Our February theme for the Cabinet of Curiosities is envy, and I wrote a little version of the goose that laid the golden egg, I guess--only it's told in a quite strange voice that I have good reason to suspect no one likes but me (it pays off though! I mean if you keep reading--the voice is strange for a reason, at least).

That's not a hint to come tell me YOU liked it--though please feel free!--because for some reason it really is fine. It's just hilarious to me that I like it SO MUCH. I keep re-reading the story and loving it, fully aware that I am the only person on this green earth doing that.

Anyway. I just think it's funny, how much you can make something you love that no one else does. I guess that sounds a bit tragic, but I don't mean it tragically; it's sort of funny and nice, what whack-jobs we all are, with our own little treasured insanities.

Working on a tricky revision of my second book these days--maybe that's why it's on my mind? Sometimes it's hard to trust that something you like will have appeal to anyone outside of your own head. But you have to trust, I think, 'cause once you start trying to guess what people will like, then all the eggs are broken, and all the chickens run away.

Katherine Catmull