Virginia wrote: "I read all kinds of books. My current favorite is DRIFT by Rachael Maddow, the fab news commentator on MSNBC. As women, we need to speak seriously and knowledgeably about politics as they affect ..."

I'll have to see if I can borrow my mom's copy of Drift next time I'm down there, Virginia. I think I bought it for her last time I was down as an early Mother's Day present.

Kate wrote: "Thanks, Jan! Is your book available on Amazon? I just added it to my to-read. "

Hi Kate! So nice to hear from you. All of Zeitgeist Press's books will be on Amazon eventually, but right now you can only buy it from the publisher at http://www.zeitgeist-press.com or from me. It's also available at The Laurel Bookstore in Oakland, Expressions Gallery in Berkeley, the Beat Museum in San Francisco, Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara, and the San Francisco Public Library.

To order a signed copy just send $14 + $2 shipping to me at Jan Steckel/PO Box 18797/Oakland, CA 94619. This week only, through May 11, shipping is FREE as I raise money for my trip to NYC for the Lambda Literary Awards Ceremony and Bi Lines reading. You can also order by PayPal (for $14 now or $16 after May 11) at Jmsteckel at aol dot com.

Thanks for your interest, Kate!

I read all kinds of books. My current favorite is DRIFT by Rachael Maddow, the fab news commentator on MSNBC. As women, we need to speak seriously and knowledgeably about politics as they affect all of us! For me, poetry is a marvellous luxury allowed by freedom of speech, especially bidyke poetry!

Congratulations on your normal CT, Ginny! That's wonderful news! Calloo, Callay!

I love early Neruda, before he became the state poet, and I love Lorca!

What about Proust? And Sommerset Maughsm? Flaubert? The classics? Neruda? Lorca? They're my favorites! I had a normal CT scan!!! Yea!

Thank you, Virginia and Noran!!! Noran, I think the great used bookstore you mentioned near the Grand Lake Theater was Walden Pond Books. It's still there. I lived in the neighborhood of the Grand Lake Theater for a couple of years. Virginia, I'm so glad you enjoyed THE HORIZONTAL POET! Thanks so much for your interest. Looking forward to seeing you in April!

Your HORIZONTAL POET was a delight and a revelation, making my life richer by a league or two! I tried to respond via e-mail, but apparently this is the only way I can get through to you, you incredible liver of life!!To the hilt. I've also written NEVER MARRY IN MOROCCO under the pen name Virginia Dale. :)

I have been to both independent bookstores that sell your books! Have not been to California in 8 years though. I stayed with a family in Oakland about 15-18 years ago. Love the architecture of4 the city and the park. The Grand Theater was amazing . Great used bookstore near there.

Hope you holidays are joyous for you and your loved ones! Thanks for the charming note and exchange of friendship.

Whitebeard, I love that you love all those old children's classics that I loved. My grandparents had a friend who was an editor at Grossett (sp?) and Dunlap. Every time he came over he'd have half a dozen new lovely hardback editions for me to read.

We not only have a ton of books in common, but our ratings are very similar when one considers that many of the 5 star books you have are 4's for me but are truly more like 4.5 to 4.75 for me. I'd really prefer a 100 point system to be more accurate in my evaluations. Too much distance between a 3 and a 4 and a 5! Don't you think?

Thanks, Jan! Is your book available on Amazon? I just added it to my to-read.