I’m in danger of
the big head tonight. I just got home from the biennial induction ceremony for
the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Worth
Public Library. Hors d’oevres, wine, and the presentation ceremony.
It was my great
privilege to accept for Susan Wittig Albert, who was unable to attend because
back problems make it difficult for her to get around. As I lugged my walker to
the podium, I joked about the lame helping the lame. Susan is perhaps best known
for the China Bayles herbal mysteries, which she has been writing for thirty
years. She also wrote the Beatrix Potter series and still writes the Darling Dahlias
Mysteries. But she also has to her credit several historical nonfiction titles –
A Wilder Rose, about Rose Wilder
Lane, daughter and co-author with Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the
Prairie fame; Loving Eleanor, highlighting
the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and political reporter Lorena
Hickok; The General’s Women, exploring
the relationship between Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower, his wartime driver and lover,
Kay Summersby, and, to a lesser extent, Mamie Eisenhower.
Susan is a
consummate professional, and it was a great honor for me to accept in her
place. She sent me the words to say—clever, funny, and blessedly brief. They
were well received.
There were five
other honorees, and I proudly say I was instrumental at one point or another in
getting three of them published, and the other two are old friends/acquaintances.
For a brief moment there, I was back in the world of literary Texas and oh so
delighted to be there. In addition to the honorees, I saw several people I was
glad to see, made some good connections, and generally had a good time.
The Texas Literary
Hall of Fame began in 2003, and I was part of an advisory panel that first year
when inductees included John Graves, Elmer Kelton, Katharine Anne Porter, J.Frank
Dobie, Shelby Hearon, Larry McMurtry, Horton Foote, and Walter Prescott Webb. I
myself was inducted in 2010 and feel honored to be in such stellar company.
From the sublime
to—well, if not the ridiculous, at least the mundane. We have a new fence. What’s
remarkable about that is how wonderful it looks and how it emphasizes that we
were overdue for that fence. The old one was gray, haphazard, and missing a
board of two. Wooden fences don’t necessarily have a long life in Texas.
And I’m still on
my unusual foods kick—mushrooms on toast for breakfast. So yummy.
So now comes the
weekend. I intend to spend it working. How about you?
5 comments:
You should be right at home among such stellar company. After all, you're a star in your own right. The list of names you've known and published is impressive indeed. You make us proud to be Texan.
I wish I knew who to thank for these kind words. But I am especially grateful the words about being Texan. For too many years I was an outsider from the North. I do hope by now I've earned my TExas stripes.
Judy, thank you for accepting for me. I appreciate it more than I can say. A special honor because it is shared with you!
Oh my word! How exciting! I have had the honour of meeting Susan Albert twice: once in Cleveland , Ohio and then in Mishawaka, Indiana. She is kind and such a lovely person. When my daughter Ashleigh found out she was to be in Cleveland, she asked to go for her birthday, so she could get a book signed. She was so in awe of meeting one of her favorite authors!
She is indeed a kind and lovely person as well as a dedicated and talented author.
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