Just a few odds and ends before I disappear like the rest of the blogosphere for the holiday excitement. I'm off to Portland to see family on the 26th, but I'll get online down there I'm sure so I should be back here Monday morning.
A trip to Portland = Powells! YEA!
Shamelessly stolen link from Gwenda - Jenny Davidson has a very interesting list of 50 things to do before you die. This sort of thing can be very uneven but Jenny's is fascinating, both in what she chose and why (and the follow-up comments updating the list are cool as well.)
My pal Bruce over at Chin Music Press had some interesting comments in his blog today about the publishing industry and how hard it is to bring something new and original to the table. He's dead on about the high rate of returns - I worked for an independent bookstore for 2 years and we struggled mightily not to overstock anything (Harry Potter excluded) to avoid returns - but we still sent a ton of books back every year. It made me sick. I'm very hopeful that Chin Music will manage to carve out a solid little niche and that readers will discover them and support them for the great books they publish.
Which brings me to Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans. My essay is in the book because I love the music that has come from that city and southern Louisiana. It's in there because Fats Domino sings and I think of my Mom and Louis Armstrong sings and I think of my Daddy (and I miss him all over again). It's in there because I was thrilled - absolutely thrilled - to have the chance to write about the city and the music and the piece of my heart that is so mournful over Katrina. It's in there because I worked my ass off to write it well. Take a look at the site and support us. The book is good.
Finally, be sure to visit the Cafe over the weekend - it's constantly updated and full of all the news and thoughts and wisdom to be found in the lit blog world. I'm having big fun over there, you should too!
