Joe the Writer?

Posted by on Dec 6, 2008 in dish | 0 comments We knew it had to happen. Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber” from late in the Presidential campaign, has just signed a book deal. In today’s New York Times, Timothy Egan riffs on this in his acidic “Typing Without a Clue” opinion piece. In Egan’s view, celebrity books like Mr. Plumber’s bleed advance money and possibilities from real writers...
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Fantastic Beasts, Not So Fantastic Effects

Posted by on Oct 30, 2008 in dish | 3 comments One of the Harry Potter series bonus books is a slim volume called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. This small book, written and illustrated by J.K. Rowling, describes the creatures of her magical world. All the profits were donated to Comic Relief UK. I was scanning it this morning–Frick had dropped it on the floor by his bed, and since it had text, well, I had...
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Annual Dose of Crazy

Posted by on Oct 16, 2008 in dish | 3 comments So two years ago I decide to throw the biggest wrench in the world into my already packed schedule and do NaNoWriMo. Thirty days, fifty thousand words–one month to a complete first draft of a novel. Normally, I’m a save-it-up-behind-the-dam gal. I’ll think and fidget and think and ponder and then finally sit down and blurt out whole chapters at a time. Those chapters tend to be...
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Lasagne Princess!

Posted by on Sep 14, 2008 in dish | 3 comments Today, the music department at church sponsored its first annual Lasagne Throwdown. I entered a couple of pans, and lo and behold, I won a prize! I am now the proud holder of the “Take Two Servings and Call Me in the Morning” ribbon for Healthiest Lasagne. Once you read this recipe, you won’t find it particularly healthy. Any sauce that begins with the directions “melt...
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Musings: On Writing

Posted by on Sep 8, 2008 in dish | 3 comments I heart Stephen King. I read the daylights out of Stephen King years ago, stopping when the books resembled (and weighed as much as) concrete blocks. But after reading, and re-reading, his wonderful portmanteau of a writer’s manual and memoir, I’ll probably have to revisit the “K” shelf at the library soon.King’s memoir is by turns hilarious, heartfelt, and as...
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