Yesterday’s birthday glow

Many thanks for the kind wishes and birthday messages many of you sent yesterday. It was a really nice day. We went out briefly Saturday night, so I officially started Year #44 dancing my fool head head off. The day itself was fairly calm, except for when I played Gretchen Wilson so loud I shook the dust out of the rafters. I spent a lot of time on the phone catching up with all the daughters, worked on my revision, hung out with my parents, went to the gym (want to make it to the next birthday, after all), and was treated to pie and chili courtesy of my Beloved Husband. He and Number One Son also gave excellent gifts: a book about pirates and Jefferson, and Anansi Boys, the latest from an author whose books I worship, Neil Gaiman. Ended the day watching a fire in fireplace.

I adore being the Birthday Queen.

I leave tomorrow for New York City, so it’s laundry, packing, and last minute stuff again today. I am taking Amtrak to NYC instead of a plane in an effort to get more writing time into a travel day. I’ll let you know how that goes. I’ll be speaking at the Academy of Urban Planning on Wednesday afternoon, and I think I’ll be at Long Island City High School in Queens on Thursday morning. Both visits are part of the New York Reads program sponsored by the New York Women’s Agenda. Home by Thursday night, as long as Amtrak doesn’t go belly up.

I have a couple emails I’ll post and respond to when I return. One note to Ms. Putnam who was looking for a list of my books. I have a full list on the website.

42 Replies to “Yesterday’s birthday glow”

  1. Anansi Boys was so very good! The first hardcover I simply had to buy in over a year. I can’t wait to see what you think of it–one of the best parts is seeing an already spectacular author push his work to an even higher level of technique and complexity. Yay Neil!

  2. Anansi Boys was so very good! The first hardcover I simply had to buy in over a year. I can’t wait to see what you think of it–one of the best parts is seeing an already spectacular author push his work to an even higher level of technique and complexity. Yay Neil!

  3. Anansi Boys was so very good! The first hardcover I simply had to buy in over a year. I can’t wait to see what you think of it–one of the best parts is seeing an already spectacular author push his work to an even higher level of technique and complexity. Yay Neil!

  4. Happy happy HAPPY belated birthday! 🙂 I’m so happy you had a great celebration!

    let me know how the train vs plane thing goes. I’m totally not able to write on planes, even during the loooooong 14 hour variety. Say HI to NYC for me! *sigh*

  5. Happy happy HAPPY belated birthday! 🙂 I’m so happy you had a great celebration!

    let me know how the train vs plane thing goes. I’m totally not able to write on planes, even during the loooooong 14 hour variety. Say HI to NYC for me! *sigh*

  6. Happy happy HAPPY belated birthday! 🙂 I’m so happy you had a great celebration!

    let me know how the train vs plane thing goes. I’m totally not able to write on planes, even during the loooooong 14 hour variety. Say HI to NYC for me! *sigh*

  7. i’m glad you had a great birthday:-)! *sings at the top of lungs* “hey i’m a redneck woman i ain’t no high class broad! i’m just a product of my raisin’ i say ‘hey y’all’ and ‘yee-haw'” LOL. what’s your favorite gretchen wilson song? i like “redneck woman” and “here for the party”. well i g2g. hope you have fun on your trip:-)! -ash 🙂

  8. i’m glad you had a great birthday:-)! *sings at the top of lungs* “hey i’m a redneck woman i ain’t no high class broad! i’m just a product of my raisin’ i say ‘hey y’all’ and ‘yee-haw'” LOL. what’s your favorite gretchen wilson song? i like “redneck woman” and “here for the party”. well i g2g. hope you have fun on your trip:-)! -ash 🙂

  9. i’m glad you had a great birthday:-)! *sings at the top of lungs* “hey i’m a redneck woman i ain’t no high class broad! i’m just a product of my raisin’ i say ‘hey y’all’ and ‘yee-haw'” LOL. what’s your favorite gretchen wilson song? i like “redneck woman” and “here for the party”. well i g2g. hope you have fun on your trip:-)! -ash 🙂

  10. I love Redneck Woman and Pocahantas Proud.

    I haven’t heard the new album, yet. I will give it to myself as a reward when this revision is done.

