A few years ago, Anne Lamott wrote a funny essay about book releases. In it, she describes looking forward to her Release Day with the anticipation most of us have for a birthday or New Years Eve. Another author friend had a book coming out on the same day, and they talked endlessly about how the actual day would...Continue Reading
This week our family went to dinner to celebrate my new book, Family Trees and Olive Branches. Holding this book—one that had been such a struggle to write—felt like an actual miracle. The idea for Family Trees & Olive Branches came from hearing about so many painful family stories: parents who are heartbroken because of terrible...Continue Reading
If I could, I would skip book release day all together. It’s like birthdays when you’re young or New Years Eve in your twenties. Too many expectations. Too much fear of rejection. Plus, there’s my control freak’s worry about sharing my words with the world. Have I done enough? Will the world be friendly? What did I...Continue Reading
If you’ve held a toddler having a temper tantrum, you know they pass through phases, like a speeding train through stations. The kid begins with feral screams of anger. These might go on for a while, and then the screams fade into choking sobs of self-pity. You hold the writhing toddler the whole time. And even though you...Continue Reading
