Douglas Coupland, the author of "Girlfriend in a Coma", read from his new book, "Miss Wyoming", here in Iowa City on 2/2/00. He was saying how the female protagonist in the new book was based roughly on Kristy McNichol and joked that he hoped she didn't hate his guts.

"My last book was oriented around a number of Smiths and Morrissey song bites," he started, then paused for effect. "How would you like to go through life knowing MORRISSEY hates you?!" A goodly portion of the audience clapped and laughed, seeming to know of Mozzer's occasional bouts of vindictive feelings.

"So, during the tour for that book," he continued, "the PRESIDENT of his US fan club came up to me in Boston, really quiet and not smiling.

And I asked (scrunches face, looks nervous): 'well....what does HE think?'"

"He was quite flattered," she said.

When I got my book signed, I told him that I was going to Chicago to see Morrissey next week. Coupland made a disappointed noise and said, "Oh, I'm so jealous!" Evidently, he knows about the tour and can't see it because of his own commitments.

By the way, his website, www.coupland.com, is really cool and worth checking out.