Happy International Women’s Day! Although, you’d think that given that we rend our bodies to propagate the human race, we’d get more than a day. But hey, let’s take what we can get? Find a woman in your life who kicks ass, and tell her she is awesome. I just did this with my agent. Quote my latest e-mail to her:
Of course publishing a book changed my life! I might not be on Oprah and/or snorting caviar off a geisha’s boobs anytime soon but I don’t think I would have been invited to this monster fund raising thingy for Sacramento libraries last weekend in my capacity as a grad student… If it weren’t for publishing this thing, I would be waking up every morning to torture myself writing a book I don’t really give a shit about (a dissertation), which is already an amazing privilege. As things stand I get to wake up every morning to torture myself writing a book I’m investing my soul into (this weird Romanian thing), which is an UNFATHOMABLE privilege. Bonnie, seriously, you beat the crap out of Santa Claus: all he ever got me were some random toys I don’t even remember but you gave physical form to this thing that ate my dreams. You are awesome, and thank you.
The fund raising thingy last weekend was Sacramento Authors on the Move, and we raised around 70K for Sacramento Libraries. Very impressive. It is a pretty surreal and fabulous experience to move from table to table to be witty at different sets of people. I think I acquitted myself of my charge reasonably well. This Thursday evening, I have a reading at Stanford, so do come say hello if you’re around!
Elena Mauli Shapiro 