Dirty Laundry

Heat Waves, Richard Russo, and Wonderful Librarians

Just back from another sunset bike ride.  If you’ve never done it, I highly recommend it.  Watching the light seep from the sky, the sun staining the clouds pink and orange.  Gotta love it.

It’s very hot here on the West Coast of Canada.  Hotter than I think it’s ever been in the eight years I lived here.  It’s San Fernando Valley hot.  Which is the kind of thick, drag you down, smack you across the face, feels-like-your-wearing-wet-wool, sweat-running-down-the-back-of-your-T-shirt kind of heat that I simply don’t miss anymore.  Apparently, though, its come for a visit.  All the fans and air conditioning units in all the hardware stores are gone.  Everyone’s swimming in the ocean and though I live near the ocean there doesn’t seem to be that friendly sea breeze everyone’s always talking about.  Well, not everyone.  And not always.  If that’s what everyone was always talking about I think you’d get pretty sick and tired of hearing about sea breezes.  Especially when there doesn’t seem to be one.  What was I talking about again?

Anyway, so I’m 3/4 of the way through the new Richard Russo book.  For those of you who do not know, Richard Russo is my all-time-favorite author (of all time).  Yup, he’s that good.  I love the characters he creates, their backstories, how real they seem.  How familiar.  And although he breaks the cardinal rule of writing (show don’t tell) all the time, I still love him.  He can get away with it.  Because what he’s telling you is so damn interesting.  So, as I was saying, I’m 3/4 of the way through his new book “That Old Cape Magic” which I got as a signed galley at Book Expo this year (one of the highlights, though there were many).  The book is fantastic.  I am always wary when I start one of his books because I worry that it won’t live up to his previous efforts.  But this one does (at least so far).  I’m planning on finishing it later tonight.  I highly recommend you buy it when it’s released (some time in August).  It’s shorter than his previous books which I like because he usually takes five or six years to release a new book and this one, which is maybe 1/3 the size of his other books came out only two years after “Bridge of Sighs” (also excellent).  You can do the math.  1/3 the size, 1/3 the amount of time between books.

Also, I want to thank everyone who has written to me about Swim the Fly.  I just got another email from a librarian today and it made my day (it did, honest).  I have been hearing a lot from librarians about the book.  Many, many of them have been championing it, which I am incredibly appreciative for.  I met so many wonderful librarians at Book Expo.  They truly are the keepers of the light.  So passionate about books.  I am ever grateful for all their support and for everyone who supports libraries around the world.  They are vital to the community.  I know mine was to me (The Hicksville Public Library).  I have wonderful memories of scouring the shelves for my favorite authors as a child.  The enveloping smell of all those loved books.  I specifically remember how excited I was when I found a copies of “Harry Cat’s Pet Puppy” and “Tucker’s Countryside,” two sequels to one of my favorite books “The Cricket in Times Square” (by George Selden, not Richard Russo). 

Anyway, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your emails.  Don’t ever hesitate to write.

And now, I’m off to finish “That Old Cape Magic.”

Posted by Don Calame on 7.30.09 at 08:53 pm in Prattlings. (0) Comments