I am having trouble facing the fact that my friend, Suzanne Lang, has left this earthly plane, suddenly, tragically, as a surprise to herself and the rest of the huge community who knew her and loved her. “Gutted” “Devastated” “Bereft” “Crushed” are the words I’ve heard, even from those who never met her, but only listened to her insightful and incisive interviews on KRCB radio’s “A Novel Idea.”

Suzanne was the reader all authors wished they had. I was privileged to enjoy several conversations with her about my book and spoken word album on our local NPR affiliate at 104.9 on the FM dial. To hear Suzanne online, go to Northern California Public Media and horizontally scroll PODCASTS until you get to the photo of a grinning wise woman with a grayish pageboy and bright eyes behind big, round eyeglasses. Click and you will find dozens of her recent editions of A Novel Idea.

When I missed her company, I could always tune in to hear her wonderfully articulate voice. On my recommendation, Suzanne graciously interviewed at least three friends of mine when their books came out. One of those authors wrote me today: “What a loss for you and for the world. She was one of a kind…”

I could easily say Suzanne was one of my very best and most devoted friends, supporting me through thick and thin. Our long phone conversations saved my sanity. We often had lunch together on my patio where she praised my back yard as “a peaceful sanctuary” and as recently as May 11, texted: “Thoughts of your garden continue to inspire me.” She took me to dinner and the theater for one of my recent birthdays and we shared at least two local hikes …although we were planning to traverse more extravagant landscapes if I only I would hop the train to Bakersfield where she would pick me up for a retreat at her new homestead in Kern County.

I’ve been searching for photos of Suzanne and me together and I can’t find anything on my first try. But I do have a video from 2013 when she interviewed me for Community Television’s WriterSpeak. I have it posted on my website; you can click here here if you want to watch it. It surprised me by holding up in relevance to today’s political moment.

Here is Suzanne’s last message to me from June 16: “Hey Jennie girl! I am just pulling out of the beach and heading out to Anderson Springs and tonight I will spend in Markleeville. Thank you for such a lovely visit and for the greenery. I can’t wait to incorporate them into my little planting zones! I hope you had a great time up at Harbin soaking in those wonderful, wonderful waters. See you next time.”

Sadly, we won’t have a next time.

I love you, dear person. Rest in power.