Beautiful Baltimore! Laura's books Frequently asked questions Read Laura's past monthly letter Various writings from Laura Sign up for Laura's newsletter Interviews with Laura Friends of Laura and other fun stuff Click here to e-mail Laura Laura's biography Search this site Back to the front page
Letter from LauraClick here to visit Laura's blog 

May 2024Another Thing to Know

The Wisdom of Mac Rebennack

A few months ago, I made an arbitrary decision: No touring after May 1. No events of any kind, actually -- no bookstores, no library talks, no ribbon-cuttings at grocery store openings. So far, I have made exactly three exceptions to this rule: a May 6th event at Marymount in New York, a May 12th event for the Smithsonian, where Richard Price and I will be interviewed on stage by David Simon, and an October event in Indianapolis, because my oldest friend lives there. And, of course, there's Bouchercon in Baltimore, but that's a commitment I made almost three years ago, unfathomable as that now seems.

As I said, an arbitrary decision, according to the second definition of "arbitrary" - random, based on nothing. Technically, it wasn't even accurate, as all touring stopped de facto for me while my family took a 10-day "vacation" in New Orleans, encompassing both weekends of Jazz Fest. (Imagine the Bataan Death March with really great music, and you'll have a sense of our trip. Twice, I feel asleep on my feet while attending late shows at clubs, a new party trick that delights some family members. "At least you know she's trying," one cousin said.)

I had a good excuse for falling asleep on my feet: I was working every morning. One day I had to rush to the hotel's business center to print out a contract, then sign it and fax it back to New York. I was on the 12th floor; at the 6th floor, Dr. John got on. As those who read the Memory Project know, I racked my mind to think what to say and settled for: "I don't want to gush, but I am an ardent admirer." (I decided not to mention that his concert at the House of Blues was one of the ones where I fell asleep.)

Dr. John replied: "That's okay, darling, just keep on doing what you do."

A stock reply, no doubt, although we also chatted a little about how much work he has to do, and how there was no end in sight; he would be going into a recording studio once Jazz Fest wrapped. Still, it struck me as exceptionally good all-purpose advice: Just keep on doing what you do.

What I do is write and this spring/summer, as it turns out, I have quite a bit of writing to do. Which brings us back to a constant question: Is the book-a-year schedule too much? And, as always, I believe it depends on the writer. Whatever you think of my various books, they were all written on the same time schedule, more or less -- begun in January, finished by December. What the Dead Know, in fact, was completed on a crash schedule, delivered a month early so that Morrow could bump up my publication date. So far, I don't see any reason to change my ways. So far.

Just keep doing what you do, darlings, and I'll do the same.



If the Phone Don't Ring, You Know it's Me

I've been trying to keep up with email. I've been failing. Please be patient with me. And it never hurts to read the FAQs!

Click here to visit CincinnatiMedia