Light-skinned-ed Girl

Flavorwire's Top 10 Women Writers

Thank you so much Flavorwire for including me on this list along with Barbara Kingsolver! I'm thrilled! Whoo hoo!

"Why we love her: Durrow deftly navigates the fluidity of racial identity and cultural connections in her honest, absorbing debut. (She was also the winner of the 2008 Bellwether Prize for Fiction, an award established by Kingsolver.)
Best known for: The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
The line that made us fall for her: “I feel my middle fill up with sounds that no one else understands. Then they reach my throat. What if these sounds get stuck in me?” "

Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival 2010 Photos

This year's Festival was amazing. Yes, it happened a month and a half ago, but I'm just now having a chance to reflect. This was the third year and we felt more on top of things and much more relaxed during the Festival itself. I even got to enjoy some of the programs and talk to some folks. We're incredibly proud of this project and know that we must continue this in some way every year. There were participants who decided to create their art simply because they wanted to submit for the Festival. That was so satisfying to learn. Hopefully, the Festival is encouraging even more storytellers--Alas, we ended the year in the hole financially. I don't think folks realize that when we don't raise the money from donations and grants, we end up paying for the Festival out of our own pockets. It's become a very expensive venture these last years. So please, consider donating. Every little bit helps.

 

Norman Mailer Writers' Colony Update & Photos

It's been a lovely time in P-town. But it's hard to believe it's already time to start packing up to go.  What did I accomplish?  I read a lot; met some great folks; and finally, finally, got back on my exercise regimen. Hooray! That was much needed after the months of travel.  I have given up trying to measure the worth of my colony stays by the number of pages I produce.  There is much to be said for just getting away to feel rejuvenated.  Just a few more days here--and I will try to enjoy the sites and maybe, just maybe crank out a few new pages.  Wish me luck.

Librarian Sara D. Reviews The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

I've mentioned before how much I love libraries--and I want to thank librarian Sara D. of the Capital Area District Library of Michigan (another reason I love Michigan) for this lovely video recommending The Girl Who Fell From the Sky! Check out all of her great reviews on YouTube!

Anna's Danish Cookies & Me

There are many people who have helped me along the way to publication & I have tried to thank them in some small way.

A few years ago, I struck upon my go-to thank you gift: a tin of Anna's Cookies. They're real Danish butter cookies--just as good as my Aunt Henny makes--but with a twist. In the tin I send, half the cookies are covered in chocolate. Get it?

Well, I order the cookies on-line and there's a little box for comments about the package. I didn't know what that meant really, but I started writing little notes about the reason I was sending the cookies (e.g. "This person wrote me a recommendation letter." or "This person wrote a blurb for me.")

I never really expected that anyone was really reading those notes, but then one day I got a call from Claire, the owner of Anna's Cookies. She was so excited to see that the book was finally published and she hoped she could meet me when I was in the area. It was too cool.

I did meet her this Spring, as well as her lovely daughter Molly, when I read at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, CA. (Of course, she served her yummy cookies.)

About a month ago, I ordered some cookies but decided to send them in a new beautiful blue and brown gift box that she's offering. She called to get some information I had input incorrectly and then asked why I had changed my go-to gift. "Because the blue & brown box is so pretty and it looks kind of like it goes with my website."

"Oh, you're right," she said. "How about if I change the name of the box to the Heidi Durrow Special?"

And now voila! You too can buy a Heidi Durrow Special from Anna's Cookies as gift or as a gift to yourself. You won't be disappointed!