A delightful gathering

 

Women in Texas Publishing
(l to r), Fran Vick; UNT Press; Kathie Lang, SMU Press;
Gayla Christiansen, Texas A&M University Press;
Shannon Davies, UT and Texas A&M University presses,
and me, TCU Press, seated
It’s been a dull, rainy weekin North Texas, and for me, personally, a week filled mostly with a medicalappointment, untangling insurance mix-ups, and that kind of busy work. Not muchtime for writing, so you can perhaps imagine how delighted I was yesterdayafternoon to host a brief reunion of women I’ve worked with in publishing. Theannual meeting of the Texas Philosophical Society made this reunion possible.The society is meeting in Fort Worth this year, and most of my gatheredcolleagues were headed to a reception that marked the beginning of a  weekend of study devoted, far as I can tell,to the life and work of the late Larry McMurtry. Their list of assigned readingincluded the relatively new Larry McMurtry: A Live, by Tracy Daughterty.I expect them to be most knowledgeable about McMurtry, his puzzling life, andhis many and different books.

Meantime we gathered at thecottage, and I served them wine and a caviar dip (figured I had to do somethingto measure up against the reception they were going to). We talked aboutwriters we’d worked with, from McMurtry to Larry L. King, about what is goingon with various university presses today, and what we would do differently werewe still running the show; we caught up on news of some folks we hadn’t seen ina while. We talked a lot about food and cookbooks, though I honestly tried tosteer the conversation in other directions because I didn’t want it to be allabout the book I’m working on.

But a difference of opinionthat came up interested me: some thought in working with vintage recipes(strange to think of the Fifties as vintage, but that was seventy years ago, soits historical) you should never change a thing, not one  comma or period of quarter teaspoon of salt.Others  (including me) think it’s okay toadjust  the recipes for today’s palate.It struck me later that the conversation was like the division on the SupremeCourt—originalists vs. moderates—or like religious differences, principallyamong Protestant churches: is the Bible the literal word of God or the work ofmen, to be taken as a guide rather than carved in stone. I won’t check in onthat one, but I am not a constitutional originalist (mostly because I don’tthink the second amendment is at all relevant in an age of assault rifles). SoI’ve decided I’m not a recipe originalist either.

I also got nice words on whatan original and interesting character my diva chef Irene is—those comments mayspur me to go back to look at the half-written fifth book in the series.

And we caught up on familiesand children and grandchildren and, yes, Gayla and I exchanged dog news.Because these women are family to me. But the big takeaway of the afternoon tome was that I enjoyed book talk with women who are knowledgeable about books—thekind of talk I long for and don’t get often enough. I had a long career inTexas publishing and loved every minute of it. When I said yesterday that Istill sometimes dream that I’m working again, hosting an Autograph Extravaganzaor going to Texas Book Festival, someone asked, “Really? After all this time?”(I’ve been retired twelve years). “Really,” I replied. “I’m sometimes very busyabout books in the night.”

So for a bit yesterday I wasback in that world, and there was a touch of magic about it.

The philosophical folks aredining at the Drover Hotel tonight and were told to wear “Texas chic,” whateverthat is—lots of turquoise, boots and jeans for the men I imagine. Seemsperfectly fitting to me for a society that puts two disparate terms—Texas andphilosophy—together. I’m anxious to hear a report.