Livejournal as literary hotbed

amarama wrote a beautiful, harrowing post, and something she said in response to my comment made me write this about some of the unexpected (to previously ignorant me) pleasures I've found on lj:

I feel lucky, myself. I feel like I'm coming late to this big truth and beauty party. I got onto lj thanks to beccawrites, and through her, I've found a bunch of really good writers working hard to do tough, honest, elegant, live writing about the things that are most central or the most difficult or the most underexamined in their lives -- and with lots of wit and exchange thrown in. It's quite something. It raises all sorts of questions for me in relation to writing, memoir, critical and emotional distance -- but it's hot, strong, powerful stuff -- often both contemplative and immediate, and, yeah, I like reading it.

anarqueso, gordonzola -- writers and cheesemongers -- are two more of my favorites. beelavender, too.

Yeah, and then there are the mysteries of just who might be reading it -- I just learned that one of my most beloved friends, who lives across the continent from me, checks in on a regular basis, unbeknownst to me. And my publisher told me that she reads, too. I'd be been thinking it was just our little gang here, but, really, who even knows who might be passing by. It's unsettling and wonderful, both.