Ten Things I am Thankful for Concerning Towers of Gold

1) That my cousin Warren Hellman and I will be on Michael Krasny’s Forum on KQED on Tuesday Dec. 23 at 10 a.m. Listen in to hear an original song on Isaias Hellman performed by Warren and his band, the Wronglers. I have listened to Krasny’s show for years and have always dreamed of being on it.

2) For all the people who came to my readings – it was great to see so many friends and to meet so many new people.

3) For all the relatives I have met through the publication of this book

4) For getting the chance, via radio, to talk to people in Montana, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, and elsewhere

5) That I am on the San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller list for a third week

6) That the San Francisco Chronicle named Towers of Gold a notable Bay Area book of 2008.

7) That Towers of Gold made the Marin Independent Journal bestseller list for two consecutive weeks. That really means that one of my favorite bookstores, Book Passage, is selling a lot of copies

8) That Towers of Gold has sold so well it is going into its second printing

9) That after 8 years of working on this book, it is out in the world.

10) That Isaias Hellman’s contribution to the creation of California will now be noted