And so Joe Paterno has passed, and the tributes have begun. The calmer of the chattering class urge us in measured tones to not judge him only by the episode which ended his career, but to remember the greater whole. Part of me understands this, and even agrees with it. In fact, despite my own feelings, I've stayed quiet, feeling it is not for me to attack the memory of a beloved man when the grief over his passing is the most raw.

People's lives are larger than a single mistake—I want to believe this—and yet … when you've been victimized by a man like Sandusky, the failure of a man like Paterno to live up to his own professed ideals can loom over everything else.

Joe Paterno isn't Sandusky. I know that, and I don't for a moment want to imply otherwise. Sandusky is the criminal. Joe Paterno was a man who had a profoundly positive effect on hundreds, even thousands of lives. For that he should be celebrated. And his memorial should have focused on all that.

But Phil Knight had to go there. He had to blame others for Joe's failure in a moment of crisis.

An aside, to provide some context…

In the late 70s and 80s, I was one of at least two dozen boys against whom a teacher committed felony sexual assault. The specifics aren't important, though I will say I was one of the lucky ones, all things considered. Once the details came out, I learned it could have been far worse for me.

But among the details was the following tidbit: the school administration had at least some inkling of what was going on for years before the situation finally came fully to light. The teacher had been given a number of "talkings to" and certain restrictions were placed on his actions. Things like, "your door has to remain open during your prep period." But his criminal acts were mostly overlooked until the early 90s when he was finally arrested, charged, and ultimately convicted.

He was Sandusky, and he got what he deserved. But this isn't about him. It's about Joe and what some are saying about Joe.

Joe Paterno was NOT Sandusky.

But Joe Paterno was the school administration. He was part of the "well, you better stop that" and "you aren't allowed to hang out with boys," when he should have led the charge of "This man is a criminal who must be stopped right now." It happened in his building, the place from which he taught all those important lessons about integrity and strength of character.

So when Phil Knight stood up at the memorial yesterday and made excuses, and diverted responsibility, I thought back to the children who were victimized AFTER the powers that be knew, but did the absolute minimum to stop it, both those who suffered after me at my school, and those who suffered after the Penn State administration knew about Sandusky.

Joe Paterno could have done more. He SHOULD have done more. He was a man who taught responsibility, integrity, doing the right thing in the face of adversity and fear. He taught valuable, important lessons for which he should be celebrated. His legacy is far larger than a single mistake, but that doesn't mean we gloss over the mistake.

People of integrity own their mistakes. I'm sorry for those who loved Joe that his last months were shrouded in controversy. I'm sorry for those who love Penn State that the reputation of their beloved institution has been besmirched.

But I also feel this. If Joe Paterno had lived his own ideals rather than passing the buck to his boss, fewer boys might have been victimized. It's not enough to teach greatness. You have to live it too, and own the consequences when you fail, for the lesson to really matter.

Phil Knight, and everyone else who loves Joe Paterno, need to stop making excuses for him. Celebrate what was great about him, but don't pretend he didn't also fail.

 

"The Soul of the Sea" is a short story I wrote back in the 80s. It came to mind this morning in a Twitversation about Nancy Reagan and the things she scolded us about back in the day. Given that I took anything Nancy Reagan said as emitted from an Opposite Day Vortex of some kind, I Just Said Yes to Drugs in my gloriously misspent youth. This story grew out of that.

Read it online here.

Or, download EPUB or MOBI format files.

Yes, I'm going out in public during the month of December, to amaze and/or terrorize the public. If you're in the greater Portland area, come see me.

Multnomah County Library Read Local, Buy Local Holiday Event, December 3, 2011 from 1-4pm, Hollywood Library, Portland.

Oregon Historical Society Holiday Cheer, December 4, 2011 from noon to 4pm. Portland.

Cover to Cover Books Author Faire, December 10, 2011, Vancouver, WA.

If there is one thing the world doesn't need, it's another end-of-year list. So here is one more. Of the hundred or so books I've read in the last year, these are my favorites. 

