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.