Now that it's come into existence, seemingly out of thin air, I want to thank Jan so much for providing me with this attractive and efficient home in cyberspace - as she's so generously done for several other writers, taking time out from her own work as a composer of superbly crafted piano preludes and haunting electronic music. In addition to all these talents, Jan is a fun and funny woman, and I count myself very lucky to know her.

I'd also like to welcome visitors to this site, with thanks for your taking the time to drop by. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as I enjoyed witnessing its birth.

- Lisa Alther

Photo of Lisa by Sara Bostwick (Lisa's daughter)

I've been a Lisa Alther fan for many years. Way back in 1976 I read Kinflicks. Since then I have recommended it to people as "one of those books you just have to read!"

And so it still is.

All of her books have affected me in so many positive ways. They made me laugh a lot but, more importantly (or is it?), they made me think about life. I enjoy thinking. I'm weird, I know.

In the summer of 2004 Lisa was in London and Doris Lessing, a mutual friend, said to me, "Come to dinner on Saturday. There will be an interesting author there I'd like you to meet. She wrote a book called Kinflicks, you may have heard of it."

Yes, indeed I have.

So I was delighted and slightly freaked-out to meet an author I admire so much. Lisa turned out to be one of the most intelligent and fun people I've ever met. We hung out in London for a bit going to theatre and having dinner and then she went back home to the U.S.

Everyone says they'll "keep in touch" and they never do. Lisa did. Email is truly the eighth wonder of the world. In April 2006 she emailed me that she had a new book coming out in 2007 (Kinfolks) and would I be interested in creating a web page for it. Um... that would be yes I would. I feel lucky to know her and to be able to give something back for the huge amount of enjoyment her books have given me.