Early in her career, Morgan Jerkins was an editor at Catapult Magazine, where she bought the first short story I ever sold—Polymorphia. I lapped up Jerkins’s nonfiction books and am just finishing her new novel, ZEAL, a sweeping family saga set during Reconstruction. If you love a love story, and a beautifully written epic, ZEAL is for you.
Last week, writer Lauren Woods unveiled the coolest thing in Washington: DC’s and maybe the country’s first book vending machine. [Find it at 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; Western Market]. Washingtonian Magazine was rightly very excited about this.
I never thought a book vending machine would be part of my tour, but I was thrilled to read at the ribbon cutting.
It’s been a joy to meet readers. To me, it’s a miracle when someone talks about a character or an idea in your book. They get what you’re trying to do, and you pinch yourself. At least I do!
I had a wonderful conversation with Helena Campbell at Main Point Books, in Wayne, PA. With 5 viola players in the audience, we talked about what it feels like to do the arduous work to become a professional, and what it feels like to play in an orchestra. We also talked about protagonist Adam’s conflicted experience of grieving his mother, Adele Pearl, a world famous pianist. My book is about love and grief, which touches all of our lives.
May I ask you to post reviews on Goodreads or Amazon (as I haven’t asked for enough!!)? It’s really helpful in the mysterious land of book sales.
I’ll be returning to Philadelphia at 6:30 PM on June 17 at Head House Books [619 South 2nd Street], in conversation with Paul Lisicky. There is a $5.00 charge and you can get tickets here.
Please join me Tuesday night May 27 at 7 PM at Wellesley books with writer Joan Wickersham.
Last week, we had a beautiful, if poignant PEN/Faulkner tribute to Dr. Carla Hayden, the nation’s top librarian, who was in absentia. Darth Vader is afraid of books, and reading, and literacy, and ideas, so he fired this national treasure. It feels a little like firing Benjamin Franklin. Along with many others, I am heartbroken and horrified.
Garth Greenwell won the PEN/Faulkner Award for his stunning book, SMALL RAIN, a close up view from an Iowa hospital bed during COVID. Greenwell renders this experience a profound meditation on sickness and health, love and death. To hear my interview with him, check out an earlier Substack: “Garth Greenwell on Writing Intimacy.”
Republic of Cruelty
Eric Ward has devoted much of his career to studying anti-Semitism and how it animates white nationalism. During this sad week, I highly commend his work. An easy way to find his cogent analyses and essays is on LinkedIn.
The following social media links are from the Center for Biological Diversity [my partner works there]. Please share them to your feeds. With a contribution of $445 million to Darth Vader’s re-election campaign, Big Oil is driving terrible policies.
Instagram reel:
Instagram story:
Facebook story: https://www.facebook.com/stories/107058434782365/UzpfSVNDOjY5MTc5MjI0MDIxMjc4NQ==/
Sending love,
Martha
P.S. ICYMI, here is last week’s Substack/newsletter, “Swimming in the rain.”
Great piece. Martha.