Thursday, February 24, 2011

Snowy Day


Pretty pale world outside.

Pretty and pale and sad. A friend died yesterday. Author LK Madigan. Lisa. I didn't know her as well as I wish I had, but she was the first local YA author I met in person. We now have a wonderful community, but at the time many of us didn't know each other, and I can't even recall how Lisa and I got in touch initially. Blogs, probably. We met up for cake, and she was just so fun and gracious and interesting and interested and sweet and real. One of those people you go away from each time saying to whoever is at hand, "I just really like Lisa."

I just liked her so much. 

And the rest of our local YA community too: Lisa Schroeder and April Henry, both of whom were very close to Lisa; Suzanne Young, Christine Fletcher, Bridget Zinn, Emily Whitman, Sara Ryan. There are some others who have come into the fold in the past year, but I have had to miss most of our gatherings, so I don't know them well. And that's the thing: why did I miss those gatherings? I might have spent more time with Lisa, and with these other wonderful women whose company feeds my soul. 

My heart goes out to Lisa's family. I want to punch the universe, a little. Why can't the a-holes get cancer instead? Last night I set aside the book I was reading and picked up Lisa's to reread: The Mermaid's Mirror and Morris Award-winner Flash Burnout. It's nice to hear her voice through her writing, at least, and to know that she had achieved a dream, and lived a life that she loved.

Goodbye, Lisa. You are missed.

If you would like to contribute to Lisa's son's trust, you may send a check here, made payable to Nathan Wolfson Trust:

Becker Capital Management, Inc.
Attn: Sharon Gueck/John Becker
1211 SW Fifth Ave, Suite 2185
Portland, OR  97204
 
Once a check is received, an acknowledgement letter will be sent to the donor.



(Thank you.)

2 comments:

tone almhjell said...

I'm so sorry, Laini. I know she had a son. Cancer is evil.

Catherine Denton said...

I didn't know Lisa, but I've been reading sweet posts about her all day. She must've been a beautiful lady. Thanks for sharing!

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