Okay, back again after a long hiatus. We had a great trip in September, and you’ll never guess who we met in the airport in Rome while awaiting our return flight. Well, go ahead try to guess. Here are two clues: She’s a regular commenter here and she’s from a state in the midwest. If you are the first person to guess correctly, I will send you an advance reader copy of The Good House.
You don’t have to be an advanced reader to understand it. That’s just what they call the galleys. They call them ARCs. Advance Reader Copies. They’re sent out to reviewers and magazines. I think. I don’t really know. And you don’t have to feel compelled to read it. If you want to have Denis’s book instead…
See, I’m doing it again. Unselling my book. I recently sent an ARC to an author that I very much admire, along with a note. My editor had urged me to write the author personally, so I did. This is what the note said: “Dear (amazing author), I’m sure you don’t remember me but we met at the (such and such) literary gala last month. I was the one standing next to Denis Leary. Anyway, I’m enclosing a galley of my new novel in the hopes that you might read it, and, if you like it, perhaps you might write a short blurb. I have heard through the grapevine that you don’t give blurbs, which is quite understandable, but just in case you have recently reversed your stand on this, perhaps you will see fit to compose a few words to grace the cover of my book. But again, NO WORRIES if you are unable to do so…”
I think you get the idea.
The main reason that I have been neglecting this blog during these past months is because while writing a book only takes me 3 or 4 hours a day, leaving me ample hours for blogging, “launching” a book takes 24 hours a day. 24 hours of fretting, obsessing, whining, crying and losing things. Yes, they call it launching a book, which is really an unfortunate term. When my first book was published, I took the term “launch” quite literally. I imagined my intrepid little book, fueled by some nice advance reviews, a couple of interviews and a full tank of high-octane enthusiasm on my part, launched to the top of the best-seller list within days of publication. When that didn’t happen, I thought it would certainly find its way there eventually. And you know, that was only eight years ago. There’s still time. But I’m getting off-track. My point is that I’m not great at promoting my books.
The other day, I mentioned to Alison, my hairstylist, that I was going to have a photo taken for my new book jacket. “What’s the book about?’ asked Alison.
“Oh, well it’s about a woman. A woman who lives in a small seacoast town in New England.”
“Uh huh,” said Alison, snipping away.
She seemed to want more, so I said, “It’s a town sort of like the town I lived in as a girl.”
“Well, what does this woman do?’
“Oh, she’s a real-estate broker.”
“No I mean, what does she do in the book? What’s the book about?”
Then I was stumped. The book is 300 pages long, but I was at a complete loss as to how to sum that up so I said, “Well, she might have a drinking problem, at least her daughters think she does…”
“And?” Alison asked.
Then I said the F word.
I need a one-liner. I don’t have one. I wish I was joking, but I actually picked up my cellphone, searched for my book’s Amazon page and then read Alison the book description that was there. Then I explained that the description isn’t very accurate, as the book is neither “hilarious” nor “sobering.” But Alison’s eyes had already glazed over, so I’m not sure that she was able to take that in.
Some authors are very good at describing their work. I remember standing next to an author at a party when somebody asked her what her new book was about. “It’s an examination of what lies at the very heart of the human condition, which is, of course, suffering. So it’s slightly dark. But very funny. It’s about moral failure and loss, but more importantly about personal redemption and faith. I guess you could say it’s a modern-day “Pride and Prejudice.”
I was in complete awe. I had read her book which was about a woman who is jealous of her best friend’s engagement so she tricks her boyfriend into marrying her by pretending she’s a publicist for a famous athlete. I had thought it was a light, frothy book, but now, this woman’s earnest summation had me convinced that I had read a minor masterpiece.
Maybe we could have a one-liner contest.
OK. Was it Wendy?
UGH!!!!!!
I’m also terrible at making difficult contests. Why did I have to say she was from the midwest? Why?
YES, it was Wendy from Wisconsin! Wendy is gorgeous and charming and is married to a doctor from Massachusetts who instantly bonded with Denis over some sports talk.
