goodreads(.com)

January 30, 2008

I’m back teaching now– two classes that I absolutely love: Advanced Composition and Introduction to Creative Writing. Thus i’ve been a bit lax on posting the last few days, sorry! But i’ll get back into the swing of it by the end of the week.

Just some quick notes for now.

Joined Goodreads– so cool to see what my friends are reading (and, of course i’m feeling so lame for not reading as much last year as I should have!). fer sure.

Currently reading Three Junes by Julia Glass for our book group (the last book we read was The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz).  So far i’m enjoying Junes; i’ve still got plenty to read of it but what strikes me most is the quiet longing and hurt in the tiniest of descriptions–notably with the father (Paul) character, who, in one section of the book, taking place in 1989, is on a tour traveling through Greece shortly after the death of his wife.

You can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Three Junes here.

Oh! and I just received in the mail (after threatening Amazon with a lawsuit because my book hadn’t yet been delivered when everyone else was getting theirs…jk) Felicia Sullivan‘s memoir: The Sky Isn’t Visible From Here. I even put a mention of Felicia into my Intro to Creative writing Syllabus– I didn’t have time to incorporate her entire book into my class plan (definitely next semester!) but we’re going to read an excerpt from the book in a couple of weeks and i’m going to push push push the book to my students (not that i’ll need to; once they read her devastatingly beautiful, lyrical prose they, of course, will rush out and buy it themselves). I can’t wait to get into her book, and to find out more about this person who, though we both went to the same graduate program, at roughly the same time, I always felt we were just on the peripheries of each other’s lives. I knew of Felicia– I admired her smarts, her gusto, her adorable/chic cardigans and the fact that she could work a red lipstick like no one else in our program– but I don’t think we ever had a class together. I remember getting an email about her just-started literary journal, Small Spiral Notebook, and then I remember not seeing her for a while… though of course I had my own personal demons, my own dilemmas. In any case, i’m eager to find out more about her– especially now, years later, when we are out of the program, now blog buddies, admiring each other from afar (and there is much to admire, believe me– I don’t know how she did, er, does it all– blogging, working, writing, socializing, networking, publicity/marketing her book, connecting people, inspiring people).  I’m sure i’ll find out, though, as soon as I read her book. Definitely check it out if you haven’t yet!

(hmm, maybe I can talk our book group into reading Sky next?!).

By the way, if you’re in NYC, you MUST, I repeat MUST go see Felicia read:

Next Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7pm Barnes & Noble Chelsea (AARGGHH! I wish I could be there!)

(and yes, i’m talking to you: Aaron, Lee, David, Vestal, Miss W, The Other Rob, et al).

Felicia’s tour schedule is here.  We’re still trying to get her down to San Diego (but i’m thrilled she’ll at least be in Los Angeles–just a hop/skip/jump away from us) so we can take her to the beach and eat fish tacos (wait, I wonder if she even likes fish tacos?)
Also, SO cannot wait for the new issue of A Public Space! (issue 4 is STILL sitting next to my computer, I’m STILL loving it, reading over stories/essays and poems i’ve read three and four times already).

Been totally flaking on making new postcards for the .PostDue. exchange. Actually, I haven’t gotten any updates from them– no new exchange partners. Have I been excommunicated?  I guess I don’t need no stinkin’ exchange to make art, right?

*Fear not: I am still reading Madame Bovary– and actually see the light at the end of the tunnel, but i’m putting it on slight hold this week while finishing Three Junes.