 

I don't pretend the list is comprehensive. There are plenty of books on my TBR pile which I didn't get to (but hope to). I didn't limit myself to some arbitrary number—no mere Top Ten here—and these aren't ranked. In style, genre, voice, they vary widely, which makes it particularly hard to say one is better than another. All have one thing in common—all are books which make me say, "Ooo, ooo, ooo, you have to read this!"

 

And while I certainly mean that—Ooo, ooo, ooo, you DO have to read these—more than anything, I'm writing to the authors of these amazing books to say, "Thank you. Your work touched me, moved me, inspired me, enthralled me, and hells yeah entertained me."

 

The List, In No Particular Order

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

I wrote at length about Myra's debut elsewhere. From that, I will pluck one line—"Hourglass … is the latest young adult novel to blow me away"—and encourage you to read the rest, as well as this amazing book.

 

Dove Season by Johnny Shaw

I had the privilege of reading Dove Season before release, and in my blurb I described it as mellifluous. It is that in spades. It's also a rocking story rich in atmosphere and flawed humanity.

 

The Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

I'm firmly in category of Ass Kicked by this book. It's gripping, unnerving, heartbreaking, terrifying... Impossible to put down.

 

Here by Denise Swank

Denise has released three books this year, all superb. Her latest, Here, leapt onto this list with her crispest writing yet, her most gripping characters (no small feat) and a story which both grabbed my heart and flooded me with adrenalin.

 

A Victoria Dahl Threesome

Bad Boys Do, Good Girls Don't, and Real Men Will

Fun, giddy, and hot. Yes, Victoria, you gave me a … no, not you personally. I mean … Not that you wouldn't. You're totally hot. Oh, shit. This isn't going right. What I mean to say is your books, well you … I mean — people, just read these books. Meanwhile, I'll be in my bunk.

 

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain

I've enjoyed all of Chelsea's books, but with The Night Season, she's reached a new level of amaze. This book was fascinating and thrilling all at once, a thought-provoking page-turner with lots of gasp and heart-in-throat moments.

 

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Lyrical and haunting, a beautiful tale which was both otherworldly and in the moment. Reading this book was like being carried by the wind.

 

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander

Lady Emily is my fictional girlfriend, so all you other dudes can just step back! I am assured by Tasha that Lady Emily feels the same way about me. To which I say, swoon. I love all the Lady Emily books, and A Crimson Warning ranks among my favorites.

 

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

The charming Flavia de Luce has certainly captured me. While her second outing wasn't quite up to the standards set by Bradley's marvelous debut, this third tale in Flavia's adventures was, and then some.

 

Making Waves by Tawna Fenske

Another entry in the hot, funny, clever, page-turner category which also sent me to my bunk. The shower scene? Oh lord…

 

A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block

I'm one of many current writers who point to Lawrence Block as a primary inspiration. His Scudder books, as well as his Rhodenbarr books, are perennial re-reads for me. This was a superb addition to the Scudder canon.

 

Liquid Smoke by Jeff Shelby

A few years back, the fine ladies at Murder by the Book recommended Killer Swell and Wicked Break. Fab, hard-edged mysteries in what was for me an exotic and ultimately fascinating setting. So when I heard my own publisher, Tyrus, would be bringing out a new Noah Braddock mystery from Jeff, I was thrilled. Jeff did not disappoint. Honestly, you gotta read all three.

 

The Pull of Gravity by Brett Battles

I'm a fan of Brett's thrillers, but in this he goes in a different direction with this heartful story about a man confronting his haunted past in the Phillippines. It's magnificent.

 

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

This is how much I loved this book. I finished it at about 2:00 am, and rather than turn off the light and go to sleep, I turned to page one and started over. I didn't just read this book twice. I read it twice in a row. And I will re-read it again very soon, because it so beautiful and sad and funny and great.

 

Special Mention:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book has been around a while, and I read it the first time a couple of years ago. I re-read it this summer, and—if anything—loved it more. A painful, enthralling, important book.

