In the early 00's, I spent six months of my life on a story for Salon about three closeted gay army officers (part 1, part 2). It was the best story I'd ever done, and it won a GLAAD Media Award. It pales in comparison… Read full post »

Friday was a roller coaster.

I woke up early after a late night doing an event at DePaul and then dinner with old friends. I drove out to Navy Pier on Lake Michigan to do Chicago NPR station WBEZ's morning show "Eight Forty-Eight." I was booked… Read full post »

It was very cool to hear my name announced at the Egars tonight. I had just about convinced myself I wouldn't hear it--back and forth, second by second. I didn't know what to think.

A few minutes before my category came up, my agent asked how I was doing, and I… Read full post »

Last year I didn't write a piece on the tenth anniversary, because it was a little overwhelming, and didn't feel up to capturing it all. So today, I'm aiming more modestly.

I have made so many friends in the Columbine community over the last eleven years. There are… Read full post »

It has been so crazy that as the plane touched down in Richmond, I wondered how I was going to get out of the airport.

I was sure a ride had been arranged, but I had no name or number, or info on where or how they were to find me. Mostly… Read full post »

It wasn't the Oscars, but it was my first shot on the hotseat at a big awards ceremony: Barnes & Noble's 2009 Discover Awards.* And it was Park Avenue, there were lots of book luminaries, and I did wear a tie.

And it was fun! And interesting and enriching in all… Read full post »

Here's the scary bit: my paperback launches this week, and I have no clue what I should be doing. I have almost no idea what makes a paperback hit. And it seems eerily quiet.

I spent 20 years learning how publishers launched hardcovers. I still feel like a beginner there,… Read full post »

My niece is a Notre Dame college student on an exchange program in Chile. She arrived there three weeks ago. I just got this message from my sister, who said it was OK to use, without the names. So I am going to use initials, calling my niece C.… Read full post »

This is REALLY late notice, I know. It's been crazy here, and I will be in NYC for the Discover Awards ceremony next week.

I have done many school assemblies, and normally get an honorarium, but since I'm there with my expenses already paid, and promoting the book . . .

IF YOUR… Read full post »

I was shaken up when I watched the footage of kids fleeing Deer Creek Middle School near Columbine Tuesday, after an adult opened fire. God. It was just like watching the kids at Columbine again.

Obviously, I'm not the only one to feel that way, and there are… Read full post »

This is news I have wanted to report for awhile now. I wanted to get it right, though, and then had to wait for the paperback publication of my book.

It's adapted from one part of the Afterword in expanded paperback edition (which will be in most bookstores by Monday). 

The… Read full post »

Something unusual happened in Alabama Friday afternoon. A woman committed mass murder.

That's the opening of a piece I wrote late last night for The Daily Beast. It's their lead story right now.

I am really tired now, because I spent a good chunk of the night writing it. I heard… Read full post »

I'm halfway through the episode, tempting to call it even more boring than expected, but that would be hyperbole. It's pretty much as boring as my low expectations, and a little more annoying.

(This morning's post on why the season was doomed here.)

The one surprise was watching Dimples drone… Read full post »

I love Survivor from the start. But after seven seasons, just as it was wearing thin, producer Mark Burnett made his first huge blunder: Survivor All Stars. 

Awful. It was quickly apparent how surprisingly uninteresting the contestants were. They appear so interesting on the show, because the s… Read full post »

She blew me away in My So-Called Life when she was what 15 or 14. i assumed she would be huge, fast.

But she herself got cast in a lot of prestige pix that never went anywhere. How long has it been--15 years?

"Temple Grandin" may finally be here second breakout role. That… Read full post »

I have to whisper, because there are Asian men in my apartment. I have closed myself off into the bedroom and don't want them to hear me. It's still warm in here, but they are coming in soon.

This is my living room and balcony: 

I'm not going nuts this… Read full post »

i'm halfway thru the ep, and obsessed with the idea of jesus getting booted. that's partly because i WANT to see his sorry ass out of there, and because i expect him to go soon.

he screams poser to me every time his lips move. he is also enraptured with every move… Read full post »

I dropped into a Barnes & Noble yesterday to sign stock, and picked up their new Discover Great New Writers pamphlet, which just came out yesterday. I gaped when I saw the centerfold. (Third pic from the right made me happy.)

My editor had emailed the news that I… Read full post »

Damn, I love the greasy, unhealthy spicy chicken at Popeyes. Once or twice a month I treat myself to a nastyass greaseball meal after a tough workout. And more than half the time they screw up the order. And it's a really basic order.

I'm pissed at myself for not checking. But… Read full post »

The list was announced tonight. Let's start with the elephant since it's my blog, and I can guess what you're wondering: No, I didn't make the cut. But I'm impressed by the great writers who did. 

 I love this award, and the choices they have made year after year. It's a… Read full post »

I've been trying to figure out what I can do, and here's what I came up with:

For the next week, anyone who orders my book I'll donate my share of the proceeds ($4), and match it with my own donation, to the Red Cross for Haiti. That's just $8 per… Read full post »

This is like the fourth day in a row that the lead story on NBC News morning and night has been It's Cold Outside! Yeah, I can tell. What does yet another taped report of tiny vignettes from around the country do me?

The most annoying part is the reporters trying… Read full post »

Authors have been getting screwed on ebook royalties, and it's likely to get much worse. Publishers fear they are going to get screwed by Amazon once it has a choke hold. 

Finally, they are both pushing back. A flurry of activity in the last week:

The Authors Guild released a statement… Read full post »

OK, this post is just flat-out commercial, but useful plugs, maybe, so . . .

I'm working with my wonderful local indie bookstore to get out autographed and personally-inscribed copies of COLUMBINE for Christmas presents.

Just let us know who it's for and any information about them or your relationsh… Read full post »

The New York Times Book Review announced its Ten Best list about eight minutes ago. (Not that I was watching or anything. Haha. No, I didn't make it.)

There were some surprises there, and several books I can't wait to read.

For me, the biggest, and happiest surprise was seeing Jonathan… Read full post »