I suspect this blog may feel more like a personal weather report. There's a rainstorm of excitement to be had as I prepare my first author talk for Saturday, August 8, at Write On, Door County, in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. My book finally has a firm release date (cue the sunshine as well as the Hallelujah chorus) of August 25th. That's the first day anyone will be able to order a copy.  Magically, I will have books with me to sell in Door County! Who knew that was possible before a release date? My publisher, Tara R. Alemany, is surely a brilliant sorceress. 

I'm planning my first book talk in Minneapolis for August 23, which happens to be my wedding anniversary.  I considered that date a whole day before realizing this was the case. On August 23, 1997,  Phil Kilbourne and I sealed the deal. He was an amazingly talented, smart, goofy, sweet, funny, sensitive guy, as some of you know, and many of you will learn in my book. I did not expect him to show up among the cast of characters in my manuscript, but he managed to elbow his way onto that stage, and I had no objection. 

The floodwaters of anticipation, nerves, and excitement I'm experiencing related to my book's debut are not unlike what I remember feeling before making an entrance onstage. It's more personal, however. Onstage, one typically has the luxury of pretending to be someone else. When it's your book and a sizeable chunk of your life experience that's about to have an audience, well, that's a bit more naked. On opening nights, back in the days of my theatre career, one director was fond of advising the cast to think this about the audience: "None of you bastards know these lines!" 

Rest assured, I would never equate potential readers to bastards! Thankfully, I will have no worries about forgetting any words, with my book in hand!   

Winning this recent award encourages blue skies!              

Thanks for your interest and support!                                                               

-Marysue