What's in a Name?

So, I had a Spoken Interludes the other night, and it was a great, fun night. On the morning of the show, I found out that Elizabeth Strout was sick, so had to cancel :( . So, I was trying to think of a writer that I could call who could jump in at the last minute and read, then suddenly I remembered that I'm a writer, and could read, so I grabbed my new book, The Safety of Secrets, that I just got from HarperCollins a few days before and took it with me to read from.
It is fun to hold the real thing in my hands. I love the cover, and the back is this really beautiful pink and green, but not preppy looking, just very beautiful. I'll get a picture of the back and put it up here. So anyway. I read first. I figured it was only polite of me to take the hardest spot. it was the first time I have read from the new book for a live crowd, so that was great fun.
Then Charles Bock read from Beautiful Children which was amazing, and hearing him read from it is every bit, if not more, wonderful than reading his words. When he finished, he did a literary trivia quiz and the prizes were two completely fab posters for his book that comic artists did for him. check one out here:
Isn't it great? The question for that one was: What book won the National Book Award in 1997? Hint, it was made into a film.
and the other question was which writer was in the movie "Drugstore Cowboy"?
That was such a fun part of the night that I am considering doing a literary jeopardy before the readings.what do y'all think??

then Jeff Gordinier read from his new book,
X Saves the World and read a section about hearing Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit which afterwards I turned to my husband and was like, okay, which song was that one? Because I love Nirvana, but never really knew what any of the songs were called. I was totally shocked when he hummed it for me. anyway. maybe I'm a bad gen X-er.
And last but very not least, AJ Jacobs took the stage, and that is the only way to describe it. Okay, this guy is hysterical. If you haven't read The Year of Living Biblically yet, get it!!
We were all double over laughing so hard. he read the section about when he has to stone an adulterer, and it is just beyond hilarious.
Okay, so quick back story, in the section that I read from my book, Fiona, the main character, is talking about her best friend's new boyfriend, Zane, who she doesn't really like, and she has this little inner monologue about him. "Zane. Whenever I hear the name of Patricia’s boyfriend of six months, I imagine some woman in a lonely rural town stuck with dusty old videos of “Shane” and “Zorro” to get her through her pregnancy, then in the delirium of her labor, naming her child Zane in deference to them. In reality, he was probably named Jim." So after AJ reads and he's talking about the year that he wrote his book, and during that year, he and his wife followed the biblical law of being fruitful and multiplying, and he say, "oh and by the way, one of my twin sons' name is Zane." So we were all laughing about that, though I did feel bad since I had just bashed it from the podium, not that he cared, and he reassured me of that in an email the next day, after I wrote him that I really did actually like the name, but how odd a coincidence is that?especially since I wasn't even supposed to read that night. and then I realized later, that another character in the book has the same name as one of Jeff's kids(and it is not a terribly common name) which didn't hit me until then. so now I'm wondering that if Charles has kids (or when if he doesn't) if one of them is destined for one of those names, too. anyway.
xo
oh, the answer to the first is Cold Mountain and the second is William Burroughs.

High School & Zepplin

Hey y'all
So yesterday, I drove to a high school in NJ, in this interesting little part right across from Staten Island - who knew? My geography of the Yankee states is so bad. Of course, when I first moved to NY at 18, and would go for a daily run in Riverside Park, and would see NJ across the Hudson, I thought it was Manhattan curving back on itself. Even my mind boggles at that one. Anyway, I went down to do two writing workshops for the students at Middlesex County Vo-Tech High School - Perth Amboy Campus. Check out part of my group here:

They were so fun! And sweet. These are the seniors, the juniors ands sophomores aren't in the picture. The woman on the far right is Dagmar Finkle, the librarian for the school. I met her at the ALA conference in January, and we connected about me bringing a workshop version of Spoken Interludes Next writing program to her students. She made the day so wonderful, and the kids were an amazing, very bright group.

