“Because everyone knows this: That the impossible happens once to each of us.” ~The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells, by Andrew Sean Greer (TILGW) “You can just say no. You don’t have to give a reason.” It’s May, 2014, I’m 44 years old, and my pal is talking me through the mechanics of turning down a particular invitation. And although I am a little embarrassed to be this far into the game to be learning her lesson, I also remember with painful clarity every “no” I’ve ever uttered. Maybe that's hard to believe, but I swear: I’m telling the truth. *** If you had asked where I lived back in the early 2000’s, I would have said on “King of Curls Way” and you would have known that was just off Freeport Blvd., across from Raley’s, on the street with the 24-hour hair braiding shop at the corner. Mine was the fifth house in on the left, the one with a combination of wooden shakes, blue siding, and white trim. A charming original 960 square foot 2 bedroom/1 bath 1939 Hollyw...
by SalliAnne Maliguine on Monday, 31 December 2012 at 12:57 · “Parts of Fliegelman’s Desire take place in a bookstore, and this last year I met a young woman working at a Tower Books in Sacramento. . . She had read my novel, it seems, and was swayed enough by it to take a job in a bookstore.” ~Lewis Buzbee, “Confessions of a First Novelist” By the time I hit twenty I felt accomplished: I'd retired from dancing, enrolled in classes at Sierra College, and worked a series of temporary office jobs. With the dream of one day becoming a waitress, I interviewed for, and landed, a job as counter-girl at Sam’s Kosher Deli. On day three of the job, while slicing bagels, chatting with the boss about a movie that had just hit the theaters, my left middle finger went through the meat slicer. Seventeen stitches later, I let go of my food service fantasy. At about that time, a friend invited me to join her for an afternoon at Sacramento Reads, a festival in a park. I said...