the latest best-seller . . . whether they’ve read them or not, everybody “knows” those books. I’m talking about the best book that, when you tell people that you love it, they go, “Huh? Never heard of it?”

From the emails we are receiving, there is no point in the proposed contract more controversial than the provision on ad-supported streaming. The two emails below were originally submitted to us unsolicited, but we have posted them together because they form such a useful point/counterpoint argument on this issue. See you in the comments! -JA

ONLINE STREAMING TERMS: PROStatement by Christopher

It is a month to the day since I last updated this blog — and since I have had several emails asking me why, and if I am okay — I just thought I'd sign in, to let everyone know that things are fine. Well...ish. Because the writing is tough going — as I should have known it would be — but hopefully I am tougher; and this won't last forever.

I am looking forward to getting fit afterwards, and to doing some serious hill walking. Though right now I feel like bundling myself up and rolling down a few, the way I did once as a little girl, and a few times since, pushing myself from the top, and just rolling rolling rolling all the way down, until I was like a wristwatch, shaken back into life.

And talking of wristwatches...must go — will report back soon.

Sounds of weather like this will probably always remind me of certain nights in the car — driving rain and stormy, wintry winds battering around outside that sound like wet laundry flapping about on washing lines across the sky. One time in the car in particular has come to mind in the last few days. I’m not sure why but it’s always the same one: one evening walking back to the car in the dark to drive to the laneway for the night, cold and wet and absolutely dreading another night of being out in it.

We may be running short of oil, water, top soil and seafood, but the supply of dupes and dolts is infinite. It seems the Creation Museum needs to expand because the current facilities can't handle the crowds.

Meanwhile, back when Sonny Perdue scheduled his prayer meeting for today, the long range forecast called for rain in Atlanta tomorrow -- the only day in the forecast with rain penciled in. Just a coincidence of course. Alas, the forecast has been changed, the rain is missing them to the north, so it appears the prayers had the opposite of the intended effect.

I'm sure many of you out there have a similar problem that I have. You get those stupid scam emails from "Africa" that are entitled "Beloved Friend," "Yours in Christ," and "Urgent Attention" are from "people" named John Alison or Daniel Vincent, or some woman called "Sister." (I doubt she's really a nun.) They give you some kind of sob story about how their father or husband was murdered by some repressive regime and they have money stored away in some bank and if you help them by sending them some of your own hard-earned cash you can make far more with them.

Do people out there REALLY fall for this crap?

We had a great response from members of the community who want to be a part of the United Hollywood / Strike Swag T-shirt photo shoot tomorrow. The response was so great that the schedule is full. As a result, we will not be able to shoot anyone without a confirmed time. But we will announce a new shoot date later this week.

Stars: ****

I received this book for review from Annick Press.

Summary: When Gus’s mom asks what he did at school today, he gives his usual reply: “Nothing.” But his soaking shoes and socks indicate otherwise. Mom pushes for details, so Gus begins a remarkable tale of a school gone wet.

This is a really cute story. Gus tells a whopper of a story as to why he's wet when he comes home. Very creative storytelling. After reading this with your child, you could have them come up with stories explaining how something happened and have them be as creative and wild as possible. You could always write it down for them.

I could see the author making more books like this with just a different explanation for something simple. *hint hint*

Taking a well deserved break from drafting some brilliant business proposals for the coming year, I found this perfectly timed bit of advice in what may be Seth Godin's final post of 2007 (no worries, he'll be back in 2008). Read it slowly so it has time to set in:

I am sitting here trying to catch up with emails. Lots of them in the last few days are from readers in Asia.. I had no idea my story would end up in an article over there and be read by a 16-year old student in Singapore or a man in Pakistan...how bizarre is that! But over the last few days emails have been coming in, not just from people here but from people who have read the article or read my book all those thousands of miles away telling me how, although they might have very different lives, they have been able to relate to my story in some way.

I have spent the last hour dipping in and out of some of their blogs, reading about their lives and cultures, being reminded that people are essentially the same wherever they come from, the same fears the same dreams.

A quick reminder that the Councilmembers are meeting in committee tomorrow -- send your emails today to tell them you support the WGA, and want the conglomerates to come back to the table and negotiate in good faith.

Go to the post for cut and paste emails and addresses to send them: http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/12/call-to-action-email-los-angeles-city.html

And come with us to the meeting tomorrow morning --
7:30 am at Los Angeles City Hall Main Chambers (3rd Floor).
200 N. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Wear your strike t-shirts or red shirts -- come help us pack the room!

The fallout from the Roger Clemens steroid scandal has now been felt in another area: memorabilia.

I read in today's New York Post that the market for Clemens stuff has literally fallen through the floor. The Post reported that an autographed Clemens jersey from his Red Sox days (pictured) had a suggested asking price on eBay of $160.27, and it sold for the meager price of $18.75. A mint condition Clemens rookie card from 1984 had an asking price of $75, sold for just $3.99.