As we were getting ready for the photo, I told the boyon the left (he's wearing a Led Zepplin t-shirt, but it's hard to tell) that I love Led Zepplin and was listening to them on my drive down.
He said, "So was I on the way to school!"
I said, "What's your favorite album?"
He said, "I don't know albums."
And I was like, "Oh, right."
"But I love the Immigrant Song," he said.
So I told him the other songs off that album to get. He looked completely shocked that I could list them by heart. And maybe I should be, too.
After the workshops, Dagmar took me up to the Culinary Arts shop where the students had made a special lunch of lobster bisque and shrimp scampi, and julienned carrots, and tons of other amazing stuff. My tummy was so happy. It was a wonderful day. And I got to have another nice long drive at the end with more Led Zepplin.
xo

Sunday Supper

Hey y'all,
When I woke up this morning, it felt like early fall here in New York (then 12 noon came and suddenly it was like summer!), so I decided it'd be a good time to make some lentil soup. My four year old helped me; he's a big cook. We do our cooking projects when the 16 month old is taking his morning nap. Anyway. I found this recipe in the New York Times a few months ago, and it is the YUMMIEST lentil soup in the world - and so easy!!! It freezes very well, and if you seve it with rice, it is a complete protein. I like it with a green salad and crusty bread. My husband and kids love it, too. Hope you enjoy it if you make it. I realize I should have written this at the beginning of winter - sorry!! But it's a great one for next fall. Or if you are like me, and can live on soup, it's good for now, too. Actually, I have a great cold pea soup that is too easy to believe, so I'll put that one up when the weather is finally completely hot. Have a great week!!

Yummy Lentil Soup
cooking time 45 minutes
Ingrediants:
3 T olive oil - I eyeball this
1 large onion chopped - I omit this because of my 4 year old and no one misses it
2 cloves garlic, choped - I use the already minced in the jar, and usually more - I like garlic!
1 T tomato paste - I use more!
1 t ground cumin - the secret to the yumminess!! I use more and even the kids love it!
1/4 t salt, more to taste
1/4 t ground black pepper - I can't eat pepper, so I leave that out. I know, sacrilege since I'm from Louisiana!
pinch of cayenne pepper or ground chili powder - I use more, and I'm not a big chili powder person, but it gives it a great depth.
1 quart chicken or veggie broth - I make it vegetarian, but it's great either way
1 cup red lentils - it is just as yummy with teh brown
1 large carrot peeled - my 4 year old loves to help with this part, we usually use 2
juice of 1/2 lemon - if I have one, I use it, if not, no big deal.
3 T chopped fresh cilantro - my husband doesn't like cilantro, so I never use it.

1. In large pot, heat 3 T of olive oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne or chili powder, and sauté 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth, plus 2 cups of water, lentil and carrots. Bring to simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
4. Using an immersion or regular blender or food processor, purée half the soup, then add back to the pot. I NEVER DO THIS!! too much work, and no one cares how it looks!
5. stir in lemon juice and cilantro - if you are using these!

Yield: 4 servings

I usually make the whole bag of lentils, and adjust the other ingrediant accordingly, and freeze a container.
Hope you enjoy it!

