Today I went to Astoria’s Tillicum House at the invitation of Dayle Olson, one of the co-producers of a KMUN program called “River Writers,” a Writer’s Guild 30-minute show hosted on alternate weeks by Dayle and by Marianne Monson. It airs monthly on second Mondays at 9 AM. and Dayle had kindly asked if I would agree to be taped for an August airing.
I had no idea what to expect. I’ve been on a number of Carol Newman’s “Arts Live and Local” shows which are usually a fifteen minute slot which just cover the nitty gritty of an upcoming book publication or a book launch at a local bookselling venue. But this was to be a half hour taping session which sounded a bit more ominous somehow.
As it turned out, the time went by almost before I could collect my wits. In fact, I’m not sure I managed to gather them in any sort of order that might make sense to listeners. I guess we’ll find out when it airs next month. Dayle is the consummate interviewer. Not only does she ask penetrating questions, but she sits across the way, head-phoned, microphoned, and totally professional appearing, with eyes that dance with merriment and appreciation. She made the whole experience such fun.
We talked about my first (and favorite!) book, Dear Medora, and about my ghost books and, of course, about Mrs. Crouch, the resident ghost in my house. I told about my ongoing series, “Saints or Sinners? Characters of Pacific County” now running weekly in the Chinook Observer and I even a recently published one, “Klondike Kate” for the ‘listening audience.” Plus, Dayle kindly gave me time to put in a plug for the History Forum which will begin in September at the Oysterville Schoolhouse — for all those interested in local history and who might have stories of their own to tell!
In retrospect, of course, I have no idea whether I stuck with whatever point I wanted to make or even satisfactorily answered Dayle’s questions. I found myself just rattling on — a garrulous old woman enjoying herself immensely. Thanks, Dayle, for a fun half hour! It went by all too fast!