A literary night--and some thoughts on heat and puppies

Tonight was the panel discussion at the Haltom City Public LIbrary celebrating the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee's classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Bob Ray Sanders, a leading journalist and community figure and also a native of Haltom City, moderated a panel discussion that ranged from the book to segregation in Fort Worth--Bob Ray remembers having to walk by three schools to get to the one he was allowed to go to, even though his family had been property owners for generations--and finally to integration in the '60s. Audience participation was lively, and everyone thought it was a stimulating and thought-provoking evening. We talked about the book as literature, as social commentary, and as it relates to today when prejudice surely is not erased from our society though we've come a long way. Othre panels members were author Mike Cochran, a high school teacher who has taught the novel for ten years, and an actress who read portions with great dramatic appeal. I was pleased to see some familiar faces in the audience and to have others stop and talk to me about my work.
Betty and I were joined by my friend Linda from Granbury and her friend Nancy, so we had a happy foursome at supper--I got my favorite meatloaf at the Grill--and it was nice to have my own cheering section in the front row of the audience. I like getting out to events like that and realize I should do more of it. Made some phone calls today to inquire about visiting various book clubs in the area.
I don't think Sophie had ever seen me in a skirt before--she kept biting at the ruffles on it.
I think the high today was 108, maybe a notch or two higher. I know the heat will end, I know it willr ain someday, and I know the puppy will be housebroken, but as you plod along day by day, it all looks like a long way away. The keep predicting lower temperatures--l04 is lower at this point--a few days out, but when that day comes the lower temperatures have been pushed further away. Sue asked me last night if it scared me, like maybe it would just keep getting worse and worse. I said that doesn't frighten me as much as the the feeling that I am trapped by a huge, hot monster, sort of like Grendel in Beowulf.
As if to prove to me that things aren't going to change soon, the puppy just pooped on my office floor. I took her out half an hour ago, probably didn't wait long enough. 'Scuse me--I have some cleaning to do.

A heady evening

Tonight I was inducted into the Fort Worth Publiuc Library's Texas Literary Hall of Fame, which means I joined the ranks with such people as John Graves, Katherine Ann Porter, Horton Foote, Shelby Hearon and others--pretty heady company. My children came--Colin, Jordan, and Jamie--Megan was delayed by a kindergartner's first ever school carnival and such things are priority, but she and her family are driving up as we speak. Lisa and Christian stayed home with four grandchildren, all of whom are now crowded into two beds in my family room. Maddie is one of the four, so she'll ride herd on them and make sure they go to sleep. Everyone has to be up and out the door by 8:40 for Jacob's soccer game. Not me. I'd sleep late but I'm sure young voices won't let me. It's such a joy to have them all here--Colin says he got a picture of all four of them in their bed, so I'm waiting for that.
Jordan got lots of pictures tonight at the dinner, but she hasn't shared them, so I have none to post--watch for them in future blogs. I was nervous, of course, about my half-page speech, but it went well, and I got a lot of compliments. I talked about growing up in Chicago and thinking Texas was a foreign land. Then my folks went to Corpus to visit my brother at the Naval Air Station and reported a lush and green tropical land. Later, my soon-to-be husband went to Turkey, Texas, and reported a barren, brown land with no vegetation. I was puzzled. My conclusion was, of course, that I found a land that was green sometimes and brown sometimes but more than that had a rich history and literature, out of which I built a career. I am really amazed by the honor, humbled and grateful.
The inductees with me were all good friends--and I was the only female. They were Jim Lee,sort of a grandfather of Texas literature in many ways, Bill Crider, mystery writer extradorinaire, Carlton Stowers, sports writer, true crimer author, and all around nice guy, Bob Ray Sanders, award-winning journalist with a career in TV, author of the text for one of TCU Press' best-ever photography books, and Jeff Guinn, former book editor of the Star-Telegram and the author of many books, one a winner of the TCU Texas Book Award. I keep using the word heady, but it was heady company to be in.
Best of all, my kids thought I did well on the talk, and that means everything to me. I'm not a native Texasn, but I've been here forty-five years, and I've written and published a whole lot about the state. It's my state, even though some call me an outsider.
I'm a happy camper tonight and going to bed tired.