Meet My Ex

There comes a point in most - or some, depending upon jealousy issues - marriages when eventually one's spouse is introduced to one's ex. My marriage reached that point a few nights ago when my husband and I saw the current production of "Gypsy" now playing on Broadway, with my ex-longterm-boyfriend, Boyd Gaines, in the male lead role. Considering that we watched Boyd for almost three whole hours before we met for drinks, I think that is a pretty strong indication that my husband falls in the not-jealous category. Besides which, we loved the show. If you are anywhere near NY, do not miss it!!!!! Boyd gives yet another of his incredible performances, imbuing the character with such life and humor and heart - he literally makes you laugh and cry. And Patti Lupone is a masterpiece. I have never seen an actor and a role fit so perfectly that it is hard to believe she had to learn lines and songs for it. It is a production to remember for lifetime. So after it was over, we went for a drink at a clubby little bar that used to be Upstairs at Joe Allen's, but I have no idea what it is named now, and we had a great time. Boyd and my husband got on famously, and the circumstances reminded me of one of my favorite Boyd stories:
Boyd went to see former girlfriend, Megan Gallagher (she was with him before me) in a play, and goes backstage afterwards to see her. He is in her dressing room, when Megan's boyfriend comes in, but the boyfriend just starts talking to Megan, and doesn't acknowledge Boyd. Now Boyd knows that this boyfriend knows that he used to date Megan, and being the Southern gentleman that he is, at a lull in the conversation, Boyd puts his hand out to the man and introduces himself.
The man looks at him completely appalled and says, "Okay." as if the situation is anything but.
Boyd ponders this for a moment, then says, "Perhaps you didn't hear me, I said, 'I'm Boyd Gaines.'"
"Oh!" the man replied. "I thought you said, "Let's avoid games."
Which pretty much sums up those situations, doesn't it?

Notes from the Front

Hey y'all
So, a few of y'all know that through Spoken Interludes, I run an out-reach writing program for at-risk teens called Spoken Interludes Next. Okay, yes, it is the Jr. version of titles, but it is meant to invoke the next generation of writers for the reading series, get it??!! So anyway, if you aren't familiar with it, check out the short and (I know I'm prejudiced, but...) totally heart-warming video here.
When I think about what I miss in LA, teaching in this program tops the list, even before the incredible produce. So, the other day, I got a note from one of the teachers, the amazing Lan Tran, and I wanted to share it with y'all. This note, plus teaching four special writing classes at the local middle school (including the head of publicity at HC's son whom I adore!! Not that I have favorites!) has inspired me to start Spoken Interludes Next here in NY in the fall at a home for boys in the foster system. Now to raise the money! But if I have to do it with my son's crayons and just me, I will. It is too hard to think of a community to close to me that I could bring this program to, and not start doing it. So, here's Lan's note below. Don't these kids sound amazing??
xo
From Lan Tran:
While I've taught writing to adults in the past, this was my first time working with high school kids so I was nervous about how effective I'd be. The students really surprised me from the get-go with their spunk and creativity. One of them loves riding mechanical bulls, another one is in a rock band that regularly performs around town and she wants to be a coroner when she grows up. All of them genuinely pursued their writing projects but I was especially struck by one student who wrote about a trip into space where she lands on another planet, identical to Earth, populated by folks who've died. There, she runs into her rock idol, Joey Ramone, and also reconnects with her brother. It was funny, charming, and highly imaginative (especially one part when Joey Ramone tries to stowaway on her rocket ship). Another student, impressed everyone with a multi-layered, multi-part story about one narrator's relationship with money and life. In the first part, a young boy is weighing coins and comments how even though a quarter is worth more than a penny, if you put enough pennies on one side of the scale, they will weigh more even though their value is not more. In the second section, we learn the boy is wealthy when he saves a fatally wounded homeless kid and pays for his medical bills. In the third section, the boy is now an adolescent and he kills a rat to win some money, much to the displeasure of his father, who says that life is more important than money. The boy argues back, that money can be more important than one life, because money can be used to save many lives. In the final section, the boy is now a successful businessman who owns a multi-national conglomerate dedicated to saving lives. Then he learns that his best friend has died in a car accident and he realizes that despite all his financial power, he couldn't save the life that mattered most. Thus he realizes the weight of money, once more.

On our last day, when the students wrote their thank you letters to the donors saying what they appreciated about the program, I scoured those letters, trying to find what I did right as an instructor and what worked. How could I be a better teacher? To my surprise, what nearly all the students liked most about me had nothing to do with what I consciously did as teacher. They just liked me. It was such a gift! But apparently what they love most about the program is the exposure and one-on-one time with a published author. Who knew?
I learned as much as they did!