Tayari's Blog: Report From The Road: NYC (downtown)

Maude read from her novel in progress-- being brave enough to share with us a never-before-read section. It was really well received. I hope this gives her a little jolt to hurry and finish so we can all find out what happens next!

Many of my friends were there and this was special for me because most of then were people I'd met at various writing colonies at different stages of completion of THE UNTELLING.

Merril Fietell, author of Here, Beneath Low-Flying Planes, is a lovely writer, lovely person whom I met at MacDowell a couple of years ago, when I was trying to figure out what the story was about. Also, in attendance was Daniel Scott who is the author of an oustanding short story collection called Some of Us Have to Get Up In The Morning. I met him at MacDowell too. Click here to see what one of my former students has to say about Daniel.

Kirstin Peterson, whom I met at the Ledig House when I was still wondering whether I had what it took to even write a second novel showed up. I love seeing her.

Of course, my Yaddo pals parked themselves on the front row. Gina Gianfrido, whose play After Ashley has been nominated for every award there is was seated next to Sarah Schulman. Sarah is wise and smart and funny and tells me things that I need to know even when I don't want to hear them.

Last, there was Doug Jones who I have known from the very start.

Thanks, y'all, for making the evening so special for me.

Love,
Tee