 

Anticipated for 2012

• Anything by the authors above, but in particular:
• Timepiece by Myra McEntire (Cheating here, since I read an ARC and already know I love it.)
• Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig (Same, read an ARC, loved it).
• False Memory by Dan Krokos
• I Am Half Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
• The Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell (Don't tell Sean I said so because it will go to his giant, dome-like head, but he's a damn fine writer.)
• This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

 

Oh, and By The Way…

I also had the privilege of reading a number of manuscripts which I hope will find their way into print (digital and ink) very soon. In particular I would like to say to publishers and editors out there: please hurry and snap up the novels of Trisha Ziegenhorn. I've already written my blurbs.

 

Finally…

Since I still have some reading to do before New Year's Eve, I may add to this list.

No singing, I promise. Just the rhythm parts, best I can do. I missed a few measures, didn't reprise the first verse, and probably need to learn a new strum. :)

This actually sounded better in real life. I'm blaming my crappy microphone. My utter lack of skill may also be a factor.

It all began innocently enough. I would make Bacon Jam to take to Bouchercon 2011. A jar would go into my silent auction contribution, and a few other jars would go to friends. The jam would be delivered in cute jelly jars.

To add to the fun, I ordered special, custom-cured bacon from a local charcuterie, The Ethical Butcher. The only real hitch was the timing. The fancy-pants bacon was to be delivered on September 9, which means I'd need to make the jam over the weekend so I could can, package, and ship it ahead to St. Louis on Monday. No problem, right? Tight, but plenty doable.

Except the magic bacon was delayed, which I learned two days before the planned Bacon Jam production. Le sigh. Fortunately, there are other sources of high-quality bacon. I went to Gartner's Country Meat Market on Saturday morning, the 10th, and acquired five pounds of their delicious sugar-cured bacon. But then I ran into problem number two: record high temperatures forecast for the weekend.

I decided to get up early Sunday and make the jam before the heat. I figured I could be done with canning by early afternoon, then relax on the couch with a beer and the football game.

But then I encountered problem number three: I was making a lot more jam than usual. Typically, I work from a pound of bacon, which produces about a cup of jam. This time, I wanted plenty, not only to take to Bouchercon, but also to have for home and to give to family. What I learned on this particular Sunday is even though one pound of bacon can be turned into jam in about 2-1/2 hours, it would be more like 6-1/2 hours to transform five pounds of bacon. It was almost 1:00pm before I was ready to start canning. By then, the outdoor temperature was 92°F, and the temp in the kitchen was at 95°F. Oy!

(Complicating things in a delightful way was my desire to bake an apple pie for my daughter and son-in-law's first wedding anniversary. At their wedding last September 11, they celebrated with pies rather than cake, and I had the privilege of making the pie they cut together at the reception. So it only made sense that I would make them another pie for their first anniversary. But the endeavor added to the heat generated in the kitchen. Oh well. The pie came out beautifully and they loved it, so it was well worth it!)

The Bacon Jam itself came out beautifully. The complication came in the canning process. Because it's a meat product (though with added acid from the cider vinegar), it was necessary to pressure can the jam. No problem, except remember that heat thing? Yeah. But on the plus side, my wife helped prep the jars and troubleshoot the problem of losing the jar rack for the canner. The two of us soldiered on through the heat. We were able to can six half-pint jars at a time, so the plan was for two batches.

Alas, we suffered a containment failure on the first batch. This was sad, because we lost not only six half-pints worth of jam but also we faced with a third round of canning in a kitchen which approached 100°F by late afternoon. (Of course, we didn't have to spend the entire time in the kitchen. Once the pressure was up, we could escape to the relative cool of the living room—slightly under 90°F—except for occasionaly dashes into the kitchen for pressure checks.) Each batch from fill to removal from the canner was about 3-1/2 hours (takes a long time for a canner to cool and depressurize in that kind of heat) so it made for a long afternoon and evening.

