You might know, I launched a novel. As in PUBLISHED. It’s 321 pages long and you might like to read it. This means I can officially call myself an author now. And, I’ve already earned enough royalties to cover the cost of my ISBNs. Pretty cool.
I signed up for dental insurance all by myself. (Yeah, I know). My new Medicare card arrived. So did my drug card and my Gap policy card. All my passwords are in one folder and I know where to find that folder. I’m on fire!
I finished reading Lonesome Dove, all 800 plus pages. I had to finish it this week because there was no way I was gonna carry it to California.
Can I just say — it’s long, it’s grim, it’s a Western for god’s sake — and it is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I really didn’t want it to end.
Two people from very different walks of my life told me this was their favorite book ever, otherwise I doubt I’d ever have picked it up. Even though I’ve read Stegner’s Angle of Repose twice (and liked it so much I proceeded to read almost everything else he wrote), I was not a fan of Cormac McCarthy and McMurtry’s book was giving me McCarthy vibes.
Anyway. My advice? Not so much that you should read this novel, but that if two people you know without prompting tell you that X novel is their favorite book, run — don’t walk — and pick yourself up a copy.
Another book brag — I was pleased to see I’d read 39 of the NYTimes “The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century” list. Maybe I should feel bad that the number isn’t higher? I’m fixing that with my next read: My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante.
(I was late to the McMurtry party and I’m also late to the Ferrante party).
She has TWO OTHER books on the list.
Lastly, can you guess what I’m starting to research with a view toward a second book (I decided against Lucy Audubon).
Hint: the setting is a lot closer than Charleston.
Ordering today!
Thank you!! Let me (and Amazon) know what you think…
All exciting stuff .. I love when you recommend books I have yet to be disappointed. Ordered your book the other day .. really excited to get it in my hands.
Thank you so much Tina! Lonesome Dove was a good choice for a summer read.
Are you delving into Salem and witch craft and witch trials? I ask because i tend to be seasonal in my reading and as autumn beckons, I will reread Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, Magic Lessons, The Book of Magic and The Rule of Magic as well as Louisa Morgan’s A Secret History of Witches and The Age of Witches.
In your hands, a book about this subject would scintillate, be filled with information and wit and be downright crafty and magical!
You guessed right! You’ve provided me with a reading list.
I’ve been meaning to ask what was next. Looking forward to the journey. On your say so, I have to track down yet another copy of Lonesome Dove. I keep leaving them in little free libraries.
Terrific about your book!
Hub ordered kindle on Amazon but neither of us can figure out to transfer it to any or my devices (sigh… I’ve done this many times in the past but uh… something’s changes. So I ordered the paperback from B&N but it takes longer to get here. errrrrgh.
Interesting… about Lonesome Dove. I tried to read Stegner (Angle of Repose) several decades ago when I had even less patience for the vast western landscapes than I do now.
“We have had too many divorces, we have consumed too much transportation, we have lived too shallowly in too many places.”
― Wallace Stegner, Angle of Repose
Your next? Suffragettes? Susan B. Anthony?
Wait what? You bought a kindle version and could t download it?
Got it, YAY!!
I ordered it thru D’s account, but it kept asking me to choose the device and wouldn’t let me choose my device. Finally (BRILLIANT) he looked in his orders and it said it was “delivered” to me – but my device did not alert me! I mean what actions do I ever take without being alerted by my phone, particularly when it downloaded to the app on my phone? ha. Anyway – I’ll be happily reading The Weight of Cloth starting tonight 🙂 🙂
Oh boy! We have confusion of accounts here as well.
I read Lonesome Dove for the third time this summer. It IS my favorite book. I love Angle of Repose, too. Did you read Stegner’s Crossing to Safety? I’m looking forward to receiving my copy of The Weight of Water. A published author, hurrahs for you!
You are the fourth person telling me this!
I read Crossing to Safety and didn’t think it came anywhere close to Angle of Repose. I just looked him up. There are a lot more books of his that I didn’t read. But I read: The Big Rock Candy Mountain; Wolf Willow; A Shooting Star.
Oh goodness, I didn’t sleep well last night and shouldn’t try to talk to anyone. I apologize. The Weight of CLOTH.
No worries. There’s the Weight of Ink and a dozen more titles out there.
Love the idea! Salem witch trials have gone on longer than most people think…