Archives - Weekly Update

I actually am writing this letter the day before Thanksgiving since I am attempting to have a quiet, relaxing holiday weekend. For all of you who know me well, stop snickering; I do hear you. I am making a mega-course Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and to date have not prepared one thing. Thanksgiving is all about chopping while watching the parade and then trying to time everything so you can have dinner at a reasonable hour with all food hot and available at exactly the same time. No wonder we need a long weekend to follow this!

I love traveling for business or pleasure, but often find that hotels can make me insane. I write, even email, best when I am comfortable. Sure, I dash out notes on my Blackberry even on street corners, but for serious writing, comfort works. I am at the Miami Book Fair this weekend staying at the Four Seasons. I got a deal, which I am sure was inspired by the recent hurricane, that is making this experience affordable. Since I am not dealing with the annoyances that accompany most hotel experiences, like Wi-Fi that is No-Fi and noise and linens that make me cringe (I have been known to throw bedspreads in closets lest my imagination run wild about what happened on them), I am productive. I am writing up a storm and am reading non-stop. Let's just say that this was a great investment!

This morning when I looked out of my home office, I saw a palette with lots of brown and just a few hints of yellow. There are crumpled leaves on the lawn, the trees are barren and I can see we are probably a week or so away from ardent leaf blowing and raking. The morning air has a kick of cold in it that's announcing that winter is on the way. Every year this is the week that the weather snaps...what's the Paul Simon line that sums it up? "The leaves that are green, turn to brown..."

This week Bookreporter.com starts revving up for the holidays. Pumpkins be gone; it's time to start readying for "The Great Shop," which is what people tend to do these next 8 weeks. Stuck on what to give --- and get? Wonder no more.