Lately in Books

Here are a few nice things that have happened lately in my worlds of books and publishing:

1) I made the painting above of a random bit of one of my bookshelves (in the B section).
2) I impulsively popped into a bookstore and bought Rainbow Rowell and Patti Smith's new books--in and out in about ninety seconds. I then proceeded to read Carry On in less than forty-eight hours and it is SO FUN! If you like sassy YA romance OR Harry Potter I highly recomend.
3) While menu-planning for the week I had one of those lovely moments where something ordinary and obvious suddenly reveals its true lovely and exceptional nature: because, man, aren't cookbooks just so pretty and cool?
4) I received some relatively mundane book materials from one of my authors, the delightful Rae Dunn, in the most glorious-looking package.
5) Attended a lecture by my author Toni Greaves (whose amazing new book is Radical Love) and then she came by the Chronicle Books office to have her photo taken in our special new nook for the taking of photos of authors along with five copies of their books when they come to visit.
6) I had an author lunch were I was the author, and my editor was the editor! He even had my name on a special folder, put there with a label-maker and including an exclamation point. I felt very special. And can I just say? Having an editor is fabulous. It makes me feel good about what I've been doing all these years.