On meeting Ruth Ozeki

First of all, Southbank on a summer night is magic. Food stalls, lights, music, dancing. It's such a great scene. And not just for young people! People my age were leaving the BFI and the Literary Festival and getting caught up in the energy. I didn't dance exactly, but I wiggled my hips.

But back to the topic at hand. I saw Ruth freaking Ozeki speak about her new book, The Typing Lady. Ruth is hands down one of my favourite authors. Never mind the fact that no one I know has ever heard of her, and that I had four tickets to the event and could find NO one to go with me except my daughter, who felt sad at the idea of me going alone.

I would've been fine going alone, but in the end I'm glad she came, because we had a brilliant night at Southbank and also because she convinced me to get a book signed and she rescued me from humiliation.

Because Ruth Ozeki! I just love her. So when it was my turn, I totally froze and Sophia had to jump in and say "This is my mom, she's a writer and she loves you so much."

And Ruth was so so gracious and sweet and said nice things. At which point, encouraged, I said something like "I became a yoga teacher because you're a Zen Buddhist priest." (?!) And she responded as if ours was the most natural conversation in the world. Bless her.

Some craft tidbits from her talk:

• Her Zen practice helps her write from the brain and the body of her characters — she can drop into a meditative state and experience the scene from her character's perspective.

• Her eye as a filmmaker helps her figure out from which perspective to tell the story.

• Her experience as a film editor taught her how to move a story along quickly.

• Assume you and your reader are on the same wavelength. You don't need to over-explain.

Thanks for visiting London, Ruth. xoxo