Reading at Sullivan's Pub

I'll be reading tonight at Sullivan's Pub in shady downtown La Honda. Terry Adams, La Honda's poet laureate, will be there, too, as well as special surprise guests. Come listen. Come read. Food, beer, wine, and Jane Sullivan's manic magic. Doors open around 5, reading starts around 6:30 La Honda Time.

Clamps and peanut butter

Teasing, I said, "Are you sure you have enough clamps, Jim?"

James Adams replied, "A cabinet maker can never have too many clamps."

And you don't want to run out of peanut butter, either...

A plane for curves

I just love the mechanism of this plane. Beautiful, simple, precise.

The plane belongs to my friend James Adams. He's a cabinet maker, a soccer coach, and an engaging curmudgeon residing in La Honda, California, a town where curmudgeons come home to roost - and work with wood.

Babcock: The podcast

I have to apologize. I had the podcast of Babcock all ready to go a month ago with a theme song called "Papa's Blues" that comes straight out of the book. Just as I was getting ready to upload, I happened to be talking to my songwriting partner and we had one of those "aha!" moments - and suddenly a new song emerged, called "Dragonfly." If you're a creative person, these are the moments you live for when it seems like all the meandering threads of your life, and your partner's life, converge for one moment and something divine happens.

As with "Papa's Blues," the song "Dragonfly" also comes straight out of the book. Now I have to integrate it into the podcast. Sorry, but it's worth waiting for.

If you follow the links, you can listen to a preview of the songs:

Dragonfly

Papa's Blues

That book cover, by the way, is by a very talented artist named Shane Evans.

Living With Wood

Never argue with a redwood tree. Just build around it - and leave a little space. This is the rear of Apple Jack's Saloon in La Honda, California.

Brag

Colleen Mondor of the blog Chasing Ray reviewed Clear Heart back in May while I was on my book tour, and I just found out about it. I'm proud because she's one of the most insightful reviewers out there, and she loved the book. You can read the entire review here. The conclusion is:

By the time I closed the final page I thought wow - this is the book every 17 year old boy needs to read. It's about men and women (and how to treat each other); it's about choosing your friends wisely, and it's about work which is something we are all supposed to plan to do but no one ever seems to teach us how to do it well. I simply thought it was wonderful. Highly recommended for discerning teens and anyone interested in a good read about some good people.

Colleen reviews YA titles, so that's the slant of her review. Funny how every time I write a book for and about adults, it ends up appealing to teens, too.

There will always be laundry

Laundry of Shanghai...
So what's this got to do with construction - or writing - or anything?
Well,
I've never seen an architect's rendering of a proposed building that included laundry hanging out to dry.
But laundry happens. I have a passage in Clear Heart that goes:

“If I lived here,” Abe said, “I’d erect a telescope here. Great platform for stargazing.”
“And daytime,” Juke said, “you could check the downhill neighbors. Some lady of leisure. Watch ‘em sunbathe nude and rub up with coconut oil.”
“They do that?”
“I know for a fact. All them rich ladies.”
“If you say so,” Abe said, shrugging. “They’re also mothers, you know. They have children and laundry and stuff.”

Somehow we never include laundry in our sex dreams. Or our fancy plans. Do you think the Chinese architects and builders who drew up scale models and spiffy drawings of those high rises in the background included laundry hanging from the balconies?

There will always be laundry. Including bright red jammies.