Dear Readers,
Today is the official publication day of my memoir Jumping Over Shadows, and am sending you this email to celebrate (feel free to raise a glass of champagne!) and to ask for your help in making this book a success. This is going to be my only solely book-focused newsletter; after this I will return to my regular The Art of Living & Writing and my occasional Reading List.
First of all, here's a little subscriber gift for you: a bonus chapter that was cut from the book. Chronologically it fits right before the chapter titled "In the Stairwell." Enjoy, and do let me know what you think!
"Beginnings are easy; completions are as hard as they are rare."
I found this comment in the Bible (on Parashat Pekudei at the end of the book of Exodus) on the Shabbat before last; it refers to the Jews' completion of the tabernacle while wandering in the desert. Turns out Moses did not give his blessing until the project was complete.
This commentary struck me because usually we say that beginnings are hard and that all you need to do is to begin. While that often is true, completing something you have begun is another challenge all together. It took me five years to write this book, on and off (I do have other things going on in my life!) but getting it published took another five years. Therefore, seeing this book go out into the world and having people read it and interacting with them about it
gives me a great sense of completion.
Speaking of connecting with readers, it was more fun than I thought it would be to attend my very first book fair as an author at Soho House, Chicago, on Sunday, March 26. Talking to people coming by my table was surprisingly easy, and I had some great conversations! I did sell a few books, chatted with a fellow author during lulls, and on Soho House spoiled us by letting us partake of their sumptuous Sunday brunch buffet. If all book fairs are like that, I'm in for a great ride! Meanwhile, my kids were saying that my late father-in-law would be tickled at the sight of me turning
into a peddler!
|
Ah, well, if that's what it takes, that's what it takes! On that note, following are a few ways you can help me make the book a success: - buy the book - this might be a duh! thing to point out but I have to admit there was a time when I did not realize how
important this was to my author friends, and I was reluctant to buy books I wasn't interested in (not that I'm surmising, for a second, that you wouldn't be interesed in my book :-)! Nowadays, even if I'm not interested in a book, I'll buy it just to support my friend and then I'll donate it; on that note: - buy the book for someone else - donate the book - post a review on amazon (as amazon sells 50% 0f all books these days, this is the single most important thing to do to drive sales!) - if you speak other languages, post reviews on the relevant amazon sites - review the book on your blog or ask me to do a guest post - suggest Jumping Over Shadows to your book club - invite me to speak to your book club (I do Skype Q&As! - check out my book club kit) - attend my book events (check out my constantly evolving list of events) - I'm so looking forward to seeing many of you at my book launch party this Thursday, April 6, 7pm, at the Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln, Chicago - help me come up with events (your synagogue? sisterhood? Rotary Club? writing group?) - Take a picture of the book in its natural habitat and post it on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or your social network of choice. Don't forget to tag me so I can share it as well. Thank you! |
Book Bonus Materials
- I'm running a series of Book Companion Posts on my blog, sharing background stories and/or pictures that go beyond the ones included in the book. The first one appeared today, going along with chapter 2, Fait Accompli I: My Grandfather's Staircase
- My website also features:
Reviews & Profiles
...are beginning to roll in. Here's a taste:
Thank you for indulging all my book-related babble! And please don't forget to tell me what you think about the book!
Greetings, |
|
|
|
