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October 31, 2008
Big Sky Country
This is the view from the Nine Pipes Lodge in I'm-not-sure-where Montana. I was somewhere between Arlee and Ronan. Can you imagine waking up to this each day? And the folks in Arlee and Ronan were as gracious as the views are stunning.
It was easy for me to remember the elementary and high school librarians' names in Arlee: they're both Susans. I visited with two groups of kids, all of whom asked great questions. The worst thing about the visit is that the library is right next to the Home Ec classroom where they were baking something that smelled so delicious it took every ounce of restraint not to run across the hall and beg a sample.
After a quiet night at the Nine Pipes Lodge, I scraped frost off the windshield (26 degrees), found a drive-through espresso stand and made my way to Ronan Middle School. Despite good directions, I drove right past it because I was certain such a huge, gorgeous building had to be a high school. Of course all librarians are my kind of people but Janey Salomon felt like a dear friend from the first hello. She is a thoughtful, careful reader who really puzzles over which books to recommend to which students. And her excitement for reading is completely contagious. In between presentations, we got better acquainted. She's a horsewoman who is down to "only" 8 horses from 20 -- she's trying to simplify her life. Her dogs Cassie and Gus-Gus have her completely wrapped around their forelegs so she was completely taken with the Two Bobbies, making every single staff member go into her conference room to read it!
One of the highlights of the day at Ronan was lunch with about a dozen students and 3 or 4 teachers. Generally, those can be quiet affairs. Not here! I was tickled beyond words when I learned that the young man who asked me the most questions is generally not an active participant in such things. I hope I inspired a future writer!
My whirlwind Montana trip wrapped up at the Montana Festival of the Book in Missoula where I spent an hour in "conversation" with writer John Clayton. He had prepared a handful of thoughtful questions to ask about Hattie Big Sky and then turned the floor open to the 75 or so people in the crowd. That was terrific fun though I did get asked the inevitable question about a sequel. I enjoyed bumping into Susanna Sonnenberg (author of the stunning memoir, Her Last Death). We'd met in Helena a few weeks ago and had a great time challenging one another to finish our current books.
The afternoon found me at Sentinel High School where the about 250 freshmen and sophomores had all read HBS -- boy, did they have insightful questions and comments. That evening, I attended a premiere of a short film called "Dry Rain," based on a short story by Montana writer Peter Fromm. I'll close with what I think is the best advice ever about adapting a short story (or novel for that matter) to a screenplay.
Peter's wise words: "Take out everything except what's between the quotation marks."
Now, go forth and adapt!
Posted by kirby at 01:13 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2008
That's The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Sorry to bring even more bad news to your attention but I've just learned that Mother's Cookies is going out of business. That means there will be no more of my husband's favorite cookies: Frosted Circus Animals. When our daughter heard, she rushed out and bought this bag, which was the last one on the shelf at the third store she went to.
It's almost more than one can "bear." Or lion. Or elephant.
Posted by kirby at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)
October 22, 2008
Ethiopia Reads
Jane Kurtz sends her thanks to those of you who generously accepted my challenged and donated to Ethiopia Reads.
Now there's another way to help -- and it won't cost you a cent! Yohannes Gebregeorgis has been nominated as one of CNN's Top Ten Heroes of the Year. from the website: "Mr. Gebregeorgis was first recognized as a "hero" by CNN in May for his work championing children in Ethiopia. A former political refugee who worked as a librarian at San Francisco Public Library, Mr. Gebregeorgis is the co-founder of Ethiopia Reads, a non-profit organization that works to create a reading culture in Ethiopia by connecting children with books. In a country where 99% of schools have no libraries, Mr. Gebregeorgis and Ethiopia Reads are improving lives, one book at a time."
There is a lovely cash prize connected with this honor -- money that would go far to help Ethiopia's libraries.
Your good deed for the day is only a click away!
As my husband likes to say, vote early and vote often.
Posted by kirby at 06:40 PM | Comments (0)
Drop Everything and Read This!
Who: One slightly insomniac writer
What: On a trip to visit schools at Arlee, Ronan and Missoula, and to participate in the Montana Festival of the Book
Where: The Holiday Inn on Pattee Street, Missoula, Montana
When: Into the wee hours of a Tuesday night
Why: Because I could not stop reading this book!
I don't say, "This is the best book ever," very often. At least not more than once a month. This book. . .this book. . .this book: it is my new And Ladies of the Club. Only shorter. It will break your heart and then fill it to overflowing with joy and hope and faith in humankind. It will make you laugh. It will make you want to move to Guernsey and have tea with Isola, Dawsey, Juliet, Amelia and Kit.
Drop everything and read this book.
Then go to Guernsey Literary.com to read the even more amazing story behind this wholly wonderful book.
Posted by kirby at 06:27 PM | Comments (1)
October 14, 2008
Word to the Wise
I tried to think of something weighty and pithy and wise to post tonight, especially since I've let too many days go by since my last post.
But I think it's hard to beat the advice of this sign, hanging on the wall at Shangri-Lar.
So, whatever stage you are at in your work, enjoy it!
Posted by kirby at 09:06 PM | Comments (0)