Signing off for now...

Hey guys. I'm taking a break from blogging for a while. If something comes up that I can't resist, I might post something. But I'm in the midst of a huge creative block and need to remove some of the pressure, so no blogging for me until I have something worthwhile to say.

In the meantime, if you need to reach me, you can email me at elizabethfuss@msn.com.

See you in a bit!

Lizzy

The Melting Season

When I finished reading Jami Attenberg's The Melting Season, I felt it in my stomach. And my throat.

With a suitcase full of money and a soul full of secrets, Catherine drives across the country in search of answers, closure and a new life. The story weaves its way through the past and the present with intricacy and depth. The characters are rich like good chocolate cake, with complex elements and beautifully human characteristics.

It's a novel about sexual dysfunction, the evolution of a life and how the pieces all fall into place. It's heartbreaking. And beautiful. What I love about The Melting Season, is that it is a portrait of a whole person, broken parts, damaged soul, loving heart, all of it, told in lyrical thoughts and narrative, at times like poetry, at times like the simple words in my head, unembellished and honest.

It's very intimate and I wanted to cry for Catherine and hug her and fight for her. So yes, when it was over, and I finished reading this fine book, I felt it. And I might have cried. A little. Or maybe a little more than a little.

You can see the book trailer here. Buy it, check it out from the library, read it, love it.

With the new blog rules from some government agency, I guess I have to tell you that I received my copy of The Melting Season from the publisher before its release. But I was a fan of Jami Attenberg's way before that when I read her essay in Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant and her book The Kept Man. And I wouldn't write about it if I didn't love it. And I did. Love it, I mean.

Lamb with Parsnip Puree and Lemon Herb Cream Sauce

Here is the latest project with my sister Chelsea on her blog, Frolic. This recipe is lovely, wintery food with all the comfort and sauciness that food in cold weather requires.