Momentous Day

Yes a big thrill.

No it wasn't the fact that the full New York Times Sunday crossword was again completed in record time -- for the sixth week in a row I think. It's childish, I know but I do feel proud of being able to polish that off. And I remember first showing up to NYC and not even being able to do the easy Monday puzzle.

No, the thrill came from printing out a new draft of the novel. (The earlier revised drafts are piled to over a foot high on the shelf.) But this time it means I'm getting closer to a more final version that I can send around to a few readers and then publishers. Now a big read-through and a couple of inserts and then I'll see just where it stands.

But I took a break over the early evening and went to Chapters where I saw that Elizabeth McCracken's book In The Giant's House is out, finally. I first saw her work the Granta where her voice was as warm and seductive as baking bread. It will go onto my reading list.

I also came home with A Clockwork Orange, since I didn't have it on the shelf and it's really one of the required. (No Norton version of this one yet -- wouldn't that be a joy). I'll be reading that again soon.

Now I've reached the point where every time I turn around someone else is touching upon a theme of my new novel. Life does that. When I finally burn out I watch whatever movie is on to unwind. Late last night it was Sex and Lucia, a terrific Spanish movie with Paz Vega. (A writer theme) and recently The Talented Mr. Ripley (whoops, what did they do to the ending? It was like a guest who stayed way too long. Terrible ending.) But this movie touched on identity and Italy -- although the theme waffled between that and the intent bound with evil, and whether people can exist unethically, and so on until I stopped looking. Then a friend dropped by in early evening and talked about a movie she'd seen regarding a writer in Italy. (As you can guess a small part of my novel revolves around a writer and Italy.)

So I have felt a bit haunted by all of this. Nevermind. Tomorrow I get a fresh can of whup-ass start on this hard-copy draft. Not much can beat that optimism.