Two MAJOR things happened to me in August (as far as writing goes): the first is that I had to renew my domain on this here website, and my automatic payment of $26 came out of my PayPal account.  Which is a great reminder that I need to start back up with my #100 Day thing (I think I have like 80 days to go), and get my money’s worth.  I need to post AT LEAST 26 entries this year!

And okay, that’s not really major, but this is:  I was so excited and honored to be included in Julie Green’s marvelous Patterns and Tones website for her Authors in August series!  Not only was it a thrill to be featured on such a gorgeous site (subscribe and get beauty in your inbox once a week), but to be among such esteemed writers such as Lynn Peril, Dr. Frank, and Domenic Priore is just the coolest!

When she approached me to submit I was super flattered, as well as touched.  Julie is a extraordinary photographer (she took the photo above — so great!) and artist and writer and speaker and singer and musician and mom…  And most of all, friend.  We’ve been BFFs since 1984, when we met as this weird sleepaway camp in Santa Cruz that our parents sent us to for whatever reason.  Julie and I bonded right away, and snuck out of one of the meals.  (To go to the bathroom.  Sleepaway camp kind of sucks.)  Somehow some boys saw us go into the cabin and they knocked on the door; when Julie answered they covered her with shaving cream.  So how could you not stay friends for decades after an encounter like that?

And decades later, she asked me to submit something to her glorious website.  It came at a perfect time — I was feeling super discouraged and I’ve put a moratorium on public readings until I get something published.  I went back and forth on what to submit, but in the end decided on this one —  I chose one of my favorite pieces that holds a lot of my essays together, and also something that took place in my life close to the time when I met Julie.  It was really fun to see it “in print” with her beautiful photos! What a fabulous collaboration.

So here it is:

Karen Finlay Authors in August on Patterns and Tones

Thank you, Julie, for including me on your fantastic blog — you are the best and I love you!  1984 forever!