Laura Moriarty comes to Baker

Gripping my audio recorder like a weapon protecting me from the danger of my fallable memory, I poured every ounce of concentration onto the woman before me.

Slender, as erect as a statue, and wearing a black two-piece dress with tiny lemon cookie crumbs sprinkled on her blouse, Laura Moriarty, the author of "The Center of Everything" smiled sincerely at me, my shoulders slightly hunched, my extra large sweatshirt sleeves hanging past my wrists, and my hair drooping into my eyes, as I asked a lengthy string of questions in no apparent order.

Moriarty, a Lawrence resident, came to Baker last night to speak to students about her new book, "The Rest of Her Life," and the writing process. She was humble, intelligent, empathetic and beautiful. But all of that is no surprise when acquainted with Moriarty's writing voice.

Her first book, "The Center of Everything" (If you haven't read it yet, I recommend you do.) closely associates with human emotion and provides a compassionate look into the lives of fictional characters that appeal so real the reader is tricked into believing they are.

This reader was so thoroughly tricked that I finished the book in a day, and was painfully disturbed that it was over.

Moriarty stayed after to sign everyone's book and speak to students. I lingered longer and blasted her with questions. My eyes widened, and pathetically, my lower jaw hung open like a draw bridge. My mind raced, digesting all of her words.

Each answer inspired another question.

It would be quite easy for someone who has written a book as good as Moriarty's to resituate themselves onto an elevated plain, to develop an ego. But Morarty wasn't at all conceited. She was distinctly genuine, sincere and extremely patient.

She carefully supplied thoughtful answers to each of my questions, and she really understood what it meant to be a struggling writer.

But more than that, Moriarty knows what it means to be a struggling human. Her latest book focuses on a person's life after having accidently killed another in a car accident. The accident in question was provoked by a single moment of absent mindedness. The book centers on the emotional repercussions and impact on the driver and her family after such an event.

I haven't read the book yet, because I am so poor I'm on the Ramen noodle diet. But, Moriarty's writing is of such a high quality, I'm tempted to dodge the gas bill this month in order to invest in another day of excellent recreational reading.

Moriarty is a local writer, and I believe it's important that we support her. Afterall, her books are well worth it.