15 Comments
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laurie taylor's avatar

Cheers to serendipity!

Julie Dow's avatar

Fun to hear this thoughtfully crafted version of events after hearing Lisa’s breathless free-form account the morning after. And those tickets included copies of Whistler!

Make gentle this bruised world's avatar

I love this! Willy Vlautin is one of my favs.

Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

And now he is mine, too.

David Billstrom's avatar

Loved Whistler... my most recent (fiction) read. And kudos, you made me miss Portland.

Lou Blaser's avatar

Kaarin I adored this story. And I am so envious that you’re friends with someone who would chance a sold-out event that is not a concert or one of those things but an author talk! 🤗

Shirley Skidmore's avatar

What a jewel of an essay . . and Ann Patchett, as always, nailed it. Life is so full of wonderful souls -- like you and all those who guided you to those fabulous tickets :)

Laura K Bray's avatar

Love this. Thank you for sharing your experience, it makes me want to be a braver person & put myself in the way of serendipity. (Cause it won’t find me at home!)

Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

Yes--what we most want is at the edge of our comfort zone!

jaja jaja's avatar

Kaarin - I LOVE this story so much!! Like someone commented earlier, when reading it I felt like I was right there with you and Lisa. I also love the way serendipity played out for all involved as well as the overall message of your story. There is so much goodness happening in our every day lives!!

Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

Thank you so much! Yes--I do believe that the Universe truly has our back.

Jamie Liat Lis's avatar

Kaarin, you’re a fantastic writer! I love that you and Lisa hung in there for the tickets and had a great time doing so. I felt like I was right there with you.

Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

Thank you, Jamie! I wish you had been!!

Heather Johnson Durocher's avatar

Great storytelling, Kaarin! Ann was recently in my hometown, for our year-long book festival known as the National Writers Series, and it sold out as well! I absolutely loved Whistler! Maybe my favorite of her novels.

Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

Thank you, Heather. I am so jealous that you have a National Writers Series!!