Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Book Notes

I don’t know why, but for some reason it’s comforting to know that even agents and publishers have no idea what’s going to be a big hit. A few years ago, I met my UK publisher and he told me a little story of how he read manuscript and was unsure about it, so he gave it to his daughter to read. She loved it so much he decided to take a chance on it. And the rest, they say, is history.

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A whole lotta drama has erupted over at Tess Gerritsen’s blog. I respect her honesty and I’m sorry she feels compelled to shut it down.


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If you haven’t checked out Kanye West’s blog, you owe yourself a look. Every day he features the latest in art and design. Here’s THE FUTURE OF BOOKS.


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This is one heck of an ethical dilemma. If it were up to me, I’d honor the author’s wishes; on the other hand, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.


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BYOB

A One Act Play

Setting: Home Depot. Last Sunday.

Cashier: Would you like a bag?

Me (looking at my tiny package of L-brackets): No, thanks. I hate bags.

Cashier (indignant): They can be handy.

Me: I have about 300 at home I don’t know what to do with. I like to bring my own bags when I can.

Cashier (somewhat scornfully): When you get too many, just throw them away.

Me (silently): ARGHHH!!!

Curtain Falls.

This being Earth Day and all, take a minute to consider that giant wad of plastic shopping bags stuffed under your sink or taking up space in your closet. Sure, recycling is a great option, but not having those bags in the first place is even better. I've bought several folding tote bags that fit neatly in my glove box, and even though I only remember to bring them into the store about half the time, I still can’t believe how much it’s reduced my pile of bags. If you don’t do this already, I urge you to give it a try.

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Speaking of plays, in the next week or so I’ll be posting an interview with playwright/author Judy Sheehan. Stay tuned!

2 comments:

R.J. Keller said...

A fellow Mainer here. I love your blog, and The Greatest Man in Cedar Hole. I live in a VERY small town, and your characters ring absolutely true.

I SO agree with you about Tess Gerritsen! It's such a shame that a small group of people--who obviously weren't smart enough to detect the obvious humor in her post, nor open enough to allow a dissenting view--have this much power.

Stephanie Doyon said...

Thanks so much for your kind words, R.J.!

The Tess Gerritsen situation is disheartening. Would people be this rude to her in person, without the buffer of the Internet to protect them? What's more, why are they so angry at her in the first place? If people channeled this hostile energy toward issues that truly deserved outrage, we could solve some real problems in this world.