It’s probably one of the better things in life — right up there with creative breakthroughs and lasting love and the slurp of streetside oysters — to have one’s hat tipped to new and great authors. In my case, it doesn’t happen often, because I’m finicky and discriminating with my own tastes, or as others have said, snotty. Some of my closest friends, in fact, have sworn never again to share enthusiasm of their own discoveries, for fear of my response. I’m not proud of this.
So, several months ago, I may or may not have been at a certain big bookish event, and I may or may not have chatted briefly with a representative of an independent publisher known for foresightedness and inventiveness and openmindedness and other qualities sometimes surprising of publishing types. And during this chat, that may or may not have happened, the publisher may have mentioned an author in her catalogue that may (or may not) gel with my very fussy and finicky tastes, and later, I may or may not have gotten my sticky mitts on an illicit copy of that author’s book of short stories.
And it’s hard to say whether or not any of this actually happened, or whether or not this story is related to that anecdote. I mean, it was several months ago, and we all know what happens to memory. But however I may have come across tonight’s author, when I did it was not unlike experiencing a breakthrough while slurping an oyster on the street with one’s lasting love.
If we’re lucky, you’ll feel the same.
Miette, you’re right. It’s a beautiful and gutwrenching story, and does the autistic first-person way better than Mark Haddon. I listened on a cold long walk home with leaves falling and my nose running, and it was worth every second. Thank you!
Great story-wonderful reader
Great story. I miss Ontario today so it is a double treat for me. Thanks Miette!
Agreed times three. It’s a fantastic story, but you knew -I- knew that. And Sarah, I miss Ontario, too, especially Ottawa, a city with whom my experience has varied between that of Patrick McGoohan in the Prisoner and that of the Scarecrow finally nabbing that Brain in Oz.