Sara Ryan

So we’re getting ready for a much-anticipated, delightful group of houseguests to come in for Stumptown, and we’re trying to get the place to look like somewhere they might want to sleep. We need music of course, and it’s been a while since we listened to All Hail West Texas, and it has so many [...]

It’s a good week for readings at the downtown Powells. Junot Diaz will be there tonight, and Amy Bloom will be there tomorrow night. Here are some people posing with their favorite books. I love the black and white documentary-looking style, and I’m also fascinated by the titles people chose. There’s a new interview with [...]

Years ago, Steve told me, “Comics people are vampires. Eventually, they turn everyone around them into comics people, too.” He was right. Clearly, it worked on me. And now I’m proud to say I’ve turned my first victim. Einbahnstrasse Waltz, a standalone story involving a high school orchestra trip to Vienna, drinking, angst, and navigational [...]

For a while now, Steve’s been agitating for us to get a GPS for the car. Now, I’m notorious for getting lost. As Susan Cooper once said, “I don’t have a bump of direction, I have a dent.” So the idea does make some sense. Yet, I’ve always resisted. Some weird robot voice telling me [...]

1. We’re at a coffeeshop, and I’ve just ordered. The nice lady behind the counter gives me a total. Steve says, “Wait, I’m going to order too!” Nice lady looks slightly sheepish, takes his order, and then says, “I should have asked if you were together, but you know, I’ve found that when I ask, [...]

Ah, this time of year. It’s my favorite. I’ve written about it before — this time last year, logically enough. What I didn’t say then: as the leaves turn, as the rain starts falling, it’s harder and harder to get me out of the house. That’s exacerbated this year because of my Summer-Full-Of-Travel. All I [...]

Depending on how long you’ve been reading this, you may or may not know that I recorded myself reading my first novel, Empress of the World, as a series of podcasts. For your convenience, therefore, this post contains links to all of them: EOTW01.mp3 EOTW02.mp3 EOTW03.mp3 EOTW04.mp3 EOTW05.mp3 EOTW06.mp3 EOTW07.mp3 EOTW08.mp3 EOTW09.mp3 EOTW10.mp3 EOTW11.mp3 EOTW12.mp3 [...]

…but I lost my results trying to format them properly. Here are the highlights: Costume Designer was #1 (yay, Katrina would be proud!), Cartoonist/Illustrator was #12 (sure, if I could draw), Pet Groomer was like #19 or so (only Snag) and Writer was way down at #38. No great loss. I know what y’all would [...]

…that is more of an assemblage. Most of my “cooking” involves the combining of prepackaged items. Seitan Soup with Orzo And Whatever Else Is Around, aka Sara’s comfort food standby 1 package White Wave chicken-style seitan 1 quart broth of some variety As many minced cloves of garlic as seem delicious Olive oil for sauteeing [...]

I came home for lunch today. There was a car, parked but still running, across the street, and the stereo was cranked. Cranked, specifically, with the soothing sounds of Mr. Al Green. It was so nice to hear unexpectedly that I felt compelled to share.