  11. I love Redneck Woman and Pocahantas Proud.

    I haven’t heard the new album, yet. I will give it to myself as a reward when this revision is done.

  12. I love Redneck Woman and Pocahantas Proud.

    I haven’t heard the new album, yet. I will give it to myself as a reward when this revision is done.

  13. Happy Belated Birthday! I don’t much care for cake either. Coconut creme pie is for me.
    I recently found out from a friend that you write here and I just wanted to tell you how much I love your book, Speak. I read it a couple years ago and it really helped me deal with an experience I had similar to Melinda’s. I identify with her unwillingness to actually speak and just tell what happened.
    I was so surprised when I was flipping the channels on TV one night and I saw this movie on Lifetime that seemed very similar (recognized Mr. Neck), and low and behold, it was the movie version of Speak. I think it’s a great adaptation of the book and I’m glad that such a powerful book made it to film.
    I also want to be a writer, 🙂 , but I’m actually more interested in journalism. I’m the Editor of my high school’s newspaper and I’m continuously surprised and amazed at how just talking to people, about themselves, their family, their friends, their lives, can be an amazingly powerful and rewarding experience. I’m writing an article right now about a girl at my school who for the past four years has been a complete outcast, bullied, etc, kind of like Melinda in Speak. I can’t believe I’ve never talked to this girl before and I regret it so much now that I never simply asked her if she was okay. She’s so nice but in typical high school fashion, I ignored it because of rumors and my own insecurities.
    Anyway, when I found out that yes, this journal is actually yours, I had to just say thank you, truly, for writing a book that has come to mean alot to me. And I hope you have a great time in NY! 🙂

  14. Happy Belated Birthday! I don’t much care for cake either. Coconut creme pie is for me.
    I recently found out from a friend that you write here and I just wanted to tell you how much I love your book, Speak. I read it a couple years ago and it really helped me deal with an experience I had similar to Melinda’s. I identify with her unwillingness to actually speak and just tell what happened.
    I was so surprised when I was flipping the channels on TV one night and I saw this movie on Lifetime that seemed very similar (recognized Mr. Neck), and low and behold, it was the movie version of Speak. I think it’s a great adaptation of the book and I’m glad that such a powerful book made it to film.
    I also want to be a writer, 🙂 , but I’m actually more interested in journalism. I’m the Editor of my high school’s newspaper and I’m continuously surprised and amazed at how just talking to people, about themselves, their family, their friends, their lives, can be an amazingly powerful and rewarding experience. I’m writing an article right now about a girl at my school who for the past four years has been a complete outcast, bullied, etc, kind of like Melinda in Speak. I can’t believe I’ve never talked to this girl before and I regret it so much now that I never simply asked her if she was okay. She’s so nice but in typical high school fashion, I ignored it because of rumors and my own insecurities.
    Anyway, when I found out that yes, this journal is actually yours, I had to just say thank you, truly, for writing a book that has come to mean alot to me. And I hope you have a great time in NY! 🙂

  15. Happy Belated Birthday! I don’t much care for cake either. Coconut creme pie is for me.
    I recently found out from a friend that you write here and I just wanted to tell you how much I love your book, Speak. I read it a couple years ago and it really helped me deal with an experience I had similar to Melinda’s. I identify with her unwillingness to actually speak and just tell what happened.
    I was so surprised when I was flipping the channels on TV one night and I saw this movie on Lifetime that seemed very similar (recognized Mr. Neck), and low and behold, it was the movie version of Speak. I think it’s a great adaptation of the book and I’m glad that such a powerful book made it to film.
    I also want to be a writer, 🙂 , but I’m actually more interested in journalism. I’m the Editor of my high school’s newspaper and I’m continuously surprised and amazed at how just talking to people, about themselves, their family, their friends, their lives, can be an amazingly powerful and rewarding experience. I’m writing an article right now about a girl at my school who for the past four years has been a complete outcast, bullied, etc, kind of like Melinda in Speak. I can’t believe I’ve never talked to this girl before and I regret it so much now that I never simply asked her if she was okay. She’s so nice but in typical high school fashion, I ignored it because of rumors and my own insecurities.
    Anyway, when I found out that yes, this journal is actually yours, I had to just say thank you, truly, for writing a book that has come to mean alot to me. And I hope you have a great time in NY! 🙂

  16. bday

    Happy Late Birthday!!!
    I hope you have a GREAT and FANTASTIC birthday. I didnt know it was this soon!?! lol, i think i should start a live journal thingymabober.

