Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
No one’s more surprised than I am at the play Tinsel got in Sunday’s Dallas Morning News. Above the fold on page 1A of the print edition, with an article by Jessica Meyers — with a nice picture of Caroll and Marissa on the inside jump page. Jessica and I met for the interview in Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre a few weeks ago. We walked up and down the mall — and even stopped for one of the chair massages by the Chinese guys. Derba came along. Diet cherry limeades at the food court Sonic for everyone.
But wait, that’s not all! Rod Dreher, a Morning News opinion editor and columnist, who has already blogged a little about the book on BeliefNet, also had a column about the book in Sunday’s paper.
There’s only one tiny thing in the main article that, to me, gave the wrong impression: Tammie Parnell and I are most certainly still in contact and have talked a lot about the book. I’m not sure why Tammie chose not to return Jessica’s phone calls — it is totally her choice; I’ve really left it up to the people in Tinsel to decide what they want to do now that the book is out, to feel free to say anything, or nothing at all. But Tammie’s still very much a part of my world.
The only other thing? That whole “Pulitzer finalist” business — which is in the headline on the web site version of the story. Who cares? That happened an age ago. There was a great line in a George Clooney rom-com almost as long ago, where Clooney plays a columnist who says something like “I was a Pulitzer finalist!” and his editor barks back at him: “Nobody almost wins the Pulitzer!” or something like that. What movie was that? Michelle Pfeiffer was in it. Their giant cell phones got switched up and shenanigans ensued.
Oh, pish-posh. I really cannot complain about a word of any of this, and will now write a note of thanks to Jessica for her smart questions and thorough job. I find that no matter what people say about the book, I’m interested and grateful that they’ve read it. I’m quite serious when I say that I want to hear any and all opinions about Tinsel — and I’m willing to post them here if anyone wants to share.
That’s *excellent*!! Very impressive!
I put in my order on Amazon today, along with a Bollywood DVD, a Pink Martini CD and a book that my friend Greg wrote about Army generals.
If I bring my Tinsel to Judy and Molly’s Christmas party will you sign it for me?
Congratulations on these reactions to your book. The publicity is
great, and both the article and column are pretty well done. I
especially liked the last sentence of the Meyers piece re putting
Applebee’s back in the picture. A great way of capsulizing both
the focus of the book and what it is about contemporary holiday
customs that makes them what they are.
I’m curious re what you thought of Dreher’s column. As I said on
my FB post, I thought his hope that your people would reveal the
“deeper meaning” of Christmas in their lives in a way that is
compatible w/ his religious views got in the way of him appreciating
them as people in the way that you seem to have done.
Of course, you don’t want to get in the business of arguing w/ your
reviewers, but the people who come to your readings might be
interested in hearing your thoughts on this column–and others as
they appear.
Finally, I agree w/ you re the headline in the print version of
Jessica Meyers’s article.
Just curious: Are you aiming for talk shows–either radio or TV?
Diane Rehm and Terry Gross seem like good possibilities. Unlike
many interviewers, they actually seem to read the books they talk
about. Also Jeffrey Brown on The Newshour.
Will there be an excerpt in the Post?
Hank: Sorry to be late to the party, but wanted to let you know I’m really enjoying the blog. (And the George Clooney-Michelle Pfeiffer rom-com you were trying to think of was “One Fine Day.”)