Are you ready to retire?

I had the ideal retirement day today. Still enjoying daylight savings, I slept until almost 8:30 (as did the cat and dog--the latter didn't want to go out until almost 9:30). By the time I got myself ready for the day, read the paper, dealt with emails and phone calls, it was 10:45 before I got out the door to the office to do just a couple of things. Then home to pay bills, do some email ordering (yes, I do that) and it was lunchtime. This afternoon, I'm reading--part studying, part fun.
The rest of the day has gone the same way--a bit of work, a lot of relaxation, good veal leftovers with asparagus and mushrooms. But I honestly have been using my brain a bit too. I found a quote that really hit home: an editor wrote about occasionally, reading a proposed manuscript at home, his hair stood on end, and he thought, "I could publish that and do it right, and it might amount to something." I've had manuscripts that struck me that way, and I've had fair success with them. I won't try to list them, but the Calvin Littlejohn book I've wanted to publish for twenty-five years and just did, thanks to Bob Ray Sanders, has met with tremendous reception and today we have word that a donor has funded buying a copy for every Fort Worth middle and high school. Littlejohn was the pioneer black photographer who chronicled the black community when newspapers, etc., wouldn't. His photogrpahs are striking, both in terms of photography (he was inventive, even making his own enlarger) and of the history he captured. A truly remarkable story, and we've brought it to the public. There have been other books I've felt that way about--books that thrilled me when I held them in my hand finally, after all that went into them. I really wish others could understand that feeling.
I am both amused and incensed today by the ongoing controversy over the decisions of the State Board of Education in Texas. Apparently they have decided to make Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson heroes of leadership, while omitting all mention of Thomas Jefferson as a Renaissance man. Of course, Stonewall Jackson fits the right-wing conservative stereotype perfectly--he was a Puritanical Christian who cared neither about his own death or that of others, which is why he fought so valiantly. The whole teaching of human values is messed up in this state, and I wonder who appoints the SBOE. Governor Perry? Textbook publishers are going to either have a hard time getting their books into the state's curriculum or they're going to have to skew history so much that other states will be left reeling. Much as I love Texas and its history, sometimes I wonder why I live here. Canada sometimes looks pretty good, if it weren't so far from family and friends. Mexico is out as the violence escalates and now has targeted Americans with connection to the Embassy in Ciudad Juarez. I even worry about friends in El Paso, though a friend who takes frequent tours to Mexico told me he felt completely safe on his last tour. The world is not a fun place these days.

A lovely interesting evening

I simply cannot resist posting this photo of Jacob in the outfit he wore to the neighborhood dinner last weekend. Those are his mother's cowboy boots (a tad or more too big for him) that she had worn to a "Cowboy Chic" party the night before. Not sure where the hat came from, but the shirt is the tops from his Halloween pajamas. The child is addicted to wearing pajamas everywhere!
Tonight I went to the second annual Bookish Frogs dinner. Such a delight! I saw many people that I was really glad to see and got lots of hugs and kisses. It was a warm, wonderful evening, with everyone in good spirits. Susan Petty (TCU Press editor) had put it together and did an outstanding job, including a great menu. The speaker was Bob Ray Sanders, talking about his book, Calvin Littlejohn: Portrait of a Community in Black and White. Littlejohn was the first--and for many years the only--photographer to chronicle the black community in Fort Worth. Bob Ray knows that community--or communities, for there was no one area--inside and out and did a tremendous job of research, writing cutlines, and pulling the book together. Plus he's a great natural speaker, so the evening was memorable. The book itself is a wonderful gift to the Fort Worth community, a precious record of a part of its history not often recorded. It was one of those nights that made me proud to be part of TCU Press, very proud.
I've been reading Phyllis Theroux's The Journal Keeper, a book for which she edited the journals she'd been keeping for several years. I dip my toe into it now and than, because it's not an upbeat book, but it's strikingly honest about the things that bother her--depression, worry about finances, uncertainty about writing--things that bother a lot of us. I found one quote that struck home to me: "God, remove my fear and direct my attention toward what you would have me be."
Chalres is for some uncharacteristic reason very interested in the problems and case of Tiger Woods, so I also found a quote that applied there though I think Theroux was quoting someone else: "Fame in this country is a religion that demands human sacrifice." I think it's true, and in spite of the fact that Tiger behaved abominably, I'm pulling for him to get his life--and his family life--back in order.

