Big shoutout to Virginia Watts, one of the OGs at OSP! Her short story collection, ECHOES FROM THE HOCKER HOUSE, just landed on the shortlist for the 2024 da Vinci Eye Award and the Eric Hoffer Book Award. As the editor on this project, I gotta say, these stories are straight-up mesmerizing. They’ll take you on a journey you will not be able to forget, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you binge-read the whole thing in one go. Virginia, you’re killing it! Fingers crossed for the win! PS. Virginia already won this one!
Thanks to Aunt Lee& Nathan, Sophie and Mouse, and I are spending the weekend in Idyllwild.
This means we eat what we want!
Brunch at The Red Kettle. Mom: chili, peach pie, coffee. A real Agent Cooper kinda-lunch, and they make a damn fine cup of coffee. Sophie & Mouse: Chicken strips with fries, and beaucoup gravy, and apple juice.
Then we go shopping and buy dumb stuff: shaved ice candy necklaces salt water taffy small felted rabbit crazy expensive bath bombs and earrings (for Sophie) and adding to Mom’s huge, and Sophie’s non-existent button collection:
While we were shopping we went into one store that had all these beautiful blown glass items, quite large, in a case under the counter. “Those are so pretty!” said Sophie. “What are they?”
“Those are bongs,” I said, “you use them to smoke weed and get high.”
“Oh my gosh,” said the woman behind the counter (about my age, store owner I surmise), “I love that. So matter-of-fact, and no judgement.”
I also bought a pro-choice button (which is already affixed to the hoodie I wore to the 2016/17 Women’s march on Washington (the hoodie that is signed by all the people who were on the bus with me…. always have a Sharpie about your person, okay?), so the shopkeep and I had a good long talk about legislators legislating weed, and trans folks, and women’s bodies, when there’s MAGA and mass shootings, and anti-semitism, and all the things that are sooooooo wrong with USA right now, so we got along really well. And I bought Sophie her first bong. (Nope, just kidding on that last part…. Have you ever used a bong? I never have, though I have seen a few in action.
Then stop at the little grocery in town (there are two) and rustle up the perfect dinner. Sophie declared it was better than Thanksgiving!
Sophie… by request: Pillsbury crescent rolls, Spam, peas, mashed and gobs of gravy. For Mom, fruit, olive bread smeared with labne, grilled halloumi, Q ginger beer.
Then we played Trash Pandas, and M.A.S.H. Sophie won Trash Pandas, but lost at MASH as she is going to live in a shack with her friend from school, drive a murder van, and make $0.003/year as an origami instructor. I am going to marry Eddy from Two-Set Violin (I like Eddy, but I was hoping to get 1970 Paul McCartney), have one child, and make a million dollars a year as a singer (funny that “successful novelist” is not in my future.). Oh! And I get to drive Vera’s Land Rover (see the British TV show VERA).
Interrupting the weekend for a little bit tomorrow to have a Devil’s Party Press author marketing meeting. Trying to build a community among the authors and Dave and me so that we can all foster each other’s success. Men work from sun to sun, but a publisher’s work is never done.
If you get a chance to visit Idyllwild, it’s fun. I even like the round and round drive up the mountain (Sophie takes motion sickness pills and puts a blanket over her head…. so experiences may vary. You do you.)
Dianne Pearce Writes 