In these troubled economic times, I know I should be grateful.

Washington State tourism: first boosted by the Twilight books, and now (apparently) by the dread Fifty Shades of Grey. WHY? Why can't people visit us because of their burning desire to trace the scenes in Jim Lynch's The Highest Tide, or Kat Richardson's Greywalker books? Or anything by Betty MacDonald, Gary Larson, Sherman Alexie, Tobias Wolff, Lynda Barry, or Raymond Carver? Frank Herbert was born here! Why have our literary contributions been boiled down to this? WHY AM I READING ABOUT TWILIGHT 2.O HELICOPTER TOURS IN MY SUNDAY PAPER?!?