Amalgamation

It's official:  my worlds have merged.

And, I'm anomalous.

How many people studying for the SAT can say they booked an author from an official SAT Writing question on the Studs Terkel show?

In fact, I believe Bharati Mukherjee was the only author I ever booked on the Studs Turkel show, in 20+ years of booking authors.

I still remember Bharati's request as if it was yesterday:

"Studs Turkel is the ONE show I'd really like you to book me on."

I was a 22-year-old junior book publicist, and I took her request very seriously.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I used it in my pitch.  Thankfully, Studs obliged, if only that one time, in my entire career.

Illustrations by Jennifer Orkin Lewis