Another Joe O'Connell's tragedy

Yes, I know it seems to be getting awfully depressing on my blog of late, but right now this comes from having a tracker that shows what brought people here. This week it's the story of another Joe O'Connell, originally from Ireland, who was on a road trip near Chicago with his wife and three kids when their van flipped. At the wheel was their 15-year-old daughter who was trying out her learner's permit. Both parents died. Sounds straight out of an Anne Tyler novel. Here's sending condolences to all of the O'Connell clan in both the Old Country and here in the United States.

Goodnight, Jeff

I had that dream again last night, the one where I'd forgotten to go to class for the first couple of weeks of the semester and was late for the day's class. We've all had that dream, but for me it was mostly true. As an undergrad I skipped class frequently, drank a lot of beer and took six years to complete my degree. (I made up for it in graduate school with one B that still rankles.)

Which leads us to Jeff Henderson. I made an A in the first journalism class I took from him. The second class he had to kick me out for not showing up. He did it nicely but firmly. I didn't see much of him again until I became student newspaper adviser at St. Edward's University and started attending the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conventions. We became reacquainted (I'm not totally sure he remembered me), and in 2004 when I was named TIPA adviser of the year, Jeff handed me the award. Two years ago when my novel came out, he was there asking for an autographed copy and visibly proud to see the success of a former student. He was just that kind of guy.

He died Thursday at the young age of 67. He'd had heart problems dating back to when he was my prof, but I still expected him to make it through. I'll be at his funeral this coming Wednesday and I anticipate a crowd. That's what happens when your life is well lived and you've left little seeds for a lot of people. Jeff's certainly was.

Terry Harper gets one final word in...

I knew Terry Harper back in the '80s when he was recent college graduate traveling around advising chapters of my college fraternity. At one point we were having lunch in Rivendell's, a San Marcos, Texas, restaurant, when his eyes suddenly widened. He pointed up at the ceiling where a possum was pocking its head through. We both laughed a lot about that moment.

This past week Terry died after a second surgery for brain cancer. What can I tell you about Terry that he couldn't say better? Read his final words as reprinted in The New York Post.

Too cheap to buy my book? Rent it

Steve Booker, appropriately, holding up my book which he got as an Xmas present!

In one of the strangest forms of availability for my novel-in-stories EVACUATION PLAN, you can now rent it here for a paltry $9.99. Hey, for a few more bucks I'll hand deliver an autographed copy to you (my airfare to your door may apply, read fine print for details).

Nicholas cruises off to a nap

We've made the big switch in recent days. Nicholas is taking his afternoon nap in his cool car bed. He's still in the crib at night, but I don't think it'll be long until we make the complete shift to the big-boy bed.

Russell graduates!

My nephew Russell Harvey graduated from high school tonight. What's cool is he went to the same elementary, junior high and high school as I did. It seems like only yesterday he and I were splashing around in the kiddie pool (what I did today with my own son!). That's his proud mama and brother William flanking him in the photo.

Texas film incentives get $60 million

The Texas Legislature has given a total $62 million ($2 million goes to administration) to fund the state’s new-and-improved film incentives program for the next two fiscal years. It wasn’t easy, insiders say, with the $40 million increase over the previous (and first) incentives fund at one point tied to FEMA reimbursements related to Hurricane Katrina, but in the end coming from the general revenue fund. Add $8 million unspent from a previous two-year allocation, and Texas should quickly be competitive. Give major credit to lobbying by the Texas Motion Picture Alliance. A big shout out alos to state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who fought off late slashing of the program’s proposed budget. A speedy application/approval process is the next goal, with staff for this at the Texas Film Commission increased from one to eight. The likely first Austin shoot to latch onto increased incentives? Machete, Robert Rodriguez’s full-length version of what had been a fake coming attraction seen in Grindhouse. Look for it to lens in Austin this summer.