Where to begin?

A portion of USA Today’s review this past Thursday is posted on the Media Page.  Mary Ann Grossmann of the St. Paul Pioneer Press did a lovely piece on me and Eve, which can, for a time, be found here.  Parts of it, too, can be found on the Media Page.  And this coming Friday (the 27th), pick up a copy of The Week.  They’re highlighting Eve, along with Dan Simmon’s Drood, Christopher Moore’s Fool, and John Grisham’s The Associate.

One other review of note, I guess because it came from my toughest audience–believers–is Chris Smith’s here, at The Englewood Review of Books, a weekly book review published by the Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis.  I like their description of themselves, so I’ve included it here.

“The Englewood Review of Books is a weekly book review published by Englewood Christian Church, Indianapolis. We review books that we believe are valuable resources for the people of God, as we follow the mission of God: i.e., the reconciliation of all things. The books we review are not necessarily books from the “Christian market,” and most of the books that we review will not be stocked in your local Christian bookstore.

Our friend, Shane Claiborne, likes to say that “Another World is Possible,” and indeed we hope that the books we review point toward a new world that is characterized by the justice and shalom of God.”

I appreciated how Smith “got” what I was trying to do with Eve, and I was grateful that he understood how horrid the first family had to be, because isn’t every family, both in the Bible and in your present-day life, dysfunctional in some way?  His review is how I wished people might see Eve.

And reminiscing, now that we’ve returned to the mainland, I had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful writers and readers in Hawaii on Thursday–at the Kona Stories bookstore.  What kind and generous people!  What a warm, welcoming space!  If you live near Kealakekua and you haven’t been, why, oh heavens, why not?  Upon my arrival, Brenda and Joy–the owners–graced my neck with a stunning lei, and as the attendees and I began our discussion, I thought, “This is where I’m supposed to be.”  [Thank you to all–Brenda, Joy, Cara, Elizabeth, Tessa, Richard, Valerie, Susan, Linda, Ginger, Bill, and Wayne!  I hope I’ve not butchered your names!]  I’ll leave you with some pictures below, which somehow don’t match the falling whiteness outside my study window right now.

The first is of me with the Kona Stories owners.  (L to R: Joy Vogelgesang, Elissa Elliott, Brenda Eng).

The second is of Elizabeth, Cara, and me.

And the third is of Ginger (behind my head…so sorry, Ginger!), Linda, Susan, Valerie, and Richard.

Aloha, wherever you may be right now!