Bear with me today, will you?
I’m more than a little mellow, sitting here on my balcony at some fabulous resort in Florida, feet up on the rail, Pearl Jam’s Come Back on the iPod. I’m well fed and content, contemplating how lucky I am to be doing what I’m doing. There’s nothing better than this writing gig.
This weekend I’m at the Broward County Literary Feast, an amazing event about which I will go on at great and unrelenting length next week with many, many pictures. Last weekend I was at Left Coast Crime in Denver. Lots of travel these days, which is wearing, but good as well. There’s little I love more than hanging out with people who love books. Had an absolutely fantastic dinner with my publisher (you know it’s all going to be amazing when you start with seared foie gras and when each course is paired with a different wine). Friday morning, I was on a panel with David Corbett, Marcus Sakey, and Eric Stone, moderated by the incomparable Bill Cameron. Topic was sex and violence, and if I do say so myself, we had a pretty darn good time. Marcus bought a pair of handcuffs and threatened to use them, but sadly opportunity did not present itself. I was conned into reading aloud from one of David’s sex scenes (a scene called “heroic” by the Washington Post)…..video here. Be afraid.
It was a very educational weekend. I learned how to smoke a cigar (book research; Emily dabbles occasionally), drink scotch (I’ll stick with bourbon), and a host of amazing and useful things that I’m not going to admit in public (Christa Faust knows all kinds of good stuff). Met new friends, bonded with old ones, spent ten hours in one chair, and even got to watch some Firefly. A wonderful, wonderful weekend.
So I’m up to Yellow Ledbetter on the pod, and ready to go to bed. Gotta leave you with some questions, though. Let’s stick to all things wonderful:
1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
Have a great weekend!
xo
Tasha
P.S. Left Coast pictures here.
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Tasha,
Was that a hint of embarrasment on your face while reading??
1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
The obvious answer is my lovely wife. That’s who I perfer to have by my side anytime. However, I’d love to spend some time on that balcony with my parents, they’ve been gone for a long time.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
I have an afinity for the Hawaiian Islands. We’ve explored almost every inch of Maui and done a cursory exploration of the Big Island. I’d like to explore that further. Go to South Point (The most southern spot of the U.S.) and work my way north.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
I was going to be morbid and say my eulogy, but that’s a bit creepy if you think about it. So, I’ll go with my first novel once it gets in print. (Soon maybe??)
by Will Bereswill on March 14th, 2008 at 7:05 am
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1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
My husband John. We both went through some hard years before finding each other. We’re still (7 years in) in that sickeningly happy stage where we know how lucky we are to be with the other.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
Well, our current fantasy (at least that I’ll talk about here) would be a villa in Tuscany.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
Ooh, some poetry. e.e. cummings. Shakespeare’s sonnets. My husbad has a great “radio” voice, so anything would be great.
by judy larsen on March 14th, 2008 at 8:37 am
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Ah, Denver was sublime, wasn’t it? The best Saturday afternoon I’ve spent in a long time.
1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
My each, obviously. But I’d like to have a few friends along too…
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
I’m in the mood to be snowed in at a country house in the Scottish Highlands, with a warm fire, good books, and plenty of wine.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
Honestly, and all you new writers out there, take note, there is nothing more amazing than hearing your own work read back to you for the first time.
But anything Patrick Stewart wants to quote form Hamlet works for me too…
by JT Ellison on March 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
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OK, people, you can name anyone dead or alive. It doesn’t have to be a romantic confession!
Maybe I’ll come back tomorrow and answer my own questions. It’s late, I’m tired, blah blah blah…….
by Tasha Alexander on March 15th, 2008 at 12:29 am
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1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
My husband and editor/supporter/travel companion extraordinaire.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
Back to the chateau where we were married two years ago in France, only this time with enough money to purchase it!
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
Hmmm… I don’t like hearing things read to me. I’m much more of a visual person. But if I had to choose… probably “Terrence, This Is Stupid Stuff” by Alfred Edward Housman, simply because my husband has a British accent, which adds even more flavor to the poem. He’s also managed to memorize it, which completely confounds me, since it’s such a random piece.
by Michelle Moran on March 15th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
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Oh… and best line from the poem?
“And malt does more than Milton can
To justify God’s ways to man.”
by Michelle Moran on March 15th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
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Michelle, SUCH a great quote! I’m trying to imagine it with the British accent…….
by Tasha Alexander on March 15th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
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1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
** Okay. Since I have neither a husband or significant other as most of you have indicated you would sit on this balcony with, I’ll go into the land of never-gonna-actually-happen and say Jeremy Northam.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
** Well, I suppose I should say his country manor somewhere in England, but I think I’ll have to say Ireland.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
** Song of Solomon…although, I kind of agree with Michelle that I’m not a huge fan of having things read aloud to me.
by Carrie on March 16th, 2008 at 12:14 am
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1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
My husband.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
My family is originally from Puerto Rico. My husband and I have yet to travel there together. I would love to show him what a rain forest looks like in real life instead of on tv or in an aquarium.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
If I could have something read to me it would be some of Pablo Neruda’s poetry. My current favorite being: I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.
by Onelia on March 17th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
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Onelia, the rain forest would be amazing.
And you can never go wrong with Neruda……
by Tasha Alexander on March 18th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
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1. If you could sit on a balcony, feet up, looking at the ocean with anyone, who would it be?
I had hoped it would’ve been you, if nothing more than to chew your ear off. But, alas, I have left the sun-splattered, poolside bar and lounge of the Grande for a frigid, Minneapolis dive. In the midst of my conference, however, I did get significant balcony time.
2. If you could go anywhere in the world with that same person, what would your destination be?
Backstage, waiting in the wings, before a show packed with people. The most revealing comments are always made under that intensity.
3. What would you like to hear read to you?
Words of encouragement. Raunchy musings. ee Cummings. Phonetically correct hightened text, Shaw, Shakespeare, etc.
It was nice to meet you late Saturday (in the lobby), hope you had a great weekend.- AT
by Andrew Thompson on March 20th, 2008 at 11:55 am
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Andrew, you found me! I’m impressed!
Nice reading choices….
Hope you got enough sun to make it through the rest of winter! : )
by Tasha Alexander on March 20th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
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