1. Matt and I have been waiting for Josh Ritter to come back to Birmingham and he’s finally coming!!

It’s not until May, but the wait will be worth it. His recent album, Sermon on the Rocks (album art above), is awesome. If you don’t know who he is, check him out. His live version of Kathleen (a song on, I believe, his second album Hello Starling) is one of my favorite things ever.

2. Book news: I found out this week that my working title, THE HIDEAWAY, will in fact be the actual title of my book! Remember that long list of title possibilities I mentioned last week–the one in which I brainstormed about 30 different title ideas for the marketing team? Of course, I listed The Hideaway as one option, but I held it loosely, knowing there was a good chance they could decide to go in a different direction. But they all agreed that it was the best title for the book and that it was intriguing and accessible to readers. It’ll be nice to not have to get used to another title (when really, I probably would have still considered it ‘The Hideaway,’ even if only in my head!)

3. Because I like to tell other people about good books, here’s what I’m reading now:

Isn’t that a gorgeous cover? The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler. I’m sure I’ll post back here when I’m done, but suffice it to say, I’m enjoying it immensely. It’s mysterious, atmospheric, lyrical, and sort of creepy. Two timelines–one about a traveling carnival in the 1800s, the other in present time in which a guy is trying to piece together the mystery of his family and how the women in his family are connected to this carnival. It’s keeping me up at night. So is a lot of coughing, but I like the book better.

4. This weekend is Take 2 for Matt and the Black Toe Run in Tennessee. Last weekend didn’t happen because of the snow, and the organizers postponed the race until this weekend. I’m staying home with the girls, which means no one will be there to be his “sherpa,” but I’m sure he’ll do awesome, just like he did last year. I wish I could be there to hug his neck when he finishes…twelve hours after he started.

5. We went to the circus last night. Aside from marveling at how far the circus has come from its beginnings (as Sara Gruen wrote about in Water for Elephants), I just had a blast watching our kids watch the show.

Kate, age 6, is in the back. She was beside herself. Sela, 3.5, was still deciding.

Have a good weekend, everyone, and enjoy this awesome weather. (At least it’s awesome in Birmingham. Hope it is where you are too.)