dona's 365

I met Tillie Olsen at an intimate reception after she spoke at AU in 1999. When I told her that her story I Stand Here Ironing helped me raise my daughter more than any professional advice could, she took my hand and said, “You must write a story about that.”

Of course I never met C. S. Lewis. He died before I knew of him and his Narnia. Nevertheless, he had a huge impact on who I am today. He’d probably not be pleased with what I took away from his writing though. I’m probably more pantheist than anything else.

Sitting on the floor of Janet’s living room drinking wine, I declared my admiration that she’d been published. She laughed and said it was no big deal; the romance phase was just for practice. She had something else cooking. I see that she’s now on number twelve of that idea.

Prolific writer of sometimes funny, sometimes gut-wrenchingly sad, but always on-target songs, Dan Bern has been a part of my life since 1997. I never know what I’m going to get at a Dan Bern concert, but I know it will be memorable. I’ve learned to arrive with no expectations.