Fall colors, social networking, experiments gone wrong, and a three-year-old

I've never been to New England at all, let alone in the fall, which I understand is the time to go. But this year, fall in Texas is beautiful. The oak in my front yard is a lovely deep golden brown (already also all over my lawn) and it seems that overnight the crape myrtles on the driveway turned the most gorgeous brilliant orange/yellow. Of course, they too are shedding all over everywhere, and my driveway is a mine field of acorns from the oak that shades it. I take a stick with me to walk back to the garage just because I don't want to slip and slide on one. Greg, who takes such good care of my lawn and flower beds, assured me I'm heavier than an acorn, but that's not what matters--the little critters roll under your feet! Jeannie took a brutal fall on one recently, and I don't want to follow her.
I've spent much of the day again figuring out Twitter and as I do each day made a little progress. I do think this social networking is important to writers, and I intend to keep at it. But I can't figure out how to link my blog to Facebook to Twitter. I know others who have done it, so I'll keep asking and trying. The codes on Twitter puzzle me, but tonight I blocked a lot of people I never heard of who turned up on my page.
Spent most of the morning with TCU Press--breakfast with our dean, June, and Jack August, an author from Phoenix who has published with us and maintains a strong interest in the press. Then we all went to a meeting about a book which Jack brought to us and which he has co-authored. Susan and Melinda are both former Harcourt employees and the free lance editor on this project is also a Harcourt veteran--they have procedures and processes which puzzle me. I've always just kind of sat at my computer and put books together. I still insist that I could do it that way again, but Susan just looks at me with sort of pity. Anyway, I'm very glad I'm not responsible for this one--it has a really tight deadline that I'm not sure we can meet.
Tonight, Bob Ray Sanders, author of our new book Calvin Littlejohn: Portrait of a Community in Black and White, was on TV and I carefully watched the clock so I wouldn't miss the 15-minut segment. Jacob had been happily watching a Spiderman movie, and I'd peacefully watched "Washington Week," but just as Bob Ray came on, Jacob decided he had to potty and I had to be in the bathroom with him. So I kept running between kitchen and bathroom but got most of Bob Ray's segment, and he was, as always, exceptionally good. That book is one that I have wanted to publish for 20 years, so it's a fitting swansong for my publishing career. Now Jacob, at 10:20 has decided something in his room scares him--not at all like him. I went back for a second cuddle, and every time I tried to get up he batted my head back on the pillow. I finally left promising to come back in ten minutes--I may cheat a bit.

Texas Book Festival

Spent all day yesterday at the book festival. Wanted a picture in me of my toque because I was hawking Cooking My Way Through Life, but I didn't sell a one, although some sold when I left the A&M tent to go to programs. But sales of books are the least of the festival. I saw old friends--had a wonderful catch-up visit with Jean Flynn, chatted with James Magnuson and Charles Rodenberger, met Sylvia Dickey-Smith with whom I'd been corresponding about a manuscript. TCU Press sold lots of Elmer Kelton novels--his unexpected death in August accelerated interest, I think, though I'd sure rather have him back in person. We had two featured authors, and Melinda, her friend KK, and I went to both sessions, chauffered between the sites in a golf cart! Made us feel like celebrities. Bob Ray Sanders talked about the Calvin Littlejohn book at the Austin Museum of Art and Marcia Daudistel talked about Literary El Paso at the Capitol extension. Their sessions overlapped, so we left one early and came late to the other, but heard the work of TCU Press generously praised at both. Our authors did us proud too. But it's always a long day, and, even though I sat at a signing table most of the morning, my feet were tired last night.
I am staying with Megan and her family, and 5-year-old Sawyer has been talking to me about "book people." He asked if I had to "go to work" today since Halloween is over.I guess Halloween and book festival are forever linkede in his mind.
Apparently an executive from Random House spoke yesterday (I heard this third-hand) predicting that in the future pubishing will be all print-to-order, so that you go into a store, ask for a book, and it's printed for you or, worse, you order it at home and print or download it. What happened to browsing? And the beauty of a well made book with good paper and great design? TCU Press has many older titles in a PTO program and we plan to do the first run of two reprints that way in the spring, but I am uncertain about initial runs of new books. I'm just not sure from a marketing standpoint. I think and hope the speaker from Random House was mistaken, especially since Calvin Littlejohn: Portrait of a Community in Black and White is one of the most beautiful photography books we've ever done--and one of the most interesting. It would never be the same PTO. Today I am not going to be one of the "book people"--I'm going to watch my grandsons ride their bikes and, as Sawyer asked, "do fun things" with them.

