I confess. I'm a Virgin Blogger.
No. Not that kind.
But because this is my first blog ever.
I'm excited. Maybe a little nervous.
I welcome feedback.
Especially feedback that begins with "Dearest Author, I love everything you write."
In my blog I'm going to discuss things that I find amazing in the world.
I hope it'll be a real discussion, that you'll write back with things you find amazing, too.
I chose this topic partly because I'm working on a novel titled One Amazing Thing.
And partly because I think amazement is a wonderful quality, one worth cultivating.
We all had it once. Some of us lost it along the way.But we can regain it if we pay attention.
This is what I believe: attention engenders amazement.
Every day I'm astonished by so many things in this marvelous and paradoxical world we live in.
I'm going to share some of those thoughts with you.
And writing, of course. On my list of amazing things that humans can do, it's way up there.I would love your thoughts about writing--& the writing life--as well.
Right now, as I'm getting ready to set out on the tour for the paperback of Palace of Illusions (Ithaca, DC, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Orlando--details on my website) I'm struck by how conflicted I feel about the whole enterprise. On one hand it's hard to leave my family. To give up my writing schedule. To face the uncertainties of traffic and weather and strange cities where there may or may not be an audience. On the other, it's a genuine pleasure to connect up with readers. Plus I love perfoming. And it's the final thing I can do for my book--to help it make its way in the world.
An old joke in po-biz:
Q: What's worse than going on book tour?
A: Not going on book tour.
I'll end this first blog with lines from a poem that amazed me when I first read it, years ago. Recognize it, anyone?
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man:
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
