Update on fire situation at my apartment last week
Some of you apparently did not get the generic message I sent out. Basically a fire broke out in kitchen 10 days ago and heat in walls was so intense that it pretty much toasted my apartment and I will not be able to move back in for estimated 3/4 months. Spent a week with brother and now next 3 weeks with sister. Will begin next week looking into trying to find short term rental situation. Not easy, as my rent control payment was $970 a month and non rent control housing here in the city is outrageous, and most places will not rent month to month. I will eventually find something. I have asked PEN for emergency assistance. They next meet on March l5, I believe.
I can’t begin to tell you how amazed I am at the support I have received. There have been offers to hold benefit readings, offers of clothes, staying with people for several days or so, and a few cash contributions people sent me. And some publishers have said they will send me copies of books that I lost in the mail. It was devasting to lose so many of my books, mags with my work in them, my entire art collection, and five years of correspondence that was going to my Brown archives this spring. Stuff that can not be replaced.
I will have access to email while at my sister’s home, but may be slow in responding. There is so much to do and my back is acting up from all the lifting and carrying of what I could salvage to store in my garage.
Thanks to all of you for your support and kind thoughts and wishes during this trying time in my life.
A.D. Winans (aka: Al
Leave a Reply