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I bet you thought I didn't have one. But the Massachusetts All-Stars (all of whom used to live within 2 hrs of each other) meet on an ad hoc basis, whenever there is need. And there was need. So:
Plans were made to meet last weekend to go over Delia's ms. for The Freedom Maze, which she must finish for Big Mouth Press soon; and also to look over Sarah Smith (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sarahwriter)'s dramatization of her novel Chasing Shakespeares if we had time. And here's the lineup:
Saturday
5:30 pm Delia & I arrived by train in Boston, cabbed to Sarah's house. Delia has head cold. Sarah feeds us lovely soup.
7:15 pm Sarah's theatrical collaborator (Alex C.) & 2 young actors arrive. We divvy up parts, and begin reading script so authors can hear how it actually sounds.
7:45 pm Holly arrives from Philadelphia, where she's been attending family funeral, and reads a part.
9:30 pm We discuss ripping play to shreds, altering plot & focus....
11:00 pm Alex & actors leave. We continue revising. Sarah argues, takes notes....
11:45 pm Delia goes up to bed
12:30 pm I go up to bed
12:45 am Cassie & Josh arrive from Houston, where she's been signing books. Lots of talking.
3:00 am (I'm told) Everyone else to bed.
Sunday
10 am? We crawl out of bed. Sarah makes eggs, coffee . . . eventually everyone appears and eats them. Delia's cold mysteriously better.
1 pm Kelly arrives with Burmese takeout. We devour hitherto unsuspected culinary delights.
2 pm Everyone whips out notes & begins by telling Delia what each particularly loves about her novel, softening her up for the kill - no, for thoughtful and reasoned debate on what works, what doesn't, and what to do about it. E-mail opinions from Karen Joy Fowler & Doselle Young (who are not Mass All-Stars, but deserve to be) added to the mix.
5 pm Delia curls up on sofa with catatonia & the Sunday comics, while the rest of us continue to discuss plot. Kelly leaves to feed baby. Holly collects bags to depart.
6 pm Every conceivable leftover of any sort is eaten. Kelly returns.
6:30 pm Holly, Cassie & I thrash out plots to two short stories they're working on. My advice particularly brilliant. Everyone talks about books. And matchmaking. And travel. And stories. And food. And writing.
9 pm Holly drives everyone home. Sarah, Delia & I hunker down to watch "Emma" on Masterpiece Theater.
9:20 pm Holly returns for Cassie's Airbook, which looks just like the other 3 that were on the table, so easily mislaid. Drives off.
11:05 pm We finish mocking "Emma." Sarah drives me to all-night Shaw's Supermarket so I can buy Country Kitchen Light Wheat bread, which is not sold in NYC, and is the thing I miss most about Boston. Sorry.
Monday
9 am Up & out & on the train home . . . Blissful trip. Still catching up. Which is why I didn't get this written down til today. But you can see why I wanted to! It's already beginning to fade.... We weren't there even 48 hours - but it felt like a weekend and a half!
Plans were made to meet last weekend to go over Delia's ms. for The Freedom Maze, which she must finish for Big Mouth Press soon; and also to look over Sarah Smith (
sarahwriter)'s dramatization of her novel Chasing Shakespeares if we had time. And here's the lineup:Saturday
5:30 pm Delia & I arrived by train in Boston, cabbed to Sarah's house. Delia has head cold. Sarah feeds us lovely soup.
7:15 pm Sarah's theatrical collaborator (Alex C.) & 2 young actors arrive. We divvy up parts, and begin reading script so authors can hear how it actually sounds.
7:45 pm Holly arrives from Philadelphia, where she's been attending family funeral, and reads a part.
9:30 pm We discuss ripping play to shreds, altering plot & focus....
11:00 pm Alex & actors leave. We continue revising. Sarah argues, takes notes....
11:45 pm Delia goes up to bed
12:30 pm I go up to bed
12:45 am Cassie & Josh arrive from Houston, where she's been signing books. Lots of talking.
3:00 am (I'm told) Everyone else to bed.
Sunday
10 am? We crawl out of bed. Sarah makes eggs, coffee . . . eventually everyone appears and eats them. Delia's cold mysteriously better.
1 pm Kelly arrives with Burmese takeout. We devour hitherto unsuspected culinary delights.
2 pm Everyone whips out notes & begins by telling Delia what each particularly loves about her novel, softening her up for the kill - no, for thoughtful and reasoned debate on what works, what doesn't, and what to do about it. E-mail opinions from Karen Joy Fowler & Doselle Young (who are not Mass All-Stars, but deserve to be) added to the mix.
5 pm Delia curls up on sofa with catatonia & the Sunday comics, while the rest of us continue to discuss plot. Kelly leaves to feed baby. Holly collects bags to depart.
6 pm Every conceivable leftover of any sort is eaten. Kelly returns.
6:30 pm Holly, Cassie & I thrash out plots to two short stories they're working on. My advice particularly brilliant. Everyone talks about books. And matchmaking. And travel. And stories. And food. And writing.
9 pm Holly drives everyone home. Sarah, Delia & I hunker down to watch "Emma" on Masterpiece Theater.
9:20 pm Holly returns for Cassie's Airbook, which looks just like the other 3 that were on the table, so easily mislaid. Drives off.
11:05 pm We finish mocking "Emma." Sarah drives me to all-night Shaw's Supermarket so I can buy Country Kitchen Light Wheat bread, which is not sold in NYC, and is the thing I miss most about Boston. Sorry.
Monday
9 am Up & out & on the train home . . . Blissful trip. Still catching up. Which is why I didn't get this written down til today. But you can see why I wanted to! It's already beginning to fade.... We weren't there even 48 hours - but it felt like a weekend and a half!