It’s been an entire year since the release of No Place To
Fall, an entire year of being an author as well as a writer. It seems like a
time to reflect and look back on the accomplishments, joys, and sorrows of such
a tremendous accomplishment, but it’s hard to do.
About five weeks after the release of No Place To Fall, my
partner of twenty years was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer that had
advanced into her liver in a big way. Six weeks later, she was gone. That’s a
story in itself, but it's enough for you to know that it's been hard.
The first many months I reeled—buried under a weight
and fog like none I’ve ever experienced in my relatively charmed and privileged
life. Truth be told, I’m still reeling, though I hide it pretty well under a
veneer of keeping busy.
I’m trying to channel much of this into a book, but writing
is hard. I’ve done well with finishing up the two projects that were already in
the works, but new words….difficult. I’m trying to trust that it’s my grief
inhabiting all the creative spaces and eventually I’ll find it again, but,
I’m glad I still have the day job just in case.
But let’s move out of the oh, poor, sad Jro story and into
some bright spots from the first year of authordom, shall we?
·
My launch party was amazing and Raven was there
and oh, so proud.
·
People telling me they love my words is surreal.
Still.
·
I got to go to Graceland, because I was on book
tour.
·
Book tour, what the what? Whose life is this?
·
I’ve been invited to two book clubs – enough
about me let’s talk about me some more!
·
Every bookstore I go in, I look for No Place To
Fall, then offer to sign it! So fun.
·
I did two book festivals, at one I had a
conversation with Ron Rash, at another I met Diana Gabaldon.
·
I’ve met amazing bloggers and readers and fellow
YA authors.
·
Even through my grief, I still feel pretty great
about being a published author, it is a seriously cool thing and has been a bright spot in a dismal year.
So, as a thank you, if you leave a blog comment, or regram my Instagram post, or retweet or tweet about No Place To Fall’s birthday anytime before midnight tonight,
you’ll be entered once for each (be sure and tag me so I know!), into a drawing for one of five pre-orders (technically not really, as I have to wait for the release date) for Will’s Story: A
No Place To Fall Novella. (for Kindle or Nook) coming April 5, 2016.
This 80 page short follows some of the same timeline as No Place
To Fall, but we get to see the events through Will McKinney’s eyes. To me, Will
is a pretty decent guy and I wanted him to have a chance to explain his early
actions in the novel, and we also look a little deeper at his relationship with
his family. If you want to pre-order it yourself, it's available for Kindle HERE and for nook HERE.
Also, keep your eyes and ears tuned in for this winter, when
I should have a cover to reveal for my next book, Georgia Peaches and Other
Forbidden Fruit, which is scheduled to release on November 15, 2016.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope to have a bit more content in
the weeks and months ahead. And hug the people you love, then hug them again.
