Rebecca Flowers

A word on librarians: My mother, for my whole growing up and beyond, ran libraries, as I think I’ve mentioned here before.  This means a few things, for me: 1) I can’t for the life of me return an overdue book/video/DVD.  It’s pathetic, I know.   But the woman spoiled us.  She always kept track of what was due back when, then scooped them up all on her way out in the morning.  I leave library books where they fall, behind beds, under dressers, etc., and only am bothered to hunt for them when the local librarian begins calling.  Pathetic, as I said.  Also I’ve racked up  (and paid) enough fines to build a small library myself.

2)  My face has been exposed more than most humans’ to the blinding (probably cancer-causing) light from the photocopy machine. The library owned the only publically-accessible photocopier in our town, so when my brother and I were parked there waiting for mom to take us home after school, guess what was our favorite activity?  I still remember the first time we did it — you thought we’d inhaled gasoline and invented Pong all at once, we were so impressed with ourselves, and laughed so hard.

3) I have never written in a book.  EVER.  It pains me to even sign my own book, somewhat.  Not enough not to actually do it, of course, but just enough to wince and be glad my mother isn’t there to see it.

4) I really respect the opinions of librarians, who really and actually do read more than all the rest of us put together (those new cut pages!  those crinkly library wraps!).  So I when I logged on this morning to see two glowing reviews of NTCHT by LIBRARIANS,  you know I was excited.  One is here, under the headline (which I love) Chick Lit Grows Up.  And the other came in an email, from the Gale Free Library.

A librarian, loving your book?  There’s just nothing better than that.

(Photo is my mother’s first library, Ella M. Everhard Public Library, in Wadsworth, Ohio.  Photocopiers open to the public!)

I went to the MALL with GIRLFRIENDS yesterday! I *am* still occupied with 1985. Have you noticed how that song has gotten under my skin? HAVE YOU? I noticed it particularly when I was curling my hair back away from my face with my curling iron the other day.

Anyway, hard as it still is for me to accept, I found a swinging two-piece $62 suit at H&M. Jacket, $50. Pants, $12. I KNOW! See, when I was selling computer magazine ads, there would have been zeros on the end of those numbers. But as a FAMOUS AND SUCCESSFUL WRITER? $62 suit.

I’ll be wearing it to my first SIMULCAST today on WAMC. If you happen to be in the listening area, tune in at 11am (click the map!). You can also listen here, on the web. I don’t know the local public access cable channel. You’ll have to figure that out for yourselves.

Oh, and I’ll be wearing my new $20 Madden Girl shoes, from Marshalls.

OK, this is what I love about my old hood in DC, Adams-Morgan, which is the setting for my book. I sent a copy to dear Miss Pixie, of Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot, where I scored most of the furniture for my fabulous fifties retro DC apartment, AND the curvy black desk chair that I still use in my office. You just never knew what you were going to find at Pixie’s. She had all manner of smoking stands, picture frames, couches, chests, just everything. And all of it very carefully hand-picked and vetted by hers truly. She has fabulous taste.

So, Miss Pixie’s had this great location on 18th, where it curves around. The building is actually semi-circular, and very eye-catching. There’s a stolen electronics store on one side, and a high-end florist on the other. I used it as the inspiration for the location of Pru’s shop, so I sent Miss Pixie a copy of the book and note telling her how much I missed the store.

So then I find out, through the magic of the Columbia Heights (next door to A-M) listserv, that Miss Pixie’s is there no more! Eek! I had Googled her and gotten the 18th street address, but I did not VERIFY THIS on her web site, which would have been a good idea. Desperate, I sent a note out over the listserv, asking where Miss P could be found. And today I received an email from MP herself, saying that the mailman had delivered my package to her HOME address, because he knew she had moved her store. Lucky girl, she lives just across the street from where I used to, on Columbia Road.

Sounds like something that might happen in a place like Lenox, MA, doesn’t it? Nope, Washington, DC.

ONE is getting to be on Joshilyn Jackson‘s web site — the girl can write like a fool, and she has a well-deserved gigundo reading population of incredibly smart and likeable fans. Thank you, again, for having me for the 4-Q!

And the second is this. I am #1 on the topic of SINGLE WOMEN! ME! MRS FORMERLY SINGLE WOMAN HERSELFT! Can I just tell you? I wrote the BOOK on single women…and now we have the proof! I know the image isn’t great — but it says that as of 5pm Friday, April 11, a day after release, NICE TO COME HOME TO is the #1 selling book in the category of Literature & Fiction >> Women’s Fiction >> Single Women. We didn’t even have to get down to the >>Single Women with Cats subcategory! And if the Single Women’s category isn’t enough, check out the Sisters category. #3!! See addedum below! (Click the pic for a larger image – you may have to click on that image, too, for a close-up.)

Urgent 11pm UPDATE: OK, now NTCHT is only second to the ORIGINAL Sense & Sensibility on the “Sisters” subcategory. This is, mind you, until the universe rights itself again. But while we’re in wild freefall I’m going to slap this up here so I can look at it when I’m eighty. Or until I’m eighty.