I'm reading this very-interestingly-written novel by Fiona Maazel titled Last Last Chance, and on page 176 I stumbled across this truism that really hit home for me, as spoken by a recently-deceased character:

I once heard a writer say that though it's hard to get characters to perform basic functions without feeling like a jackass, it must be done. As he put it, "Even Proust had to open the window."

I've quite consciously in the latter years of my writing made sure that the characters did normal things like eat, go to the bathroom, be aware of time, pick up and put down pens/cigarettes/glasses. I just loved how this character in this novel phrased that.

Just wanted to share! Oh, and the book is quite the read. Maazel's style is quite unlike anything I've read before. Vivid and unexpected turns of phrase and descriptors. A lot of fun to read.

I've neglected to mention that I'm listening to/being read to The Heaven Tree, the first in a trilogy by Edith Pargeter. It was recommended to me by emansil_08 and I feel I should write her a thank you note. It made my 3-hour trip to Williamsburg and back fly by. It's set early in the 1200s in England, then Paris, and now they're heading back again. I've fallen in love with the main protagonist, Harry Talvace. And what's even more wonderful is that I can listen to this, be totally swept into the world, and I'm not comparing my works to hers. I do listen with an editor's ear (afraid I can't undo that), but I'm not thrown into despair. Highly recommended, and devilishly difficult to get as an audiobook without paying. I'm listening to a cassette version which I had to get via interlibrary loan. It's so worth it, though. ♥