There's no breaking Dawn

If you're curious how my girl Dawn is doing on Survivor but haven't been watching, here's a great 8 minute chunk that shows her in action. Go to the full episode and watch starting at the 18:35 mark (just after a commercial break). The all powerful immunity challenge! Sorry you'll have to watch (ignore) a couple of commercials to get to it. How come I get to know so many cool people?

In The Actor and the Housewife, there was a detail that bugged a lot of people. Becky Jack would make three pies each Sunday night. On Monday, her family would eat one and give the other two away. I thought it was a cool idea (who doesn't love pie?) and was surprised at the sometimes angry response it provoked. "Nobody does that" some people said.

Well, Dawn does that. Not pie. Bread. Dawn makes homemade bread all the time and she and her kids take them around and give them to people. We've been the lucky recipients a few times over the past few years. I don't know how often she does it, but I admire her down to my boots for it. I happen to know several women who do this sort of thing: make extra dinner once a week so they can take a dinner to someone, make cookies or pies or cupcakes to have on hand and give away. I don't. I would love to but I'm lame and not a great cook. But real women like Dawn inspired Becky Jack. Dawn is not Becky, but I definitely thought of her and a few other women I know when writing Becky. (Dawn also happens to be incredibly witty and funny and an enthusiastic mother...but as far as I know, she doesn't have a famous British actor as a best friend.)

Go Dawn! Go moms. Go cool women. Go cool men too. Go homemade bread and pies and cup cakes. Go, Shannon, and write your book.

Okay, I will. I think (hope) many of you will be pleased with what I'm working on now.