My calendar shows a mere 31 events left! And, really, it all tapers off after the end of April
It’s Sunday morning and I’ve attacked the usual sections of the Times, in the usual order — Book Review, the magazine (great Joe Hill profile by Baltimore Noir contributor Ben Neihart), Styles, Week in Review, etc. The Book Review is an odd document for me. I really find it hard to read negative reviews of almost anyone’s work, with the exception of known jerks.
Speaking of reviews . . . the SO found one of mine last night, by Oline Cogdill. I skimmed through it, but I’ll go back and read it again, so I can e-mail Oline about it. While I try to avoid reading my reviews closely and I don’t go looking for them, there are critics who deserve to be read with the same care and thoughtfulness that I want critics to bring to my work. I don’t ever respond to the specifics, pro or con — that would be pretty cheeky. But Oline has been reviewing my work going all the way back to Butchers Hill. I consider her a friend, but her ability to walk the line is nothing short of amazing. Hey Poynter, if you’re looking for someone to teach a class on ethics, Oline Cogdill is your woman.
By the way, I broke my self-imposed ban on checking Amazon and BN.com this week. First of all, I was told that I should watch my BN number, because it would jump after the Tuesday e-mail went out. Jump it did, going as high as #5 and remaining in the top 15 every day. I also checked Amazon, curious about how high I would bounce from CBS — and, conversely, how quickly I would fall. I know these numbers are not measures of sales, but indicators of velocity. The fact is, WTDK has gotten as high as 92 on the Amazon list, even higher than it was in the first 24 hours after the CBS interview, and I’m now curious to see if Weekend Edition Sunday has an effect on it. (With Liane Hansen’s dulcet tones, how could it not? Doesn’t Liane Hansen make everything and everyone sound smarter? Seriously, speaking to Liane reminded me of an interview I did years ago with W.S. Merwin, in which I found that I was absolutely brilliant on the subject of poetry for the course of an hour or so, remembering long-forgotten lines and writers, tossing off poetical allusions as if they were lyrics from Ethel Merman musicals. Then he left for the airport and I was stupid again.)
I looked at the top of this entry again, the countdown. The fact is, a friend is checking off a much more important countdown — the number of radiation treatments she has left. Diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this winter, she was fortunate enough to need only radiation, no chemo, but that’s still pretty enervating. She has kept her friends up-to-date with funny, cheery e-mails about the experience. She will finish her treatments this week, having maintained an amazing attitude throughout.
Oline’s review is terrific! But David, you’re no small potato in that category either.
Laura, your B&N and Amazon numbers are staggering, but don’t drive yourself nuts with that, please. Here’s wishing you (and your friend) stamina for the rest of the run.
There are many examples of why Oline is such a fine reviewer – and why I’ve learned a great deal from her work over the years – but the one that sticks in my mind is her take on Michael Connelly’s THE NARROWS, which was the ONLY review that was completely spoiler-free and still showed, in great and incisive detail, why this book was (in her mind) one of Connelly’s best. If that isn’t walking a fine line, I don’t know what is, but she put a lot of reviewers to shame with her approach.
I heard the Weekend Edition interview a little while ago. Very nicely queried by Liane, and Mr W and I enjoyed listening to you both.
I hope to meet you at Tattered Cover later this week – have a safe trip!
Friends with cancer/undergoing therapy seems a constant in my life the last few years. You notice it? I FINALLY, what six weeks post LCC? am getting to the point where I can do what I swore I would do and am going to start providing dinner for a friend undergoing chemo. There’s little I can do to help other friends – either they’re too far away or I’m useless for what they need (rides places, childcare). Jane’s chemo is once every three weeks so she’s actually got a life in between and is half-way through but she lives 3 blocks away so food is what I can do and she says it’s very welcome. We’ve hit an age, I guess, where there’s no getting away from cancer. Most friends are surviving that’s for sure but yeah, I try to keep track of dates and numbers too.
Years ago when I finally convinced myself to try reviewing, it wasn’t easy. One of the major things that held me back was that I simply KNEW too many writers and how could I review books by my acquaintances and friends? It’s definitely possible, as they taught me. Be FAIR, be articulate and the friendship will probably survive even a negative review. (mostly. But then if I hate a book I don’t review it either). Friendships are more important that reviews, that much I know.
Louise, I don’t obsess. (#75 at Amazon, 12 at B&N). These are not important markers in terms of sales. Just an interesting byproduct of what makes people go online to check out a book.
Terrific review by Oline. You would be pleased. Best to your friend on radiation.
P.S.: One more check before bedtime: 63/11.
And Sarah W. calls you one of “the best in the business” as she links to the Cogdill review.
Oline is the Queen of Crime Reviewing, without a doubt. (She also has excellent taste.)
This is a fan posting. I am 3/4 the way through What The Dead Know and I am enjoying it so much I had to stop and let you know. I am trying to decide now if I want to hazard a guess about the ending or just wait and see what happens. This morning, I considered making my own diagram and indexing the pages to note what I believe are clues to see which ones turn out to have been correct. Man, this is the best one yet, this book. It is so much fun to read with those amazing twists and turns. Yesterday I was reading and you dropped a clue that I had never even considered. I had to back up and read that passage again, then stop and ponder what it all meant. This is delicious. Thank you so much for writing this. Am I gushing? Oh, sorry.
I am no enemy of a good gush.