NPR Sounds of Summer Series

I contributed a brief audio essay on teen drinking to this new series on NPR's All Things Considered about the Sounds of Summer.

Happy first unofficial day of season!

All Things Considered

In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Strunk & White's Elements of Style, I did a commentary today on NPR's All Things Considered.

It's ridiculously silly and I'm really proud of it. If you like it, I'd be grateful if clicked "recommend" or left a comment at npr.og.

New Day #362

After risking my life to record a holiday commentary for NPR's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, I realized this morning I'd sent out an announcement to my mailing list without asking readers to click "recommend" or leave a comment, also known as "job security." A writer's career lives or dies by these kinds of numbers.

I could have shrugged it off as a missed opportunity, but, as I once wrote at Powells.com, my publicity role model is the tirelessly self-promoting though profoundly untalented Jacqueline Susann. Some people ask themselves, "What would Jesus do?" I ask myself "What would Jackie do?" Well, she'd make damn sure she got her readers to click "recommend" and leave a comment.

So I risked irritating my mailing list with a second e-mail, which indeed did prompt some people to opt out, though I figrued if they're that touchy they probably weren't fans, anyway.

More importantly, it totally worked. For the first time, my commentary was the Most Recommended on the NPR website by a ridiculous margin, four times more than the next contender. And it made #7 on the Most Commented list.


Lesson learned: heaven helps those who help themselves.

Thank you all for your support in this endeavor and always. In the current economy, continuing a writing career is an uphill climb and I need all the sherpas I can get.

New Day #361

Even when Floyd and I didn't work from home, our response to foul weather has been to simply hole up and wait out the storm. Particularly during "Arctic Blast 2008," the worst winter storm to hit the northwest in forty years. Check out the frozen snowdrift hanging off my roof:

But when the call came from NPR to do another commentary, we decided it was worth it to risk life, limb and property to serve the radio-listening public. Not to mention my overweening ambition.

Which meant coping with six inches of snow, covered with a quarter inch of ice, layered with yet another six inches of snow.



Braving the roads made us both feel intrepid. And just a little reckless. Particularly when we nearly slid off the road into a fence.

You can listen to the result of my toil here. Please click "recommend" if you like it. Or just like me.

New Day #238

Somehow I managed to sprain the arch of my foot. This is, of course, the Worst Thing to Happen to Anyone Ever. Please feel free to send flowers, condolences and donations to the Marc Acito Mystery Foot Ailment Foundation.

As a result, my friend Boom Boom, who is visiting from Manhattan, rushed to my aid by loaning me her Yoga Toes, which are not to be confused with Jazz Hands.

I found Yoga Toes very relaxing, if a tad creepy, as it looks like my foot is being attacked by a very gay slug.

Speaking of Jazz Hands, here are some of my students at the Whidbey Writers Conference.

Spirit fingers, people.
PS In other news, I was on NPR's All Things Considered again yesterday recommending vacation reads. Click here to listen and please email the story from the NPR website to your friends.

And speaking of vacations, I'll be hosting a TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE in 2009 for writers. We'll leave from Florida and sail to England. Included are classes, workshops and lots of writing time to make progress on your book, screenplay or article and eat Baked Alaska until you puke.