The illustration fans out there may want to know that multiple-Hugo-winning illustrator Kelly Freas died this morning, according to his agent. He illustrated Heinlein, Clark, Pohl, van Vogt and hundreds of others and gave us gremlins, the Skylab I astronaut patches, the cover of Queen's "News of the World" and the face of Alfred E. Neumann.

I've been trying to make some sense of my chaotic book collection, and have in the process discovered some duplicates. These two books are free to a good home. Email my profile address if interested:

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian (first in the Aubrey/Maturin series!)
English Society in the Eighteenth Century, by Roy Porter (a pretty thorough overview, useful for writers)

The first is in very good condition, the second in good condition, though I got it from a UBS and its former owner marked it up a bit.

ETA both books have been claimed.

If any of you are interested in donating to the relief efforts in the tsunami hit areas, here is one option. One of my former swimmers is currently in Sri Lanka on a Fulbright. Though she is fine, she is feeling a lot of survivor guilt and looked for a way to get involved. She has become the webmaster for a local organization trying to get supplies. Below is the text of her letter, and the website for her organization.

"We really, really appreciate that people are giving so much care to our efforts. Right now there is a huge problem getting stuff through the airport and customs and sorting; we are using our funds to purchase goods not donated or received. Most of these things are available in adequate supply here in Sri Lanka. Additionally, when we buy aid supplies with donated money, we don't have to spend time cataloguing and processing shipments. We are glad to get them, of course, but the time- and personnel- and infrastructure delays are dramatic."

"The best thing you can do is donate money to our effort via our main website, www.sarvodaya.org, and encourage your friends, family, and any contacts you have to do the same. If you have any way to spread the word via websites, blogs, etc. we can use lots of publicity."

"It's natural to want to do something direct (like collecting and shipping supplies) but actually more useful to help get the word out about fundraising. I personally understand this tension: I am an American resident of Sri Lanka who's frustrated to be sitting in an office working on a computer when I could be riding in a truck handing out bottles of water and food supplies. However my minimal computer and web-developing skills make me maximally useful in the office. Perhaps later I can go on a convoy to the field, but for now, the photos and descriptions I am working with are nearly as far from me as they are from you."

"Again, thank you so much for your support and please help get the word out! We have many months of work ahead of us and your help will make it all possible."

Best Wishes, Rebecca Sarvodaya Web Team

Goooooooooooood morning, Buffistas....

Set your TiVos and make a pot of good strong coffee. This coming Monday morning, 10 January, I'll be on CBS "The Early Show". Cheering me on - I'm getting the "ageing middle-aged writer lady makeover" courtesy of CBS and the wonderful David Evangelista - will be our own Betsy and JZ. It's live to the east coast on CBS, 7-9 a.m.; same time on the West Coast, tape delayed.

Second thing, related? This will be going out live from my living room. I could use a couple more people here for this. So, any of the local San Francisco or Bay Area peeps want to eat posh pastries and drinks coffee, be nice and rowdy or grumpy, hang out with the CBS camera guys, and be on television? Let me know at my profile addy, ASAP.

Thanks!

WXRT in Chicago (and at www.93xrt.com) is suspending regular programming tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (central time) to play any song you want (if it's under 5 1/2 minutes and within FCC regulations) if you donate $100 or more to the American Red Cross.

Here's the skinny

Hey California--Mark your calendars!

PRODIGAL POETS RETURN TO CALIFORNIA
Victor D. Infante and Lea C. Deschenes, mainstays of the Orange County and Long Beach poetry scenes until their 2001 relocation to New England, will be making multiple readings in California in January.

Lea C. Deschenes’ poetry has appeared internationally. A former member of four National Poetry Slam teams and a coach to two more, she also dusts off her BA in Theater to perform. She is a 2004 winner of the Jacob Knight Award and the Worcester, MA, representative to the Individual World Poetry Slam 2005. Her most recent book is “Banjo Variations.” Her Web site is [link]

Victor D. Infante works as an editor and freelance journalist. Before moving east, he co-ran many of Southern California’s most prominent poetry readings, including “The Near Infamous” Poetry-On-Thursdays at the Java Garden in Huntington Beach, “The Big Damn Poetry Slam” at the Blue Café in Long Beach, and was one of the founding members of the Five Penny Poets/Tebot Bach Poetry Series. He is a 2004 winner of the Jacob Knight Award, and is currently finishing his first novel, “Nihilist Chic.” His most recent poetry collection is “Warhol Days.” His Web site is [link]

DATES:

Tuesday, January 25, 2005, 8 p.m.
“Redondo Poets” at The Coffee Cartel,
1820 Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach;
(310) 316-6554

Wednesday, January 26, 2005, 7 p.m.
“Two Idiots Peddling Poetry” at The Ugly Mug,
261 N. Glassel, Orange;
(714) 997-5610
$2.00 cover

Monday, January 31, 2005, 7 p.m.
With a Local Feature
Poetry Express at Priya Restaurant,
2072 San Pablo Avenue (near University Ave.),
Berkely, CA

Tuesday, February 1, 2005, 9 p.m.
The Cobalt Cafe
22047 Sherman Way, Canoga Park
(818) 348-3789

Marti Noxon gives an interview mostly about Point Pleasant in the New York Times. (http://www.bugmenot.com for password.)

Q. "Point Pleasant" is scheduled to run opposite "CSI" on Thursday nights at 9 Eastern time. Yikes?

A. Yeah. I wish we had the magical, golden time slot of success. But the question is whether you want to be in Siberia, or whether you want to be on one of those nights when people are actually flipping around checking stuff out. I hope it means that they'll let us stay on for a while knowing we're not going to do huge, splashy numbers right away. That's how I tell myself it will be all right.

I finally checked email and found that The Nation is looking for a full-time web editor. Sorry if this is a duplication! If anyone would like me to forward the announcement, just email my profile address.