Everyone except me, that is. I’m a shade in this space these days. Offline writing consumes my time and energy. I’m thrilled with the results: not one but TWO books launching in January (surprise!!), with another on its heels in March.
Word Hermit Press selected another writer’s novel for publication. I can’t wait to help the promotional charge for Lisa A Kramer’s feminist YA story P.O.W.E.R., coming December 1, 2014.
A new website is in the works, with the awesome Cheryl and Bill Smithem guiding my techno-challenged steps. After months of data analysis and evaluation in the wake of my first book’s birth, I’m shaking some things up, and I’m looking forward to seeing results in coming months.
Enough excuses about my whereabouts.
Nancy Teixeira and her husband won the To Live Forever: Journey to Charleston Contest back in April. Remember that one? Where one lucky reader won a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, a Travel+Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler Top Destination? Airfare. Luxury digs at Zero George. Meals at Fish Restaurant and Lana. A private Charleston stroll with MTM and yours truly.
Nancy and Ed redeemed their prize. From September 12 – 14, they showed Charleston how Canadians get things done.
I have to admit that the prospect of giving a prize to a complete stranger horrified me, especially one with a value of around $2,500. What if the winners landed and we hated each other on sight? Maybe the conversation wouldn’t flow, or the people would be weird. Or scary. Or obviously insane.
Meeting Nancy and Mr Enthusiasm validated why I’m here. Again. In recent weeks, I’ve met several readers I previously knew online. Every time, you reaffirmed what remarkable people you are. Nancy and I swam through Charleston humidity and gabbed like old girlfriends. Coming off a whirlwind tour of Massachusetts, I expected to want some me time, but as soon as I met Nancy, I vowed to spend every possible weekend second with her. She’s charismatic. And funny. And enthusiastic about Life.
We all need more people like Nancy in our lives. I’m grateful to have found her, to call her my friend.
35 Comments
You are a whirlwind. An awesome force of nature.
And I’m going to be you when I grow up
I think I described myself on a windy memoir day as a funnel cloud with arms and legs, like the Tasmanian Devil in Bugs Bunny cartoons….
all so wonderful, andra!
I think so, until I take a gander at my to-do list….
Glad you are keeping busy!! Would hate to think this whole successful author thing was boring you. 😉
I’m far from successful, but I’m going to be.
Sounds like you have exciting times ahead, Andra! Rest up 🙂
Read all day yesterday. I won a book at one of my MA appearances. It’s perfect. About a forgotten spy ring during the American Revolution. It’s already fueling some ideas….
lol, so you have taken it upon yourself to singlehandedly turn me back into a reader?! 3 books!
Huge grats, that is awesome news!
One is a picture book……I know you’ll love it. Wish I could make enough to commission To Live Forever as a graphic novel. A graphic designer in MA read it and saw the whole thing in that format.
That’s the reissue version in 2016.
I wish, Cheryl. 🙂
There’s no way that regular readers of this blog would turn out to be anything less than fabulous. Glad you’re doing what you’re doing. Keep at it! But yes, try to rest when you can.
Headed to the Apple Store now to have them troubleshoot my computer……I feel surprisingly calm…..
Thank you for your kind words, Andra. The feeling is 100% mutual. I can’t wait to host you in Vegas or Toronto. But hopefully Vegas, so we can get our hike on.
I hope you’ll have more reason to be in Vegas, with a super-fast house sale.
It’s a cliche, but the real measure of who we are is in the tracks we leave in the hearts of those we care about. I think you’re measuring up quite well. The journey winds on.
If we aren’t moving and morphing, we aren’t growing.
Great news from your very busy corner of Charleston. You are a one woman writing renaissance.
OH, and thanks for the shout-out! We’re pleased to assist in helping you create the site you want.
I’m really excited to see how it turns out. 🙂
Two books in January? Wow! It’s great to hear you had such a fun weekend with, Nancy and Mr. Enthusiasm. You’re successful already in my mind but through all of your hard work and dedication even bigger things will be coming your way. 🙂
Making all this happen is success, Lisa. The financial drain isn’t, though. I can’t do that forever, in spite of the other successes I have.
The other book is a photo walk of the Natchez Trace. All pictures. I think the novel, the memoir and the photo book will make a nice set.
It’s all cool — when you’re writing offline, the online writing that you DO make time for is even better. 🙂 can’t wait for the new books!!! Plural!!! Wow!!
My not writing here gives readers one less thing to do. 🙂 Seriously, I feel terrible when I post and can’t keep up with comment replies because I’m on the move. This should be a conversation, and I shouldn’t post if I can’t participate. When I’m on the road, I simply can’t.
What?? Two books in January? One in March? You truly are Wonder Woman. Or the Bionic Woman. Or both? Increible!
So glad you enjoyed your time with Nancy and Mr. E. She is such a riot in writing as I imagine her to be in person. 🙂
You and Mr Brickhouse could take a trip to Toronto. It isn’t exactly close, but from Logan it would be an easy flight. 🙂
I hope you had a great trip to Philly.
I love knowing the people who you meet (and get to meet you) are the same offline as they are on. It does my heart good to know you sparkle in person.
🙂
I must say, I’m really nervous about meeting you. I know I will. I’m terrified (truly) that I will be the one online friend that blows your 100% loving the online friends rate to…well, you know. Seriously? It is one of my fears!
OH CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Two books for us to enjoy instead of one. I’m looking forward to diving in. 🙂
Everything that everyone else already said!! Cannot wait to complete my 3-book set! Hugs!!
I am sosososo excited; not one, but two books! Wow! Your time sounds like much fun as well.
You are amazing
How wonderful to have had the time with Nancy and her husband, Andra. I am sure they enjoyed it every bit as much as you hoped they would and you are so delightful yourself, it doesn’t surprise me for one moment that you’re making friends across the country. I can’t imagine how you are sustaining this level of commitment to your writing…but I admire you for it! ox
Andra, thrilled to hear about how busy thins are, and about the two books in the pipeline! And definitely looking forward to seeing how the website turns out, and reading Lisa Kramer’s work. Life is a ball, isn’t it?
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