Los Angeles. Last year I was refusing to drive its highways, and now I’m here in Texas missing the feeling of smog on my teeth.
I was happy to catch up with J Ryan Stradal (lunch meeting turned into three hours of conversation), Nick Antosca (gainful employment has not spoiled his charm), Mary Hamilton (blooming like a bloom in that ocean air), Angeline Gragasin (energy soulmate and queen of collaboration) and Johnny Anthony (working with a focus I’ve never seen). Different people and different goals with the common bond of tenacity, ambition and talent. I felt so glad to spend time.
Home again. We’re looking at another 10 days of 100+ temps, not a cloud in sight. School’s starting and the college kids are getting their youth stink all over my haunts. My girl Lesley got a gym membership and I’m teaching her good squat form. My body bleeds iced tea.
LITERATURE
Please see a review by Laura Owen of a review of Museum of the Weird from Gulf Coast. Sorry about not trying too hard on the sentence structure there. Thank you Laura, and further thanks to Gulf Coast reviewer Dane A. Wisher.
I’m finishing a good long story and working through edits on a shorter one that is set to appear at some point in McSweeney’s.
Advising Lesley’s niece Rhi on dance class: “You never know when you’re gonna need to know how to waltz.”
