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Hello!
Bonjour!
Guten Tag!
Buenos Dias!
Konnichiwa!
Bongiorno!
Namaste!
Ni hao!
Why the international greetings?
You can now buy the Kindle Edition of Polite Society, from right here in the U.S.A. to Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, India, and China.
I am nearly bereft of words to describe the sensation, save these three:
exciting, surreal, relieved.
There are still hard cover copies available, as well.
Have a stellar week!
Tags: Polite Society
Does this ever happen to you, this kind of repetition? I picked the hubster up from work last night, our weekly gig, his break from bicycle commuting and the sporting of all that gear. We had a dinner on the muy delicioso side, at one of our favorite places, where I order the Guacamole Tostadas every single time, crunchy, cheesy, and warm. We did mix it up with a little something new for the hubster, and left very satisfied. I snapped these two photos on our way home, not intending for this bit of commonality. This red. I kinda like it.
And more red, my book. The little flock is dispersing to the four winds, to other homes, other hot hands. The thought makes me squeal with delight one moment and nearly retch with fear the next. Please, let them like it, understand it, be kind to it, love it for its quirk and honesty and pluck.
Then I remember yesterday’s Bukowski and that “ride straight to perfect laughter.” Let them do what they will. Me? I’m going all the way!
Tags: Polite Society
Good morning, gentle readers!
It is with great excitement and pride that I offer to you, for the very first time, my novel,
Polite Society:
In a small Oregon town, the widowed Sharon connects with her long-dead husband via secret acts of sabotage, of the variety that are meant for good, not ill. In this same town, Serena, a girl of ten, happily lives with her grandmother, her parents on the fringe of her life, giving money, books, and little else. Out of the blue, Bob Barker of The Price is Right fame begins to visit Serena in her dreams, providing glimpses of the future and the past, and uniting her with Sharon the saboteur. The pair forge an unusual friendship, and everyone’s eyes are opened to the truth they already know and a larger world, one filled with daring and a little danger, kindness and cruelty, and a rather dashing assortment of vintage automobiles.
It’s a little story that contains my heart and soul.
It’s a funny thing, writing a novel. It is my essence, but it isn’t me. I have lived it: driven, walked, and pedaled the roads. I’ve heard the music and felt the joy and pain. I am every character, yet I don’t know them fully, don’t know exactly what motivates them, why they are unerringly kind and goofy or cruel and distant, despite my silent pleas. I remember reading something similar in an interview, years ago, before I ever flirted with the notion, before I met a writer at a party and was gobsmacked by his insistence that writing was what I ought to be doing, not what I was.
How do you not know what is going to happen next? Your hands are moving, whether by pen or keyboard. It’s not magic. It’s you and your creation. That is what I didn’t know. That there is a certain alchemy and, perhaps, the hand of God, Buddha, Krishna? Things happen. Marvelous. Unexpected. Dazzling. Sad. I didn’t see them coming, but there they were, sparkling jewels before my eyes, and I worked with mad fury to capture them with the clarity in which they first appeared, to pay my proper respects to that flood. And I believe I did. I hope you agree.
Some words on books and publishing:
When you press that “Buy Now” button and see the price of the book, $32.00, know that I am not trying to make a king’s ransom from your kindness. If you’ve been here awhile, you know that’s just not my style. The truth is, books are expensive, especially when they are made in small quantities, and with the detail and care I feel my story deserves (a shout out to Smith Printing for their awesome work). I wanted something I could proudly offer to you, beautifully bound and embossed with fine paper that honors both the words and images. My cost is $20 per copy. It is my hope that I can sell enough to pay off my investment, and my darlin’ Maren for her drawings. The rest is for fees, envelopes, and shipping. No lining of pockets, but that is to come, right? An award-winning best seller! Huzzah!
A million thanks to all who have helped, encouraged, and loved me along the way.
May you lie in the shade, on your favorite quilt, and enjoy…
***
UPDATED FINE PRINT:
This is a limited-edition run, so, if you would like a copy, and I sincerely hope you do, you have until the books are gone to make it so.
My order is in!
It will be shipped to me, and out to you as fast as I can wrap and post them, which could be as long as six weeks from today, unfortunately, so please be patient. Each copy will be hand numbered and signed (with the name(s) you include in the inscription box below), with more love and gratitude than I can properly express.
I’m afraid I can only ship within the United States, as the cost is just too unpredictable internationally. Here’s hoping the forthcoming Kindle Edition (next week, I hope!) will work for those who are farther afield.
Thank you.
Tags: Polite Society
Happy Monday! We’re traveling all over the map today, no clear post topic winner, save the photos.
This is my friend Rob, remember him? Luckily and quite thankfully, business brings him to the City of Roses a couple of times a year, and we have fun adventures that often include photography. This last time was no exception. We headed to the Japanese Garden on a very foggy and contemplative day. We were among the few out, as it was kind of chilly, and enjoyed spending time zooming in on the multitude of sights, giant and ever so tiny, the mushrooms only as big as the tip of my pinkie. Isn’t nature amazing?
In stark contrast to tiny mushrooms, Rob was upgraded to an Escalade after the GPS in his first vehicle wasn’t working, as he is a man who likes a map on the dashboard. So, despite his embarrassment at having a huge ass, pimped out mode of transport (Oh the rims on that baby!), I made him pose for a photo with it, which, I think, turned out rather awesome, save the wires. As a friend once said, only God is perfect.
Quite near perfect, however, are my friend Maren’s drawings for Polite Society! Check them out for yourself. I received the originals in the mail the other day and keep going to the room where I keep them, smiling and touching them with a light hand. My story is so much more alive now, which hardly seems possible, but it’s true. Thank you sweetheart, I love them so!
And for a final skip to a new subject matter, and once of my favorites, FOOD! Do you remember the egg that changed my life? Well, I’m still in love with it and make it all the time, so yummy, and easy and delicious. Redundant, I know, but it’s soo good! Anyhoo, Daniel, the man behind Duckspoon is off on another worthy adventure I thought I’d share with you:
The Open Kitchen, at which he hosts two kind of events: the first is a local chef spotlight dinner where he features a “not yet known” Portland rock star chef and pair them with local farmers and wine makers for a seasonal five course meal.
The second is a Wellness Dinner Series. He receives a list of ingredients from a naturopathic doctor in a growing network and builds a four course “fine dining” meal out of those ingredients focusing on the theme for that month (November was cold/flu prevention). As the food goes out, the doctor explains the effects that the key ingredients have on the body. People take notes, ask the doctor questions, and learn more about “food as medicine.” Pretty cool, I think, though I have yet to try either. It’s on my list, so to speak.
On another list, for banh-mi sandwich lovers who like to know the meat is sustainable, the Double Dragon on 12th & Division is beyond awesome. I’ve been twice and am in love, juicy delicious, and with just the right amount of sauce and cilantro. If I could say something clever in Vietnamese, I would. Something like, a good sandwich makes me very happy.
Wait, wait! I forgot to say THANK YOU for all of the super sweet messages and calls I’ve gotten in support of Polite Society being published. Like a good sandwich, this makes me very happy, as well. You are too kind!
Hope you are happy and enjoying 2012!
Tags: Polite Society
