A (Brief) Conversation With Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen is one of the writers I've not read that I know I'll enjoy. Call it guilty pleasure by association, but knowing that he's got a yen for Christopher Moore's work and that of N.M. Kelby, whose Whale Season was fun, suggests that I'd like Hiaasen's work too.

To get a slightly better idea of who Hiaasen is -- other than his being a writer for the Miami Herald -- take a look at this blog entry at the New York Times. It's pretty slim pickings, actually, but I'll accept it and wait till I get something tastier and even more satisfying.

The Elephant's Birthday

It's hard for me to believe that I started this blog a year ago today. It's been slow-going; I don't post here nearly as often as I do at my Coffee Cup. But sometimes this blog feels more important to me than the other one -- or the others I've scattered to the wind, for that matter. To me, this site is about potential -- sometimes realized, sometimes now, both mine and that of published authors. I have a vision for what I want this particular blog to become; it would be related to when I actually get my first novel published, and then the next, and the next...

Blogs are inherently self-serving, which heightens my bittersweet feelings toward them. They focus on personal interests, basically in a journal form. They're only as popular as the author/blogger allows them to be. I don't do much promoting of either of these sites, though I've noticed some increase lately in their traffic levels.

But I'd like the Elephants' Bookshelf to be more than that. On this anniversary, however, I'm going to feel fortunate for having been able to spend a little bit of time each month to keep this going. Thanks to those of you who've visited. And while I haven't seen too many comments, I know you're out there. Let me know what you'd like to see more of here.

Another Life Ruined?

It turns out that the student driving David Halberstam was probably the one at fault in the accident that caused the writer's death. The AP article paints a none-too-pretty future for the young man, who reportedly considered Halberstam a mentor. Moreover, the boy's past was a point of interest, as he'd had several traffic infractions, including a DUI while still a minor (not that it's acceptable when of age.)

I feel sorry for the kid, and I hope he'll be able to recover from this situation. At the same time, I wouldn't blame Halberstam's widow for doing whatever she decides she needs to do. His death was quite clearly untimely.

Sounds Like a Story

The "double helix" life of JT Leroy and Laura Albert is being examined in court, and the New York Times discusses it from both the legal and emotional perspectives. Apparently, the case is about whether a contract to produce her novel Sarah as a movie is legal since she signed it as JT Leroy, her literary pseudonym; but the story is about the harried life the real writer lived, mixed with fictionalization. To me, this court case offers the perfect frame in which to spread the canvas of a movie. Sounds like a solution to me. Perhaps the court costs can be woven into the film's budget.