Our part of St. Louis lost power on Friday evening, a little before nine. Tonight (Monday), a few minutes after nine, we regained power. Many people had a great deal of property damage; thankfully, I don't think a life was lost because of these tornadoes that dropped in for a visit. I figure, houses and cars can be replaced; loved ones can't.
On Thursday I went to see Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns and now his most recent novel, And the Mountains Echoed. His second book, Suns, is one of my all-time favorite books.
This is Khaled Hosseini signing his book. |
He gave the audience some helpful hints. If you want to be a three-time best-selling author like he is, do this:
- become a political refugee
- come to a country where you don't know anyone
- learn a foreign language
- get into a profession (like medicine) that takes 10 years of school (Hosseini is a doctor and has lived in the U.S. since 1980) and then work on writing a book
"I take my kids to school, I sit at my computer and hope something happens." (That's what all writers do...we hope something magical happens...)
The woman who interviewed him asked a few silly questions. One of them was, "Why don't your stories have happy endings?" He responded as kindly as he could.
I finished the book this morning. (I read it by flashlight for the past couple of nights.) It did not disappoint...
I've heard that his new book is fabulous, but I haven't read it yet!
ReplyDeleteMama Zen--It has many different story lines, which all converge at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI think he left out one of his hints: be a handsome man with a pleasant smile.
ReplyDeleteVal--He IS easy on the eyes...
DeleteLove that Rumi quote -- a mantra for those of us who are opposed to judgmentalism. (And now the computer is judging me -- with a red underscore -- for typing that word... I think I'll head to the field!!!)
ReplyDeleteKatie--That quote IS a keeper.
DeleteThat's dedication, reading by flashlight. (Gosh, yes. He's mighty fine to look at. Mighty fine.)
ReplyDeleteP.S. I haven't even gotten around to Lynn's award yet!!!
P.P.S. Poor Foley! (But the Cone of Shame made me laugh--sorry, Foley. Blame the crazy woman you live with--) :-)
Cathy--Hey, I had no choice. A compelling novel + no power = reading by flashlight.
DeleteFoley is happier now. Tell Lisa we got him a BooBooLoon, and now he can hear and see while his paw is healing.