Thundersnow, A Heart Blog Tour, A Blogger Panel, and...Romance?

Last night, following a dizzying 11,000-word client project day interrupted only by an hour more of shoveling and my perfect virtual walk with Katrina Kenison, I sat staring, comatose, at the 10 PM newscast on TV. The guy was using terms like "possibly 20 inches of more snow" and "thundersnow." I decided, being a writer of fiction and all, to pretend it just isn't happening.

Here, though, is what is happening instead, thanks to some very wonderful people out in the blogosphere:

Drea and Sara over at Traveling Arc Tours are hosting a tour of The Heart is Not a Size. Any of you who might wish to read an early copy can check the terms and rules out here.

Meanwhile, My Friend Amy has written to share the exciting news that I'll be sharing a panel with her and a few other fabulous book bloggers at the May convention. Go here for details on that.

In March, I'll be the author mentor of the mega-cool International Book Bloggers program, created by none other than Lenore (whom I believe I'm going to meet at the convention in May!). Find out more about the program by clicking here.

Finally, those of you who have glanced to the left of this post lately know that Heart is part of the HarperTeen 28 Days of Winter Escapes book-a-day giveaway. Heart will be featured on February 25th with, among other things, an interview focused in part on my idea of romance. Romance. That's right. I was asked about romance. More information can be found here.

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In Thanks

Thank you, Miss Em, for naming House of Dance one of your top ten reads of the year. I know how much you read. I know how graced that recommendation feels.

Mari, thank you for naming House of Dance as one of your favorite books of the year. I am in such tremendous company in your list. I'm ... astonished!

To Becca, who writes one of the smartest book blogs in cyberspace—her idea of a review being my idea of a review, her tastes often mirroring mine—thank you for giving me a set of butterfly wings in your latest post. To Lilly for so sweetly acknowledging me in her own blog, and for entering this community so gracefully. To Tapestry100, for being such a kind supporter of Into the Tangle of Friendship, and for naming it one of his favorite books of the year.

To Sherry, who not only raised the remarkable Miss Erin we all love, but who also leaves exquisite comments on this blog—thoughtful comments.

And thank you, Lenore, for your rocking yesterday honor. You are your own tour de force in this wide web world. I'm honored to count you as a friend.

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Thanking my Lucky Stars

Clearly, I've already said much too much today.

Except there's this: I have two extraordinary women and bloggers to thank for noticing the work that I seek to do here, the stories I try to tell with images and words.

First, might I thank Barbara, whose beautiful, thought-provoking blog was the subject of last Sunday's New York Times article on "slow blogging." I was moved by Barbara's comments in the story, logged onto her blog, discovered the value of her mind, and said something. She took the time to visit me here, and to mention my work on her site. I thank her.

Then, last night or this morning (I didn't sleep; this day has blurred), I discovered somehow (I really don't know how) that a clearly generous, quite popular, and talented blogger soul named Amy had mentioned my blog on her site.

Well, what can you do, when the heavens open up and sweetness rains down?

One thanks one's lucky stars. And the stars themselves.

Speaking of stars—this photo montage was created by my artist husband/business partner years ago, when I was working on a novel that takes place in southern Spain. Something Lenore posted a while ago has me thinking about that novel again. I have something I'd like to write into it. And I just might.

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Gifts of the Blog

It is so often the case that the responses I get to the blogs I post are far more interesting than the blogs themselves; I count myself lucky to be out here, in this generous community.

PoetJane asked if i might describe the machinations that go into a Beth meal (or something like that), I'll put it this way: I somehow have grown into this person who believes (fears?) that every meal she serves is a reflection of her inner self, her value, might I say, worth? I know it's wrong, but I can't help it, so, come 5 or so most evenings, I push back from this desk and head to the local Whole Foods or its equivalent on foot, my reusable plastic bag upon my shoulder. I walk up and down the aisles, gnawing through the possibilities (never enough possibilities) in my head. I seek wholesome, aspire to memorable. I'm a fan of fresh herbs, of organic chicken, of delicate lamb, of plump bread, of bright cheese, of overfat cookies. I walk home, my shoulder aching, my posture askew, the smell of Italian parsley wafting up toward the sky.

Once home, I unshelter each ingredient and buy, give it its space upon my less-than-spacious counter. I begin. On the nights when things don't go quite according to plan, you will hear me apologizing to the gods of gourmet. You'll hear my husband ask, Why don't we just get pizza?

There are two glasses of wine, one for each of us. Usually that's it. A single glass each, because it's healthy—so I've been told, so I wish to believe—and because it says that the night is near, another day is to be honored.

With that confession now rendered, let me celebrate Lenore, who so kindly posted a blog—the very first outside my own!—on Nothing but Ghosts. Let me celebrate S. Krishna who spoke honestly about House of Dance, which didn't quite work for her in those crucial opening pages. Honesty is an essential component of courage, and I've always liked courageous people.

Let me finally say thank you to paperxxflowers (I love that blog name, so I'll use it) for posting an interview she conducted with me a few weeks ago.

Finally, in case you are wondering about the eggplant pictured here—that's Aideen (one of my key characters from House of Dance) sharing a ripe Linvilla Orchard find with my husband.

http://paperxxflowers.blogspot.com/2008/10/authors-in-corner-mini-view-with-beth.html

http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2008/10/waiting-on-wednesday-3-nothing-but.html

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