Sarah Bird

I went to hear Sarah Bird speak on Saturday. The event was called "Lunch with Sarah Bird", but since it was at the library, I didn't think they would actually have food there. They did! It was neat to hear her. She is just as funny as her books are. She discussed her books, starting with the first book she wrote (a murder mystery no longer in print). Apparently Avon Books paid her $1500 for it, then asked for their money back! Then she talked about Alamo House, which she just wanted to title "Women Without Men and Men Without Brains". Sadly she had a NY editor who wanted to give it a "regional" title. So although her book has NOTHING to do with the Alamo or a house nearby, it is stuck with that unfortunate title.

Trivial facts I learned:
- Sarah Bird moved here from New Mexico to go to grad school and follow a man. Said man joined the Church of Scientology and moved to California, promising to come back and marry her. Whereupon in California, said man, a Mr. Rogers, met an actress and married her instead. Who is this actress? Well, let's just say she left this guy (after taking his last name) for Tom Cruise, who then left her for Nicole Kidman.

- My favorite of her books, The Boyfriend School, was made into a movie, Don't Tell Her It's Me (1990), starring Steve Guttenberg and Shelley Long. Huh??!!

I believe I was the youngest person in the room. She definitely has more of a varied audience now, after the publication of The Yakota Officer's Club. If you haven't read any Sarah Bird, I would recommend you start out with that one. It is her deepest work. The rest are much lighter.

She warned us that what she's working on now is going to be a whole lot darker. We'll just have to wait and see!