I am reviewed very favorably (along with some good helpful criticism) in the LA Times book review today. I'm even on the centerfold page of the review section, which is fun! This feels very signficant to me--I haven't been reviewed by the LA Times before. Every Sunday, the book review is the first thing I read in the paper. I think part of me has worried that if I didn't read the book review section first, somehow the book gods wouldn't smile upon me. I always feel a little guilty when I even glance at another section first--silly, but true.

When The Book of Dead Birds came out, I assumed the Times would review me since I was a local author and the book was set in Southern California, plus it had won a lovely award, but a review there never came to pass, despite my superstitious loyalty to the book section. Between that and the fact that I hadn't been invited to be part of The LA Times Festival of Books (which I've also loyally visited over the years), I was beginning to feel--and I know how silly this is, too--that somehow I wasn't cool enough to warrant attention from the Times. And now not only have they reviewed me, they invited me to be part of the book fest this year! I am very happy (although I still don't feel like I'm at the cool kids' table. The writing gods are trying very hard to keep me humble today--I'm completely zonked by a cold so I haven't been able to enjoy the experience as fully as I'd like. But I am still thrilled.)

I'm also excited to be added to the CODEPINK Reading List!

When staring at my computer doesn't make my eyes hurt so much, I'll write about my experience going to a self storage auction last Friday.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!