Names and faces
■ Comedian Kate Micucci revealed she is working on recovery after undergoing lung cancer surgery earlier this month. In a “sick tok” video posted last week, Micucci said that her doctors caught her lung cancer early and removed all the impacted cells. Even with the successful removal, Micucci said her diagnosis was “pretty weird. I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life — it was a surprise. But I also guess it happens.” The American Cancer Society said that not everyone who is diagnosed with lung cancer has a history of smoking. Nonsmokers can develop lung cancer from “exposure to radon, secondhand smoke, air pollution, or other factors,” according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer can also be a result of exposure to asbestos, diesel exhaust and other chemicals. The voice actor and musician had recently released a 14-track album of folk songs earlier this month, “My Hat,” before the surgery and assured fans in her video post that “I’m all good.” She continued on, saying “It’s been a little bit of a trip. (Will) probably be moving slow for a few weeks and I’ll be back at it. Can’t wait to be (painting) more, I’ll be painting soon I think.”
■ Author James Patterson will be giving out $500 holiday bonuses to six hundred employees at independent bookstores across the United States. Employees were able to nominate themselves, or be recommended by store owners, managers, peers, community members and others. “I’ve said this before, but I can’t say it enough — booksellers save lives,” Patterson said in a statement Wednesday. “What they do is crucial, especially right now. I’m happy to be able to acknowledge them and their hard work this holiday season.” Patterson has been giving millions of dollars to booksellers, librarians and teachers for several years. In 2015, the year he started awarding the bonuses, he was presented an honorary National Book Award for “Outstanding Service to the America Literary Community.” Patterson’s tribute book to bookstores, “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians.” is set for an April release while being published by Little, Brown and Company. Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, said in a statement that “it means so much to have him recognize the valuable role booksellers play in the industry and we appreciate his financial generosity as well as his generosity of spirit.”