Stranger Things Happen

Sometimes writing a column is like hollering into the void. You aren't quite sure that anyone is listening or if you're doing any good. I'm kind of lucky in that I will sometimes see a post at the Grapevine that indicates someone read a column. In fact they aren't just reading it, they're assimilated whatever I said and are now referring to it, indicating that it is indeed useful.

Two weeks ago I did a review of Cory Doctorow's Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town. My goal is for my readers to go out and get a copy of this book and have as much fun with it as I did. When I gave it to my beta readers all four of them asked me for the link so they could download it right away. That was satisfying.

Today I am working on a review of Kelly Link's Stranger Things Happen. I am having a hard time with it, mostly because I am so ill today. It's hard to write when my head is pounding, I'm coughing, throwing up and I have stabbing pains in my chest.

When I have to write a column while very sick I worry that it is going to be scattered and all over the place. I just asked Chris if he would read what I had so far. He did and then he took my paper copy of Stranger Things Happen and left. I guess that means it's pretty effective so far.