  17. bday

    Happy Late Birthday!!!
    I hope you have a GREAT and FANTASTIC birthday. I didnt know it was this soon!?! lol, i think i should start a live journal thingymabober.

  18. bday

    Happy Late Birthday!!!
    I hope you have a GREAT and FANTASTIC birthday. I didnt know it was this soon!?! lol, i think i should start a live journal thingymabober.

  19. Birthday

    Happy Birthday!
    wow, i cant believe you are 44?!? You look like in your 30’s! I am serious! why dont you like cake? Cake is good! meh, so is pie. But I like CAKE better. I finally managed to have time to make one of these thingies. lol.
    ~Jasmine

  20. Birthday

    Happy Birthday!
    wow, i cant believe you are 44?!? You look like in your 30’s! I am serious! why dont you like cake? Cake is good! meh, so is pie. But I like CAKE better. I finally managed to have time to make one of these thingies. lol.
    ~Jasmine

  21. Birthday

    Happy Birthday!
    wow, i cant believe you are 44?!? You look like in your 30’s! I am serious! why dont you like cake? Cake is good! meh, so is pie. But I like CAKE better. I finally managed to have time to make one of these thingies. lol.
    ~Jasmine

  22. Sarah Hale

    Dear Laurie,
    My husband, hence my children are also descendants of Sarah Hale. My husband’s mother grew up in Newport, NH and her mother (Ester Ricard Pollard) lived all her life in Newport. Our family loves, Thank You, Sarah. I was expecting my first child due date Jan 6, 1995 when we chose Sarah Hale for a girl and Benjamin for a boy. We did not know the sex of our child. Imagine our surprise when our baby girl arrived on November 24, 1994, Thanksgiving Day! As you can imagine, Thanksgiving is a super big deal in our family. This year, 2005, is the first year since her birth that she will celebrate her actual birthday on Thanksgiving.

    Just wanted to share. Debbie

  23. Sarah Hale

    Dear Laurie,
    My husband, hence my children are also descendants of Sarah Hale. My husband’s mother grew up in Newport, NH and her mother (Ester Ricard Pollard) lived all her life in Newport. Our family loves, Thank You, Sarah. I was expecting my first child due date Jan 6, 1995 when we chose Sarah Hale for a girl and Benjamin for a boy. We did not know the sex of our child. Imagine our surprise when our baby girl arrived on November 24, 1994, Thanksgiving Day! As you can imagine, Thanksgiving is a super big deal in our family. This year, 2005, is the first year since her birth that she will celebrate her actual birthday on Thanksgiving.

    Just wanted to share. Debbie

  24. Sarah Hale

    Dear Laurie,
    My husband, hence my children are also descendants of Sarah Hale. My husband’s mother grew up in Newport, NH and her mother (Ester Ricard Pollard) lived all her life in Newport. Our family loves, Thank You, Sarah. I was expecting my first child due date Jan 6, 1995 when we chose Sarah Hale for a girl and Benjamin for a boy. We did not know the sex of our child. Imagine our surprise when our baby girl arrived on November 24, 1994, Thanksgiving Day! As you can imagine, Thanksgiving is a super big deal in our family. This year, 2005, is the first year since her birth that she will celebrate her actual birthday on Thanksgiving.

    Just wanted to share. Debbie

  25. Re: Sarah Hale

    What a wonderful story!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. Please pass on my best wishes to your Sarah for a happy birthday. I am sure she is bold, brave, stubborn and strong, just like her foremother.

  26. Re: Sarah Hale

    What a wonderful story!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. Please pass on my best wishes to your Sarah for a happy birthday. I am sure she is bold, brave, stubborn and strong, just like her foremother.

  27. Re: Sarah Hale

    What a wonderful story!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. Please pass on my best wishes to your Sarah for a happy birthday. I am sure she is bold, brave, stubborn and strong, just like her foremother.

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