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No Problem with Premature Evaluation

Clearly, I wasn't clear, Dear Reader. As a wrangler of words, it always sends me into fits when I muddle them. Several of you have contacted me for clarification, leading me to believe that I am to blame for confusion.

Clearly, I wasn’t clear, Dear Reader. As a wrangler of words, it always sends me into fits when I muddle them.

Several of you have contacted me for clarification, leading me to believe that I am to blame for confusion.

I’m sure I am to blame. I’ve tried to spare you a peek behind the curtain, Dear Reader. It’s insanity back there these days.

If you are currently reading To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis, thank you. If you’ve already read it, THANK YOU. If you’re planning to read it during the pre-release period I planned just for you, thank you.

Please post your reviews to Amazon, Goodreads and et cetera WHEN YOU FINISH THE BOOK. You do not have to wait until March 1, the book’s official release date.

When you’re done, let loose with what you think in all review forums (Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBook, Kobo, but especially Goodreads and Amazon) as soon as you like, BUT please hold off sharing or promoting the book on Facebook, Twitter and your various blogs until the big debut on March 1.

Thank you to everyone who’s sent me feedback, words of encouragement, and updates on your progress. While you’re reading, I’m out there plodding along and making my feet look like this:

photo (1)Isn’t it lovely??

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75 Comments

  1. I just love your headlines. And I just bought your book on kindle, I didn’t know I could get it yet and I’m looking forward to the read.

    1. I announced it privately, Howard, and because I’m me, and I’m the least detail-oriented person I know, I was sure I was missing people. I decided to do one blip on the blog to hopefully catch anyone I missed. The official release date is March 1, but the publisher agreed to do this for my readers. I really wanted you to be the first people to read the book.

  2. That’s gross!! Ewww…. nasty, nasty. And your foot looks bad too.

    And congratulations. Again. And again.

  3. Wait. It’s available NOW? Gotta go get it!

    1. See comment reply to Howard above. Did you decide to go to AZ for spring break?

  4. And, yes, Michael is right. That photo is gross 😉

      1. I am always right!! Well, actually I am a bit of a leftist. But a right-leftist.

    1. It is always a mistake to tell Carnell he is right……………….

      1. Face it Andra, people recognize greatness when they see it. Don’t try to fight it.

  5. You intend to do more walking on THAT?
    Mommy dearest is an absolute darling, isn’t she?

    1. She is. 🙂 I will do much more walking on that before I’m done. I can’t even feel it anymore.

  6. Eeeeeeeee. That photo makes me want to hug my feet and pamper them. I hope you buy your feet something that will help them feel nice.

    1. I bought some gel inserts for my shoes, but I really think this is just going to be what my right foot looks like. It is longer than my left foot, and I suspect my right leg is a little longer than my left as well, leading to all this ick on my right foot. When I’m done, I’m going to visit a poor pedicurist, and they’ll probably keep me there all day.

      1. Getting gel inserts is an awesome idea. My feet told me yesterday that they too wanted to feel better. Guess what I did? I went to Target and found them some Gel inserts. They are a bit happier now which means I am happier too. You also might consider getting some socks that have bottom cushions as well. 🙂

  7. Yoicks! I think you need some different shoes or maybe some wings. I can’t imagine walking 1 mile on a callous like that. Take care, I got foot stuff for christmas, a massager, a foot bath, pedicure kits and a dremel-like tool for callous and all kinds of lovely little (and big) tools to help my feet return to normal. I want to send it ALL to you…

      1. Really? Well, I’ve heard the same thing said by guitar players. They build up callous so they can play better. You build up a callous to walk better. My tender feet wince to see it.

  8. I’ll do anything to not see pics of your feet — and I hope you are soothing them as much as possible! My book was delayed by weather and so hopefully it is at the post office today so I can begin reading!

    1. The post office is closed today. 🙁 I hope I saved you the trip out there.

      1. You did! The note from Amazon today tells me it is “Out for Delivery!” and so hopefully, it will arrive today!

  9. That looks nasty! Hope there’s some wonderful cream you can use once the walk is over.

    1. I’m going to have to visit someone who will use power tools to get all the dead skin off my feet. 🙂

  10. At 15 miles a day, that’s just a phase. Your feet are very resourceful and will figure it out.

  11. Would tweeting your blog, pinning your blog on Pinterest, sharing your blog on Facebook be promoting your book early? Sorry, I understood everything else, but as I was ready to tweet it – I began to second guess myself…what say you oh wise one? And may I say….OUCH!!!! Your feet are looking kind of like my palms, however, you’re feet are still the winner in the race for “most painful looking”. 😀 I don’t think Mike’s really going to want me to massage his back…or he’ll probably be getting a back scratch instead of a massage. HAHAHAHAHA.

