My Response to Publication Day

Must. Write. More. Books.

Photo by Tracy Stepp.

My top priority, since elementary school, has been getting a novel published. I imagined life beyond that moment, at times, but in a fuzzy, hazy way. Even after I became a publisher, those post-launch daydreams never felt concrete.

April 19, my long-awaited pub day, arrived like a resounding crescendo, ushered in by readers’ photos of Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary arriving and booksellers asking me to sign copies. I wore a special hat that matched my cover and did an impromptu photo shoot with my publisher at Powell’s.

Two days later, I was standing in the bookstore’s Pearl Room, addressing an overflow crowd of 140. The biggest crowd since the pandemic shut down the legendary Powell’s reading series. I saw so many loved ones—and didn’t even get to say hi to everyone!

Then the next day arrived, and the day after that, and suddenly a week had passed, then another week. Essays and interviews popped, and I let others share them, afraid of grabbing too much light for myself. I had two incredible online bookstore events before crashing in a haze of kid germs, brought home from school, and (eventually) confirmed as not-COVID.

I’m raising my head now, looking around and feeling better despite the ongoing deluge that is spring this year and a lingering sinus infection. I’m prepping to go to sales conference in Berkeley next week, where I’ll pitch two Forest Avenue books and sign copies of Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary at Mrs. Dalloway’s.

My book launch is only going to recede from here—in time and memory—and be replaced by other memories, and hopefully more books. That’s where I’ve landed, amid this rush and tumble of newness: making more art.

The first week of launch, I basked and responded to kind emails and texts. The second week, I had a call with my agent about my next novel and also worked on a nonfiction proposal for her to review. Then, while sick, I started revising the manuscript.  

I’ve always wanted books out, not just a solitary book. So that’s my response to this heady time, at least this first month. Getting back to work. Not perseverating over reviews that come in (or reviews that don’t).

Here’s some coverage of my novel from the past few weeks! Feel free to read, watch, and share:

I love this Q and A with Gigi Little and Doug Chase, two Powell’s employees.

Want to learn more about serinettes and how I put historical details together in my novel? Here’s an essay I wrote for Necessary Fiction’s Research Notes.

At Annie Bloom’s with Kathleen Lane, founder of OK You, we talked about anxiety on and off the page.

Vintage Books hosted me for a short author talk. Watch it now.

Grace Campbell, who interviewed me live at Browsers Bookshop for my virtual book launch, asked great questions over at NW Book Lovers.

And here are the next half-dozen tour stops:

Next week: Signing copies at Mrs. Dalloway’s in Berkeley, Calif.

Saturday, May 21: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., in person, Northwest Local Author Fair at the Beaverton City Library, Beaverton, Ore.

Tuesday, May 24: 6:30 p.m., in person, Broadway Books, Portland, Ore.

Thursday, June 2: 7 p.m. online, Coffee and Grief

Thursday, June 16: 6 p.m. in person, Roundabout Books, Bend, Ore.

Sunday, June 26: 10:30 a.m., in-person panel at American Library Association conference, Washington, D.C.

Friday-Sunday, July 8-10: in person, Spoken Word performer, Oregon Country Fair

YOUR BRIGHT SIDE INVITATION: Do you consider yourself a workaholic? Have you ever handled the end of a project or the culmination of a dream by starting something new?

Feel free to leave a comment! I started this newsletter to create an intimate but accessible conversation space about creativity, grief, and the societal reset that the pandemic has offered creatives like us. I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can reply to this email to have a conversation just with me, or you can comment on the post to connect with other readers. You’re also welcome to forward this to any friends who might like it.