To Read or Not to Read

Today I hosted a small group of female readers – some which have read several of my books, including Magic Lessons for Margo. It was an intimate gathering, and the women in the room made meaningful connections, as people who love reading similar books often do.

All day, I agonized about my choice: to read or not to read a passage from Magic Lessons for Margo. And which passage to read? I rehearsed several, including a scene in which the girls are in a diner in LA, Margo’s tenth birthday trip, and scenes from New Orleans. I finally settled on a passage that took exactly 5 minutes to read and was funny but also poignant.

Then, once my guests were present and chatting, I felt overcome by debilitating shyness and decided I couldn’t possibly read out loud. I don’t know why presenting this book to the world makes me feel so shy. Maybe because Margo herself is shy? Because I’m not. Had I been shy, my life would have taken a very different course altogether. But I’m not shy at all, and I love public speaking. Just not public reading. I can talk spontaneously and with no stage fright in front of crowds. So, I decided not to read, and just to talk. I told my guests a little bit about the story behind Miss Vulpe, how that book came about, and much later Magic Lessons for Margo.