Consumed by Story

I'm still reading David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and just as this time last week, I'm anticipating joining in on the Oprah.com webcast with the author. Last week I had got my dates confused and thought the webcast was to be last Monday evening and then when Monday evening came around finding me still short of the half-way point in the novel, I decided to pass on the live webcast to avoid spoilers.

Then Monday night I discovered my mistake and that I had a reprieve. A whole week more. Seven days. So did I tuck into the story and finish with plenty of time to contemplate it and compose questions for the author? Ha. I promptly fell into the rabbit hole of Inauguration week, watching news on TV and online, reading blogs. All my spare time here at my Mom's went there Tuesday through Friday. I can't bemoan it too much though because it was a major historical event and also entwined in the theme and plot of my WIP and recent NaNo novel, Mobile Hopes. So it was the responsible thing to do as well as the thing my heart and soul was drawn to.

So today with three days left, I returned wholeheartedly to the novel. It wasn't that I hadn't picked it up at all since last Monday but I didn't get to read more than a page or two at a time and thus could not fall into the story. Today I fell back in and had to struggle back to the surface every time 'real' life intruded--meals, family interaction, chores, my mini-tramp workout and shower.

In fact I took the book outside with me for my tramp workout and read during the gentle warm up and cool down minutes. That worked so well--because of the peace and quiet and feeling safe from interruptions out on the porch--that I actually worked out longer than I have since the 6th when the ER nurse told me to stay off it until the swelling and all signs of infection were gone. I started up again last Saturday with one three minute gentle swaying session and today I almost made a full hour with multiple cool down periods bracketing multiple vigorous ones. And I know it was a good workout because I am feeling it now ten hours later from neck to ankles.

Want to know what all the hoopla is? Watch these two interviews with the author:

And if you've read the book and already know why it is so special, join in the webcast Monday: