Fast forward six months: Scheduled to do an interview with Stevie Nicks for Allure, I'm on the phone with Marcee Rondan, Stevie's publicist.

"I promise you," Marcee said. "Every writer that's recently interviewed her has said later, she's like my new best friend. How are you for time?"

"Soon as possible would be good."

"Not day, time of day. Stevie likes to do her interviews around midnight. That's when she's most awake."

"Excellent."

"The other thing is, you'll get much more material than you'll need. Once she gets going, Stevie likes to talk."

As the date of our telephone interview drew near, I wondered whether or not I'd be able to tell Stevie about the River Phoenix connection. On one level, I thought no. It's too obsessed-fan like. I decided, finally, to just wait and see.