Another update

I did, in fact, get completely lost on the way to the big Catamaran reception. I thought I could take a shortcut by going on Graham Hill Road, but I ended up behind a locked, residents-only security gate so I had to dogleg over Highway 17 and ask directions at the hotel near Pasatiempo. I finally figured it out, and it was a great evening. I had a nice talk with Belle Yang, a wonderful graphic novelist (her most recent book is Forget Sorrow) who designed a gorgeous cover for the upcoming Catamaran. Just wait until you see it. I also had a chance to talk with Robert Sward and his work in progress. He'll have a poem in an upcoming issue of the magazine -- not the next one but the one after that. There was a lot of excitement about our soon-to-be-published next issue, which focuses on the West Coast immigrant experience. We're getting lots of support from bookstores across America -- and, I'm glad to say, in Canada, where we sold very well (and we only had four measly returns). Meanwhile,  fundraising efforts are moving right along. The magazine is also a big part of the revitalization going on at the Salz Tannery. If you haven't seen it, you should stop by;  the once run-down Tannery now feels like an extension of downtown, complete with a restaurant, art space and art galleries, and a soon-to-open performance center. That's become part of my weekly ritual -- just running the length of the San Lorenzo River levee, stopping by the Tannery and seeing what exhibits, classes or talks are going on. All for now.