"Cambridge Voices" anthology is out!

Cambridge Voices: A Literary Celebration of Libraries and the Joy of Reading is out! I have five copies in my hot little hands (well, ok, on my bookshelf) and I cannot wait to read the contributions by such luminaries as Jill Lepore, Matthew Pearl, Robert Pinsky, Gail Mazur, and others (my own contribution is a Dulcie short story). Supposedly, those who do not live in our fair city will soon be able to purchase this pretty little collection from the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library website. Otherwise, give a call to Harvard Book Store or Porter Square Books. This nifty volume would make a great last-minute gift - and it supports our library, too!

Meant to post this earlier - my review of "The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein," by Peter Ackroyd, a really fun and smart reimagining of the classic.

Celebrating our NEW LIBRARY!!

The Cambridge Public Library's main branch - right by me - has been closed for several years while the original, wonderful Gothic-style 1889 main building was renovated and a beautiful high-tech green wing was built. Jon and I have watched the building, etc., come together, oh so slowly, and on Sunday we joined the THRONGS (yes! throngs! This is Cambridge, after all) who came to the grand opening. SO PSYCHED!!

From the Boston Globe:
"The Cambridge library is one of the best recent pieces of architecture in the Boston area. And it’s one of the best pieces of old architecture, too..."

photo courtesy of Bob Coe. Click through to the library's site for the full slide show.

Not quite a mystery...

Well, ok, there is a small element of suspense in my short story, "Lady in Waiting," but there are no bodies and no crimes have been committed. Instead, it's a sweet, little mystery I've written for a book called Cambridge Voices, a collection celebrating the renovation of my local (Cambridge, Mass.) library. There's a cat in it, of course, and the story takes place on the grounds of the library. I'm looking forward to its publication and will let folks know how to purchase the book when it becomes available. Right now, though, a big part of the mystery is when exactly my local library will re-open. This grand, beautiful, and historic (opened in 1889) Richardsonian Gothic building has been closed for renovations for something like two years now. For a long time, it seemed like nothing was happening, but in recent months, we've seen them dig up the beautiful grounds for an underground garage, re-shingle the turret, and start to build the futuristic extension. But the organizers now say that Cambridge Voices will be published in early spring, 2009. So here's hoping!