Worst... blogger.... ever!!
I just have been busy, getting some writing jobs, mourning the death of Christopher on Sopranos.
Okay, I haven't seen Christopher's death, but thanks to Rosie O'Donnell, I found out.
I was saddened to hear of Terry Ryan's death last week to cancer. It wasn't unexpected; she had been sick for so long. But still. Ryan wrote The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, a love letter to her mother, Evelyn Ryan. Evelyn Ryan supported her family (nine children) with her entries in contests for commerical jingles, writing contests, you name it, she did it. The dad Kelly Ryan was alcoholic and not reliable, so it was up to her to support the family. Because of Evelyn Ryan, she won a house, bikes for the kids, cars that would end up sold but they always needed the money, a trip to New York, and a trip to Texas when she won a contest sponsored by Dr. Pepper. She had a no nonsense attitude to her husband; she simply did the best she could, knowing she couldn't fix him, but she had to raise her children. Terry Ryan wrote about it, and it was made into a movie with Julianne Moore and Woody Hareleson. Sadly it was not a big hit, although I don't know why.
Condolences go out to her wife, Patricia Holt, former book review editor of the SF Chronicle.

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