Hello, you!
It's today! My book is out TODAY! If you haven't read my books, this is the one I want you to read. If you're already a beloved reader of mine, this one is a little different. It's both heavier and lighter at the same time, a bit more intense and quite a bit more emotional. This will require more Kleenex than Cypress Hollow does, but I'm hoping it will also bring you even greater joy.
In Australia and New Zealand, it has a different gorgeous cover (I won the cover lottery for both):
(Now, to whet your appetite, let me give you a quick sample. This is at the very beginning of the book, the moment Kate's life, off-track from a great tragedy, turns and heads in a new, wonderful, frightening direction.)
EXCERPT:
A girl pushed her head in. "Can I just have a quick word with Ms. Monroe?"
Kate had seen the girl–no, the young woman–during the talk. She'd stood in the back, her spine straight, the picture of an earnest art student. She wore a black, oversized tunic with red pockets and torn black tights. Her hair was multi-colored, stripes of blue and green cascading through her black curls. Kate had looked right at her, thinking she was a pretty girl who probably didn't know how beautiful she was going to be. An idle thought, that's all it had been.
Vanessa raised her eyebrows. "Maybe in a moment? We'll be out in a–"
Kate felt something twist in her stomach, an edge of nervousness, and she said, "No, it's fine," even while she wasn't sure if it was. She held the stem of her glass more tightly.
Something was about to happen.
Vanessa gave Kate a sharp, curious look and then nodded. The door clicked behind her.
"It's me," said the girl.
With Sophie Littlefield
Diesel Books, Oakland, CA - Book Launch Party!
Thursday March 6, 7pm
Barnes & Noble, San Luis Obispo CA
Saturday March 8, 11am
With Sophie Littlefield and Gigi Pandian
Read Books, Danville CA
Thursday March 13, 6:45pm
Women and Children First, Chicago IL
Tuesday March 18, 7pm
New Bo Books, Cedar Rapids IA
Wednesday March 19, 7pm
IndyReads, Indianapolis IN
Friday March 21, 7pm
The Learned Owl Book Shop, Hudson OH
Saturday March 22, 1pm
Ben McNally Books, Toronto ON
Monday March 24, 6pm
Ooh – I just bought my copy for my Kindle.
BTW – Cedar Rapids is in IA – not IL. 🙁
So far, I’m liking it. You always create characters that seem like real people – people I know.
Little things in the book are sticking out to me:
The teardrop trailer – when I read that I thought about how I had heard of those recently. Duh! On your blog!
Pee Chee folders. The folder to have when I was in junior & senior high (I went to junior & some of senior high in SoCal). I now live on the East Coast & Pee Chee folders are unknown here.
Reading about a character who is knitting. I was all surprised to read about someone knitting and then I remembered that it’s YOU who wrote the book, so of course there’s knitting!
I get so into books as I’m reading them that when I stop, and come back to the real world, I am a little confused at first. I think that whatever’s happening in the book, or whatever the weather’s like is how it also is in the real world.
It just magicked itself onto my kindle! We do, indeed, live in the future. If the coming week does not actually kill me, I plan to be in Chicago!
Psst – Cedar Rapids is in IA not IL. Congrats on the book! Looking forward to reading it.
I love my kindle, it magically appeared last night, can’t wait to start. When are you coming to Portland, OR????
Congratulations!
Dammit, I am a flake and didn’t see this until today, too late to make the Oakland talk. I hope the book tour is wonderful!
Got my copy on March 5! Going to start it this weekend on the couch with a cup of tea under a warm blanket since it is still freezing here in upstate NY! Can’t wait….
Woohoo! Got my copy in the mail yesterday, so far all I’ve read is the Acknowledgments and the Auden poem (got library books with short due dates to finish first) but I like those. Can’t wait to dive in.
Can I still get a bookplate?
I just finished the book and….wow! It’s intense. I had to read it in little bits, to process the story. The ending felt right. It’s such an emotional story and the characters are so real. I need to think about what to write for a review. Right now, all I can think is, “wow!”
I’m with Angela, WOW. I loved it, I am processing it before I write a review. Thanks so much for a great read.
I have read all your books, and you know that I have loved every one. This one is different and I cannot put it down! WOW!! You are an incredible writer. My head aches from the intensity and I am drawn into these characters in a way that is truly amazing. It’s hard not to cry with every page. Thank you for your efforts and for sharing such a talent with us. I hope to see you in Danville next week. I will bring my book to sign. I always buy you in paper for my collection and also on the Kindle for easier reading. Bravo!