    1. You may always share this blog in any forum whatsoever. 🙂 We’re having a contest starting March 1, largely based on shares. Details on that coming soon.

    1. I don’t know if it’s a good workout, but it’s a workout. 🙂

  12. Based on the condition of your foot, I would recommend a pair of Keen hiking shoes.

    1. I have Keen hiking socks. I’m going to get yucky feet regardless. It’s all part of putting this much mileage on them.

  13. I will be reading as soon as my son and his girlfriend leave Vegas Friday night. I’m trying to soak in every moment of their visit (21st b-day trip for them both) while trying to balance this whole new work thing. Can’t wait to dive into the book once I have one less thing on my plate. Did that sound like I’m dying for them to leave on Friday?? I am not. But maybe I will be by Thursday. 🙂

    1. I think it’s awesome that they’re with you, Nancy. Please wish them both a happy birthday from me. Enjoy your time with them.

  14. I’m starting my Kindle copy tomorrow Andra and I’ll let you know when Amazon and Goodreads reviews are ready to post. 🙂 Thanks for clearing up the timeline, I wasn’t sure if both reviews and shares had to wait until the 1st.

    1. Enough people called or emailed that I knew I didn’t explain it well enough. Thanks so much for being a first-reader, Lisa.

  15. As always, I am late to the party. LOL I downloaded the Kindle Book version and look forward to reading it. 🙂

      1. I FINALLY fired up the Kindle reader and read the first couple of pages. Maybe the first chapter. So far, I love it. 🙂 I am hoping to find the time to consume more of it this week.

  16. Ay, CACA, them feet….
    As we say when something is ‘unpleasant’ = FO!

  17. Your Titillating Titles never cease to amaze… hmmm, maybe ‘mangler of words’ would work too. Say… did you know that on the Kindle version of your book, the chapters that are supposed to be in italics AREN’T? That kind of changes things when reading. I was perplexed when I started reading your book as to what the hell was going on.

    1. p.s. please spare your dear readers daily pics of your feet whilst on the Trace…

    2. No one else has given me that feedback, Ted. When it was previewed, everything was in italics. I’d love to know if anyone else is having this problem.

    3. I reported this problem to the publisher. All looks great with what was submitted and approved, so it has to be a problem on their end. What version of the kindle do you have? One other person has reported a problem with the illustrations when reading the Kindle version on an iPad.

  18. I know those feet. I’ve had those feet. And whenever I see them, I see a person who’s doing some living. It isn’t always pretty.

    1. Living is always pretty, Jennie. It just doesn’t always look great. 🙂

    1. The paper version is exactly what I dreamed the book would be. I can’t say that enough. I don’t make as much money when people buy it, but dang, I love it so much.

  19. Ye gods! Not sure why that photo from the link posted as supersized; it’s really only about 3 inches in diameter!

  20. kind of looks like a koala bear shaped wrapped around a tree. if you squint and back up a bit and have had a glass of wine. excited for the book )

    1. They must be, yes.

      You and Scott are named in the acknowledgements of the book. I didn’t know if you’d want to get one, but as you can see today, you can. It’s not quite as good as holding your own book with your name on the cover, but I hope it’s close.

    1. Things always seem clear to me until I read them over again and realize maybe they weren’t.

  21. Ouch on your feet, Andra, and ouch for preempting your launch with a post. In my excitement, I misread, mistook, and missed what you meant. Still, I’m excited for you.

    1. You didn’t preempt anything, Penny. At least one person bought the book because of your post, and that makes me happy. Starting March 1, the promotion for the book is going to go beyond whoever shows up at my blog. Because so many of you have been so good to me, I wanted anyone who wants to read the book to be among the first people to do so. I could’ve set up a true pre-release, where people order the book for a certain date, but that defeated the purpose of anyone actually being able to read it before March 1. So, the publisher published it early, and I tried to let as many readers as I could know about it in time to be in the First Readers Club if they wanted to be. If a few others get into that club because of your post, that’s awesome. No worries.

  22. Those feet are just some awesome and hard-earned battle scars — your days of pedicures are over for a bit, unfortunately, but what you are doing is way more bad ass than a fashion forward nail color.

    As for the book, I can’t wait to get reading!

    1. I painted my toenails green myself……….:) I look forward to hearing what you think.

  23. I will gladly contribute to the best pedicure money can buy when this walk is history! You are doggedly determined, Andra. And your “dogs” look tired!

  24. I’m going to have a hard time holding back the tweets until March 1, but I’m gonna clamp my bill shut until you give the go ahead to sing out your praises.

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