This week, I had the pleasure of being a guest at a book club discussion. They'd read Risking Exposure as their October selection and invited me to join them. I was driven over the river and through the woods to the home of Laura and Charlie, where I was treated to a fabulous home-cooked pasta dinner and hospitality galore. Amid the banter of these book club members, Laura, Margie, Sarah, Hildy, and Sandy, long-time friends and founders of the Dietrich, talk kept circling back to writing, the power of stories, and my book. They spoke about it animatedly, with passion and curiosity and obvious appreciation. I sat in the glow of the idea that perfectly intelligent people had read my book and wanted to discuss it! What a trip.
Laura left me practically speechless. She brought out her print copy, dog-eared and well-loved and laid it on the table, turning the bent cover back to reveal a first page covered in her notes. I was astounded. She'd obviously spent many hours with this book, perhaps as she recovered from recent knee surgery. I could picture her curled in a corner of the couch, the open book nestled in her lap, with a pen nearby to jot down her thoughts. She even had favorite lines, which she quoted with relish.
The entire evening was surreal, an experience that was as encouraging and uplifting as any I've ever had. I hope to be able to pass on that kind of support to others in their creative endeavors.
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