Erika Dreifus

A Rainy Evening’s Reading

Not even heavy rain kept the crowd from filling the event space at the Barnes & Noble on Manhattan’s Upper West Side last Thursday evening. Everyone had come for Amy Koppelman‘s reading from her latest novel, Hesitation Wounds.

Here’s Amy listening to the very first question from the audience–(her husband happened to be the one who posed the question). Also present for the occasion: one of Amy’s early writing teachers, Michael Cunningham, who by her account, sounds as though he is the epitome of a generous writing mentor.

And it definitely looks as though there’s more than one writer in the family: Amy posted a link yesterday to this lovely essay by her teenaged daughter. Go take a read. Especially if you ever felt friendless/alone as an adolescent. (Spoiler alert: It’s really a happy essay! And poetry plays a part!)

Unexpected Bonus

I am doing so much better than I was this time last week. Yes, it turned out that I did have that root-canal procedure last Wednesday. But there was an unexpected bonus: something that my dentist said while I was sitting in that chair inspired a new poem. I’m not at all sure what will happen to said poem, but it exists. Drafted. (In fact, I think I’m going to print out a copy and bring it to him for today’s follow-up appointment.)

Newsletter News

Yesterday I hit “send” on the pre-Thanksgiving, pre-Hanukkah November newsletter for Fig Tree Books. If you’re curious, you can find the issue here. You’ll find all sorts of goodies inside–including a “Kvell Korner” spotlight on Jessamyn Hope and, of course, some book-buying suggestions for your holiday shopping list.

And over the holiday weekend I’ll be putting the finishing touches on the December issue of The Practicing Writer. So you can all look forward to that!

Here’s wishing everyone who will be celebrating it a very Happy Thanksgiving!