Out of charge and the Littlejohn book--which is fully charged and ready to go

This morning when I got to the doctor's office, my cell phone, my Kindle, and I all needed re-charging. I took the Kindle knowing I'd have time in the waiting room and exam room, and I really wanted to call my office to ask a favor. Couldn't do either, so I sat and had a lesson in patience--in the waiting room, in the exam room, at the pharmacy. That was the final blow--it was almost noon by the time I got to the pharmacy, and I was hungry as I sat in the drive-through pickup, which is never as fast as you think it's going to be. Finally this nice young man informed me that my insurance wouldn't cover it and did I want to pay $40.99? No, I didn't! Thoroughly frustrated, I went home, unpacked my groceries, ate lunch, and then headed back, with my insurance card in my hand. What I didn't realize was that when TCU changed pharmacy services, the new service covers all pharmacy transactions not just mail-in orders. So it was all straightened out fairly quickly, and I headed home with my antibiotics by 1:30. But I worked, some office, some my own, until 4 p.m.--a really late nap, from which I didn't want to get up. But there's that interior clock in me--it was time for the news, time to feed Scooby, etc. Made myself pea salad and salmon croquettes (one of my absolute favorite things) for supper.
Tonight is a huge reception for the lead title of our TCU Press fall list, Calvin Littlejohn: Portrait of a Community in Black and White by Bob Ray Sanders. Littlejohn was the only photographer for the black community for many years, most of the twentieth century--he took photos at schools (we have a school picture of Bob Ray in maybe third grade that Littlejohn took), churches, weddings, funerals, family gatherings, ceremonial occasions. He also took studio portraits and, best of all, pictures of any celebrity who visited Fort Worth. There are pictures of Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, a young George W. Bush looking bewildered, and of many black athletes and musicians. Maybe the prize is the one of Martin Luther King, Jr., sitting in a parlor with a group of women. Bob Ray, a Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist and well known in any community in Fort Worth, did an incredible job of tracking down people and getting specific identities of many of the photographic subjects.
So tonight they expect 300 people at the Ella May Shamblee Library for a reception/book signing. Nice note: Bob Ray's niece, Brenda Sanders-Wise, is catering (he is the youngest of 12 and has nieces and nephews who are older than he is--I thought for a long time Brenda was one of his sisters, but not so). Brenda submitted such a yummy menu that I asked Melinda if she wasn't going to bring me a doggy bag. The doctor supported my instinct that I shouldn't go--don't need to expose everyone to my germs, and I still don't have the energy. So, following orders to lie low for three or four days, I'm at home but I'll be anxious for a report tomorrow.
This book is a fitting cap to my publishing career. I wanted to publish Littlejohn's work ever since the 1980s, but there were problems getting permission. Finally, the family gave the photographs, or most of them, to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. I was able to work with Director Don Carlton to cooperate on the publication. It's truly a book to be proud of--beautifully designed and printed--and I'm delighted to view it as my swan song.
Meanwhile I'm not all that unhappy to be comfortably at home in sloppy clothes, with a bit of work to do and a book to read, but I do feel a bit bad over missing the moment of triumph.