reading nation

If you could create your own National Holiday, what would it be and when?
Submitted by John M.

I think it would be national Cake day, and everyone would have a day off and eat cake or cupcakes. Cheesecake would count too, I guess. And it would be during that long stretch of no national holidays that happens between mid Feb and the end of May. Sometime at the beginning of April, I'd say.

What do you do for fun when you're broke? 
Submitted by Kim. 

I go to the San Diego zoo, since i have an annual membership, or go for a walk in Balboa park.
I knit something.
I play a game on the Wii and have snacks.
I invite my sister over to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I go to the beach.

What treats do the kids in your family leave out for Santa?  What treats did you leave for him as a child?

When I was little we always left cookies and milk, and in the morning they'd be gone and there would a real live letter from Santa in their place! It was always a nice thank you for the cookies, with some sort of greeting and sometimes even a little explanation about the presents and to prove that he got my letter. Like, one year I remember really vividly asking for a computer (this was probably, oh, 1983, I am such a nerd) and Santa apologized for there being no computer but gave me a really cool electric typewriter instead (yes, I had asked for one of those as well. nerd!).

I really wish I still had those letters, and that typewriter.

this is a test.

yay!

What is your favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table?
Submitted by Kadeeae.  

My husband makes the best mashed potatoes in the whole wide world. Potatoes and pumpkin pie. Mmmm.

Film & TV writers are on strike, which means everything except reality TV could halt production.  Do you support the strike?  Are any of your favorite shows in jeopardy?

I am very concerned about Pushing Daises. Very! How will I live without my fix of highly stylized quirk if this strike goes on too long? Big daddy needs new yarn!

Seriously, though, I do support the writers. And I wish I could go up to LA and hang out with them at the picket lines, because Whedonesque.com sent Jane Espenson some pizza the other day. How fun would that be? Pizza and picketing with Jane Espenson!

If you want to know more about why the writers are striking check out Brian K Vaughn's enlightening blog post.

The rest of the county is not in great shape. And our air is pretty awful. But in the central city we are doing just fine, no fires, still have power. Just wanted everyone to know. Thanks for all the kind thoughts and concern, but here close to downtown we are not in any danger. Just very sad as we watch the news and see so much loss and suffering.

My heart goes out to the hundreds of thousands of San Diego County evacuees and the people who have lost their homes and businesses.

On Sunday we went for a bike ride in the morning. It was the most beautiful day. The sun was shining, not a cloud for miles. A light breeze cooled us down as we rode around our neighborhood. It was the way San Diego is supposed to be. It might not be like that again for a while.
 

Which runway show at New York Fashion Week do you wish you could attend?

Zac Posen.

Where do you get recommendations for new books to read?

Hee. I work in the cataloging department of a library, so I see them all day long. And my husband works in a bookstore, so he brings suggestions home a lot too. Other than that, I get recommendations from my librarian friends or from book reviews.

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could never fail? 
Submitted by BeckyPink. 

Ha. This one's easy because my answer is always the same. Write my bestseller and make my living as a writer.