Surely you all remember Ervin? How could we forget the genius that gave us Patience the Zombie-Slayer and so many other unforgettable FanLit parodies? Including my personal favorite chapter of the whole contest.

Well, Ervin has a new blog, on which he is posting excerpts from his memoir, Memories of a White-Trash Boyhood. You have to read it. It’s amazing. Start from the first post and work your way backwards, for optimal reading enjoyment.

Reading it made me realize I don’t read enough books written by men. Here I am writing romances that take place roughly half in a male POV, and nearly all the books I read (at least the books that mention love or sex) are written by women. Even though romance novels are admittedly stocked with rather idealistic versions of what we wish men think and feel about love and sex, it’s still good to have some basis in reality. And my own attempts to ask actual men of my acquaintance what they think and feel about love and sex have resulted in little but inarticulate exasperation. Thank God there are some guys who have the courage and talent to put it down on paper and restore my faith that there IS actually some thinking and feeling going on in there.

So that’s one reason why I’ll be obsessively checking Ervin’s blog for updates. But not the only reason. Mostly I will just because it’s riveting and damn good writing.

Really, I defy you to read what’s already there and NOT obsessively check for updates.

And if none of that convinces you, how could you say no to this face?


13 comments to “Come for the dimples, stay for the schadenfreude”

  1. Ervin A.
    November 25th, 2007 at 12:04 am · Link

    Ah, if only the Ervin of today was as cute as the Ervin of the late 70’s. Let me tell you, the dimples were NOT appreciated in my youth. I was called Crater Face until the 7th grade. Seriously. But I think I’ve finally gotten over the nightmare of grade school name-calling. Just now gotten over it. Like three days ago. Anyway, thank you, Tessa. You really are way, way too kind.

    …Ervin…



  2. Tessa Dare
    November 25th, 2007 at 11:52 am · Link

    Ervin, I don’t trust anyone who wasn’t called names as a child. Or maybe I just resent them, because I was teased mercilessly.

    But this is not me being kind. I don’t know where this pernicious rumor started, that I am nice. This is just me being really excited about a new book I’m reading and telling everyone I know to go read it, too. 🙂



  3. India Carolina
    November 25th, 2007 at 2:33 pm · Link

    Oh, can’t wait to read it! I’m on my way! And Ervin wrote some of my favorite FanLit chapters as well. Thanks for helping us find him again.



  4. Lenora Bell
    November 25th, 2007 at 3:35 pm · Link

    Awww…Ervin is way too cute. Thanks for posting this link. I just spent ten minutes over there and I’m addicted already.



  5. Elyssa Papa
    November 25th, 2007 at 3:38 pm · Link

    I had to go back and find Ervina’s zombie chapter… OMG, it gets better every time I read it. Thanks Tessa for pointing out the blog–I am obsessed.



  6. Erica Ridley
    November 25th, 2007 at 7:19 pm · Link

    LOL. Sounds like I’ll have to check it out! Off to click…



  7. Gillian Layne
    November 26th, 2007 at 6:39 am · Link

    Oh, I’ll have to hit that first thing after our Xmas parade tonight! 🙂



  8. terrio
    November 26th, 2007 at 10:40 am · Link

    I found this blog and bookmarked it last week when you first mentioned it but I haven’t gotten over there to read yet. I’ll have to make time for that.

    But I didn’t know Ervin was *that* Ervin. LOL! How fun!

    And I’d be interested in meeting anyone who wasn’t called a name as a child. I tell you some of mine but I don’t think we have the memory in here….



  9. Alice Audrey
    November 26th, 2007 at 10:51 am · Link

    I should have read the comments here before I ran over there. Ah well.

    Tessa, what’s the title of the entry? When I click on it I get a blank story page over at Avon



  10. Tessa Dare
    November 26th, 2007 at 11:18 am · Link

    AA, my favorite of Ervin’s was “Thoroughly Modern Patience”.



  11. Lara Lee
    November 26th, 2007 at 7:21 pm · Link

    Tessa, thanks for finding Ervin again! I’m on my way over to catch his blog.

    Laurie



  12. Tessa Dare
    November 26th, 2007 at 8:11 pm · Link

    LOL, Lara Lee, I’m not sure Ervin was ever exactly “lost” – and I really can’t take any credit for finding him, since he’s the one who showed up on this blog… But I’m happy to pass on the link, because I think we’ve all been expecting great things out of him. And lo and behold! Great things.



  13. lacey kaye
    November 28th, 2007 at 12:06 pm · Link

    Yay, new reading! Thanks!