It was great to be in Boulder this last week. I caught up with many dear folk, including various former students and teachers who’re now just good friends. I also spoke on Bobbie Louise Hawkins and publishing in two different classes at Naropa, drank lots of tea, bought even more, read tarot cards, was driven through a snowstorm (eek!), beheld winter wonderland mountains, heard all about feeding baby squirrels from a chum who’s a volunteer at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, bought books at my spiritual home slash favourite bookshop in the whole wide world, and also acquired a super little brass deer (super heavy too) from an antique (junk) shop in gold town turned casino town Central City. The little brass deer, who’s currently lying on the mantelpiece (lazy slut), has a special name, but I’m saving that for a story. But best of all it was great to be around all those creative friends, and feel that here, thousands of miles away, we’re all still connected.

In other reports:

From Publishing Perspectives, Have We Already Reached ‘Peak E-Book?’ contains some interesting analysis of ebook readerships and consumption. (But I am worried: even in US style, aren’t those closing quotes supposed to go before the question mark?! Must check my Chicago Manual. Okay, I thought so – it should be … Reached ‘Peak E-book’? And myself, I prefer ebook over e-book. Ack.)

While I was at Publishing Perspectives (I love that site), I came across an older article that is well worth a read in this month of NaNoWriMo: Good Books Are Worth The Wait. But do NaNoWriMo anyway – it can really help with discipline and your writing process. But later, be realistic, and think about the value of sloooow.

And finally, from Andrew Shaffer, links and round-up on the protectionist estate of William Faulkner: Faulkner Estate Suing Sony Over Use Of Single Quote. Extraordinary.