So, if you're holding on to any Clemens memorabilia, you'll be taking a serious bath if you try to move it now.

David Kohler, a memorabilia expert, was asked what could bring the Clemens stuff back to its former value. He had a very interesting reply.

"His death."

Ouch.

Khaled Hosseini
372 pages
Library Book

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book. I just read "The Kite Runner" a few months ago and I thought that it was an incredible book. Wonderful as engaging fiction, yet with an amazing amount of information packed in there also.

To be honest, I was a little skeptical that I would like this book as well as I liked "The Kite Runner" since the second book by an author, oftentimes, doesn't stand up to the hype generated by the first.

I'm going to be late getting back to commenters and blogging in general. 4 words: whiny kid, ear infection.

Booking Through Thursday

I had a post ready for today, but I liked this suggestion from Chris even better, so … thanks, Chris!

Here’s something for Valentine’s Day.

Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Hey, that's me! Thanks Deb for using my question.

...and it looks like it shares my reluctance to go back to the laneway. Today — now that I've had time and distance from it — for the first time since I left, I had decided to drive back there. Not to sleep! Just to park up under the trees and to sit in the car and think for a while. It's a bit of a trek back there these days, particularly in this heat, but this morning I was determined to go, was even looking forward to it in a way, and drove off at about nine. But driving down the highstreet (still only a mile or so from home) I stalled, and when I turned the key in the ignition and desperately tried to start it nothing happened. I panicked because I didn't even have my mobile on me, but even if I had I wasn't sure what I could have done. Luckily, some workmen who were repairing the road further up had seen and came to push it over to the kerb for me. One told me to open the bonnet, that he'd take a quick look.

“Don't look at me with that tone of voice it smells a funny colour” I learned this phrase today from my officemate who has a bizarre wealth of knowledge. Sadly, she is moving to Indiana at the end of the month. We were lamenting this morning over House M.D. being preempted for baseball last night. So instead of watching tv I was able to finish The Color Purple and start on “The Year of Magical Thinking”. The new book seems pretty good. It is all about dealing with grief and how it can sometimes cause us to have irrational thought patterns like not wanting to give dead loved one’s clothes away because they will need them when they come back. I’ll let you know how the rest of it goes.

WGA WRITERS THANK OUR COMMUNITY
FREE EVENT AT SHERMAN OAKS CASTLE PARK
FOR ANYONE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE
As the WGA strike moves into a second month, we, a group of writers, want to recognize the members of our community who are out of work or otherwise impacted. While we support our union’s actions, we feel badly that the strike is taking a toll on so many people who are not writers. We know that many in the industry have been going through a tough time…and at this point we probably could all use a dose of levity.

To that end, if you are not a writer and are out of work because of the strike, we invite you and your kids to a free afternoon of mini-golf and arcade games at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park. We will provide pizza, ice cream and lots of fun.

The Details:
WGA writers thank our community
December 11, 2007
4pm-7pm

It has been 104 years today since Orville and Wilbur Wright's famous flyer got off the ground for what is now known as the first flight. From a short hop into the North Carolina sky to a landing on the moon spanned only 65 years, a fact which seems amazing as we look back on the history of our time in the air.

Here are three books which pass on the wonder of that first moment of manned flight.

Just for the record, let me say that I was wrong...writing books is not as easy as I thought. Obvioulsy I didn't think it would be a walk in the park, but after all that time in the car, living how I was living — on the outside of everything, depressed, isolated, without focus or purpose, no job or project to throw myself into — I thought everything would be easy after that, that nothing could phase me and nothing could beat me — which hopefully is true, now I have fought my way back - and I thought that since I love writing, that that would be a joy to do for the next six months.

And occassionally it was. The times when I forgot that I was writing about me and just sank into it, but writing your own story is hard. And writing books generally takes everything you've got. Not nice...Feel wrecked. But at least it's over now. Now I can start rebuilding...

Today was surreal. I found myself in Waterstones looking for a book. Not mine…what I wanted was some comfort-reading to get me through the next few days so that I didn't have to think of mine for a while, — something like the one I've just finished, The Summer Book by Tove Jannson, something timeless and ageless, some other world I could just sink into for a while.

Title: Collected Stories
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
ISBN: 0-14-015756-5
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd/1996
Pages: 292
rating: 2.5/5

Coming to me via Jacket Copy: books, books, and more books! First, there's Flickr's Bookshelf Project, wherein people publish photos of...you guessed it, bookshelves. Flickr also gives us Book Piles, which is not as interesting but still noteworthy. The best of them all, however, is this amazing staircase, which helps a cramped apartment display its books. WANT. WANT. WANT.

In other news, an online book program has recently been launched; the first episode features books by Charles Bock, Susan Choi, Colin Harrison, and Richard Price. View it here.

Like weird things? Click here to read some of the oddest book titles of the year. I'm partial to If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs. Nice!

For Christmas week, Martel suggested three picture books to our Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his reading list. He suggests that these books may be shared among families.