Best as I could tell, the containment failure was due to pressure fluctuation in the first batch. Batch Two was successful (finished about 8pm) and Batch Three came out at 11:30pm. By then, we'd gotten the kitchen temp down to the high 80s.

And this morning, I am pleased to report twelve half-pints are cooling on the rack. One of those jars will be opened this morning for a taste test, and the rest will head to St. Louis, assuming the tasting is a success.

And now, without further nattering, here's a blow-by-blow of the Bacon Jam creation.

My recipe is a variation of several found online. For this batch the ingredients were as follows (divide by 5 for a more manageable recipe, rounding measurements up to the next quarter cup as appropriate).

• 5 lbs bacon
• 5 large onion sliced thin
• 15 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 cups apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup raspberry vinegar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ground coriander
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Start with the bacon. Chop it into one-inch chunks and cook until nearly crisp. Drain excess fat and set aside.

Once the bacon is done, sauté the onions in a little of the reserved bacon fat until they soften, about 6 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook another two minutes or so.

(Note: the Dark Poodle of the Apocalypse will be sniffing around for errant bacon nibbles.)

Cooking onions and garlic in bacon fat smells soooo good.

Once the onions and garlic are ready, add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Still smells wonderful.

Then add that lucious bacon.

Cook for a long time at a simmer. With one pound of bacon, it's usually about two hours, but for a batch this size, it was closer to four. Oh well. Still smelling like heaven.

Once it's done, take it off the heat and let it rest. Everything will be soft and salty-sweet. With one pound of bacon, the rest time will be about ten minutes to allow the liqud to thicken a bit. For five pounds, it was more like 20 minutes, but that was no problem, because the next step is …

… to prep the jars: wash and sterilize.

Once the jam mixture has cooled a bit, pulse it in a food processor with the blade until the bacon is finely chopped but not pureed. You want a nice, spreadable consistency.

At this point, you can eat it. It will keep about a month in the fridge, or six months in the freezer. We eat it on crackers, crostinis, or on a fried egg sandwich (on toast or English muffin as you prefer.) Delicious.

But, of course, I wanted to transport the jam without benefit of refrigeration. That meant canning.

Hello, Pressure Canner of Doom.

You've already heard my Tale of Woe about the heat and Batch One Containment Failure, so I now I will skip right to …

… post-process jars of Bacon Jam cooling on their rack. Once they are fully cool, I will clean and label the jars, then pack for shipping. In the mean time …

… Taste Test via Lucious Breakfast Sandwich. The Bacon Jam is everything I hoped, and more.

This past spring, I had the privilege of working with Rae Richen of the Oregon Writers Colony to update the organization website. This past weekend, at the annual Oregon Writers Colony Founders Day celebration, Rae and the OWC presented me with this wonderful cup, named for Ruby Jane's coffee shops.

In case you can't make out the word in the image, it reads:

Bill Cameron's
Uncommon Cup
Thank you from
Oregon Writers Colony
2011 

I'm honored and humbled by this beatiful gift.

At least, as of this morning and for the moment anyway. Amazing what free will do for your sales!

I just wish I had one of those big foam hands.

The dough proofs nicely.

 

After the first proof, I got to use the couche for the stretch-and-fold. Much better than flour on a countertop.

 

After four proof/stretch-and-fold cycles, it was ready to divide.

 

The couche made shaping much easier, though I still have handling techniques to learn.

 

I prepped four loaves in two pairs, since I can only bake two at once. The second pair went into the fridge during the final proof of the first, then came out again when the first two went into the oven.

 

Looking pretty good on the peel. A little lumpy, but much better than my first try.

 

Transfer from the peel onto the baking stone in the over didn't go smoothly. The two loaves glommed into each other a bit. Still, not a bad effort.

 

The second pair went more smoothly, though you can still see where I need to learn a bit about handling. There are three loaves in this picture because I already ate one of the first two loaves.

Left: sesame seed. Middle: Sel Gris coarse sea salt. Right: plain (flour dusting).