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Under Orders
I just finished reading Dick Francis’s book Under Orders. I’ve been a Dick Francis reader for years. I loved Banker and Bolt, and have read many of his other works. He’s very prolific. A writer friend of mine, Eileen Dreyer (go to www.eileendreyer.com), and I were discussing Dick Francis’s writing a while back. Her comment was that Dick Francis can lay…
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Blogging
My agent has a great blog on well, blogs. http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/ While I’m not able to blog every day, having a blog has been a fun experience. Because of this blog, I’ve been able to reconnect with one of my former eighth grade students, and that has been a great experience! I always love hearing from former…
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The Camel Club
I just finished David Baldacci’s The Camel Club. It’s the story of Oliver Stone (a former CIA agent turned squatter) who heads a group of conspiracy theorists. I had to admit, at one point in the book it was like being on the beginning of a roller coaster going click, click, click. You know that moment when…
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Tis the season for sales
My friend Julie called me today to tell me that Wal-mart in Union, MO, only had two of my books left on the shelves–meaning I’d sold eight out of 10 in a store I usually only sell half. I was thrilled. Every time a book gets into the stores I worry about it. The books…
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The Hollow Men
One of the most influential pieces of literature on my philosophy is T. S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men.” I taught this in class the other day and hope that my students get it. Even though I read (and explained) the poem three times in one day, the ending still gave me chills. (This is the…
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No day like a snow day
I’ve been off work for the past two days. The first day my school dismissed early and the second one the district I work for called off the night before. I love snow days. Thursday I took mulitple naps and worked on feeling better. By the evening I walked one hour on my treadmill–the first…
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Almost there
I’m looking forward to the end of November. I’m holding out hope that as December enters, these past two months will fade into a distant and not-too-pleasant memory. Frankly, I’m hoping that the string of bad luck fades as well. Not all has been horrible. My trip to Nashville with my journalism students was awesome….
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No need for creative excuses
I’m sick. One of those lingering colds that lasts about a week–so I’m midway through. I can’t breath right, I cough a lot, and my head pounds. My final proofs for my April book are here and have to be read and to my editor on Monday. I ache too much to even think about…
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Oh Soot!
This has been the month from…well, I don’t need to say it. It has to do with fire, which unfortunately, I had just yesterday. Last Friday my harddrive crashed and burned. This Thursday, my daughter lit a fire in the fireplace. The damper was closed, and when smoke began to fill the house she panicked…
