June 28, 2010

Here’s to the game of poetry and life!

I have learned that, sure, life throws unhittable curve balls—and that if you keep goin' to bat, sure, you’ll strike out. But if you watch and listen, your body and mind and soul will learn.

I have learned that it's never to late to find love—or oneself.

And so we partied not just for this book—though it was a book party!—but for the writing and the hope it offers all of us who sit alone in our attics: the writing is a solitary act and the joys come—small but precious like flakes of snow on a midnight walk.

The book can be found here (Kindle version still not ready: will let you know!): (Re)Making Love, the Book

Here are a few photos from the party!

Jessica DeSoria Dalton designed posters with the book cover in the background, cover design by Zaara The quote from the book: I had been married twenty-one years when D. announced, “I need to live alone.” Oh so Greta Garbo. There was absolutely no noise.




I'm ready and waiting:

The poster that sits behind me quotes from the book: I would have dreamt all this because kitchens and men and new men and old ones and getting old and needing repair, and Viking stoves, and big-chested refrigerators are all about love despite what your stomach tells you. I knew this the way I knew that my kitchen was going, going, gone because I think somewhere deep down I knew that D. didn’t love me anymore.



And this poster quotes: I have looked for my father in every man I’ve dated during the last three years—the years of separation. I sensed him one Saturday night in the expert on eastern European economics with big ears like my father’s, knew he might kiss me.

Here's a photo of Sarah Krouse with me and Colletta, manager of McCormick&Schmick's where the partying happened. Sarah has given her heart and soul to this book, worked as editor, as publicist, as manager, as teacher and shrink! She’s the smartest writer ever to walk into my classroom. And boy can she write. But she’ll also rent zipcars, drink when it’s too late, ride her bike home in the rain, come over when I need her. Drive me to readings. And she works 24-7 as a reporter at the Washington Business Journal. If you think a 64-year-old and a 22-year-old, former student cannot be soulful and true friends: Think again!

And then the partying began: The stylists at Salon Revive have been with me from the get-go. I’ve cried in their chairs while getting my hair done and told them more than I should have! But they don’t know the half of it. That other half is in the book. Thank you, ladies for the artistry of hair and the art of listening! And from the book: Hair and its length in women indicates sexual availability. Think about all the women you’ve known who cut their hair after they have a child. Oh sure, they say they cut it because they don’t have time anymore and there is truth to that assertion: They don’t! Or think about religious traditions including mine that require hair to be cut off or covered once a woman has married.


And folks from Ella's Pizza came!

The Alex's from Kalorama Road where the old lady of a house we sold still sits:

Mark and Sophia!

Howard from Baltimore; and there's Helen too.

Mark with the book:

The fabulous artist Maria Panas

Wendy, Lars, Austin and Tyler:

Sarah and the two Allisons sell books!

Goodnight moon!