Our kitchen fell apart last fall. At Thanksgiving, actually. There was a leak under the floor that rotted out the whole thing from the underside up. And as I watched the flooring guys pulling up our kitchen floor with their bare hands like it was a wet paper towel, something great hit me: We’d hit […]
Excerpt from The Lost Husband My husband had been dead for three years before I started trying to contact him. By then, our house was long-sold, his suits were donated, and his wedding ring was in a safety deposit box. All I kept with me was a shoebox full of meaningless stuff: a button […]
Here’s Katherine telling the quick story—at a luncheon, ages ago—of how she wrote her first novel:
“. . . A sweet tale of creating the family you need.” —PEOPLE Magazine “There wasn’t a dull spot in this book–just a really great story about finding home and yourself . . . It’s really one of the best women’s fiction books I’ve read.” –Lisa “. . . a delightful, heartwarming read, and I […]
Summer is really not my season. Or I suppose I should say, Texas summer is not my season. Or climate. If we lived in Nova Scotia, I might well love summer best of all. But down here in Houston, it’s hot. Summer is mostly about coping for me. Going out in the steamy, hot, mosquito-ridden […]
I am lucky in a thousand ways this summer. And one of them is that I get to help host a Secret Mission for the Dream Lab at Mondo Beyondo. Here’s what it is: My friends at Mondo Beyondo want to inspire folks to create guerilla goodness in the world–acts of kindness or love that help […]
In Get Lucky, the main character makes a “comfort list” of things that are soothing. Here it is: “Things that are comforting: Tea. Warm water on your skin. Thick socks. Humming. Laughter. Fireplaces. Having someone arrange your fruit in a smiley face. Having someone refuse to examine your imaginary tumors. Watching old movies with Mackie.” […]
(This is a post from 2010. Glad to say I’m getting MUCH more rest nowadays!) • • • Kristina at the blog Owning Kristina just sent an email and asked me to describe a day in my writing life for her. She wants to know what it’s like to spend your days doing what you love […]
I kind of lean in a vegetarian direction. But when you go to the Bar-B-Q capital of Texas, you just HAVE to be a carnivore. And last week, when my mom and I drove out to Lockhart, Texas, for a book event, we asked around for the best BBQ and got many different opinions. Finally, […]
Last week, I drove out to Lockhart, Texas, with my mom for a book event. The library in my new book, Get Lucky, is based on the historic library in Lockhart–the oldest library in Texas. It was so amazing to get to stand in the library that had sparked so many ideas in my head […]
Did I say “all”? I actually meant “none.” But an old friend of one of my exes — who apparently bought his car — does. Here’s what I’m saying: There is no way to describe how bizarre it is to drive into a tiny town that’s 3 hours into the desert from El Paso and […]
I’ve just made a new trailer for Get Lucky that tries to feel a little bit like the book. I was super-lucky to get to use photos taken by my beautiful pal Andrea Jenkins of Hula Seventy, who is an amazing photographer, artist, blogger, and mama. Beyond amazing, actually. I’ve been trying to make this video […]
Over winter break, we went out to the country to visit my childhood friend Christian and his wife Lisa at their farm. They make the yummiest goat cheese ever, and I’m completely enchanted by their life. I’m totally amazed by Lisa, who is always so warm and sweet to us, and who writes a very lovely blog […]
“[A] thoroughly enjoyable girlish romp.” – Library Journal “Center delivers an original, engaging, and touching novel populated with quirky and lovable characters, and ripe for discovery by readers looking for a cheering read.” – Booklist “Center has hit a home run with Get Lucky . . . There is no other author out there who does women’s fiction better.” – Wendy Robards, book […]
So we had the book launch party for Get Lucky on Saturday. I really wasn’t sure how many people would show up, but I knew it would be a fun time. Especially since I’d be reading the first chapter of the book, which is pretty feisty. The opening paragraph is all about how the main […]