Many of my friends have emailed me to say they’ve bought the Good Housekeeping with my story in it. Before I say another word, let me say thank you to those who went out of their way to get a copy. It’s flattering and sweet, and I’m especially cuted out by the guys I know who went and bought their own copy. My friend Chris, current RU MFAer Bernie, my former professor Larry—I get a real kick out of the image of these guys sauntering up to the CVS counter with a GH in their hands.

I got a little bit of guff from a coworker (HI TRISH) about wanting people to buy the magazine. “Do you get a cut?” she wanted to know.

Of course I don’t. I already got my cut, and it was a generous prize. But who wouldn’t want the people she knows to want to read the winning story? That prize and publication is a big deal to me. And it’s the first time that something I wrote (printed on paper) was so easily available. And cheap. I’d like to think that most people I’m friends with (that’s mostly who I told, although I did announce it on Facebook and some of those people are “friends” not friends) wouldn’t mind shelling out $3.49 for something I wrote. Especially something that Jodi Picoult says is good. No, wait. She says it’s “masterful.”

(Swoon. JODI, CALL ME.)

$3.49. More than a copy of Us Weekly, sure, but with ME in it, not Suri Cruise.

Wait. Suri Cruise is cute. Never mind I said that.

So, yeah. I do want people to want to buy the magazine. I hope someday to have a book that I’ll want people to want, too. I hope the short story (and my glamour shot) is worth $3.49, and I hope the someday-book is worth whatever the cover cost is. I’ll do my best to make sure it is.

Other news I want to put out there…
-Two days ago on my way to work I saw a coyote walking across a field near campus, just as coyote as you please in the middle of a major metropolitan area. I slowed down to look and some jackstar roared past me. Hello? Do you see coyotes all the time? ‘Cause I don’t. Not in Major U Ville, anyway.

-I bought a book about pirates. I don’t know why. I have no plans to use this information.

-I got a story idea from something my husband’s best friend told us while he was in town last week. This is the danger of hanging out with a writer. Your stories become my stories. If you have plans to become a novelist, you should start every conversation with me with, “You can’t use this, but—”

-I learned that Jodi Picoult is pronounced PEE-koo. It’s FRONCH.