Batshit Genius. How To Save a Life Giveaway. And The Music of the Spheres.

     I am really excited about Stick's debut tomorrow, but you probably already know that.
     Here is a link that Andrew Smith posted today of an amazing review of Stick. This review states unequivocally that Andrew is a "batshit genius".
     There are so many reasons to love this phrase. Imagine if someone said this about your writing. I think I would add that phrase to my business cards, to my email signature, to the credits of any movies adapted from my work.
     But don't worry.
     The world is safe.
     There is only one batshit genius. And his book comes out tomorrow.
     Also, on a related note but different plane of reality, Sara Zarr's new book is called How to Save a Life. Sara Zarr is a profoundly talented human being. She is also a really nice person. She would probably find it embarrassing that I said this, but since she is somewhere Away From the Grid right now I have no qualms about expressing my admiration.
     I don't have a lot of qualms about expressing my admiration. When something or someone  is a source of joy I need to speak.
     It's like when you are listening to whatever music you listen to, and you hear That One Perfect Note. TOPN is the one that glides through your sternum right to your quivering inner core and wraps it for a moment and you hear the music of the spheres.
     The music of the spheres is, like all things human and divine, light and dark.
     It's like this scene from the movie Philadelphia, when Andrew, played by Tom Hanks, talks about his love of opera. Please watch this if you have a moment.
     If you don't have a moment, here is a really imperfect transciption. It's from the opera La Mamma Morta. Maria Callas sings:
        The place that cradled me is burning.
        I am alone.
        And Something answers her.
        Live still.
        I am life.
        I am oblivion.
        I am the god who comes down to earth from the heavens and makes of the earth a heaven.
        I am love.
        With all of the daily assaults and insults and injuries, when the place that cradles us is burning,we must find the music of the spheres and shout it out, we must defy it and go through the darkness and sometimes embrace it.
        What a very good thing it is to have books that show us we don't have to do this alone.