So, Aislinn, email me your address. If you want the book. Really, it’s fine if you’d rather skip it.
Hell yes, I want the book! I’ll even buy a few. Don’t you worry about that. You’ll get on that bestseller’s list come hell or high water.
I knew you would win it! Well done! Can I borrow it when you are finished reading it?
Of course, Ariel!
You should send me on because I’m great at one liners
See
One line
Candy?
Well. It’s tough to sum up a book one hasn’t read, but you once commented that the book is about a small New England town and a complicated old townie real estate broker named Hildy Good. Hence the title. But what was that hashhags episode with Alice Hoffman…she was working on new material and said something about not trying to sum up your work and let it speak for itself. Maybe go back and revisit that chat. In afraid I’m not much help. But I am glad you survived the headache. PS. I’m very much looking forward to reading it even without a one-liner summary.
Oh Lauren, what a great memory you have. I will go immediately to that Hash Hags interview with the amazing Alice Hoffman.
Here’s a link to the podcast of the Alice Hoffman interview, for anybody interested: http://blog.hashhags.com/2012/01/11/20120111.aspx
Wow. The last five minutes of that are pretty much where you’re at now. I think that might’ve stuck with me all of these months because it’s too darn true. How hard it is to sum up a masterpiece without omitting its brilliance! I say skip the tag line and tell everyone they’ll have to trust you that it’s amazing. “Ann, What’s your book about?” “Oh, It’s a secret.”
Ann -
One liners are the hardest – much harder than writing the book! I spent 9 days this summer with my PhD cohort – all of us trying to create and critique one-liners for our proposals. After that I decided training for the iron man would be a preferred activity. Good Luck, and your book will be on the top of my list when the dissertation is done!
Linda
Good luck to you too on your dissertation Linda!
Great guess, Aislinn! Yes, we ran into Ann and Denis in the Rome airport, as we were all waiting for our flights back to the U.S. Ann, and Denis, were both exceptionally gracious at the interruption of their time, but how often do you get to meet Ann in person? I couldn’t pass it up! Besides, Ken was happy to run into someone who he could talk Red Sox baseball with after spending two weeks on a boat with me. Denis and Ken could have sat there all day talking New England sports. It was really an honor to finally meet you, Ann. You were so sweet and charming, just like meeting an old friend you hadn’t seen in a while. Thank you again for your time, and I hope we can run into each other again sometime!
Wendy, the pleasure was ours! Denis really liked Ken and was also grateful to be able to have somebody to to about the Red Sox – well, let’s be honest, he was just thrilled to be able to talk, in English, to anybody who wasn’t me at that point.
Ha!
Wendy, Isn’t Ann the sweetest!
Yes, Ann is the sweetest, as well as being gorgeous and rail thin. I will have to remember to post our picture on Facebook and you will see I look like a little dumpling next to Ann!
Ok….Where & When does the OTHER Wendy get to run into the Learys???
P.S.
I’m a retired flight attendant from a major (and lousy) airline so just name your 3 letter airport code!
I just added a rocket launch “gif” to this post. My daughter just recently taught me what a gif is.
Excellent–can’t wait to read your book. Best of Luck Launching! Peace
Ann I am sure your launch will be quite a success with all the pre-orders from your blog family!! Your one liner well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out what it’s about wink wink
Can’t wait for book to come out everything of yours I have i have read has made me laugh and cry at the same time. Best of luck with the book launch. We are all rooting for you.
Ms. Leary. I read your first book because I am a fan of all-things-Denis-Leary, and he makes it clear that he is YOUR biggest fan
But I subscribe to your blog and have read/will read your subsequent books because of your talent. I just love your humility and grace (and wit!), shown in full bloom in the above post. Good Luck with the latest project! Side note: (sorry, back to Denis, lol) I work 1 block from WTC and experienced the horrific events of 9/11 up close. What he has done with his Firefighters Foundation is heroic. Not to mention that “Rescue Me” ruined it for any future firehouse related shows. Sorry “Chicago Fire” et al. Looking forward to your book. Lucy
Hi Lucy, I agree,, I kept waiting for Tommy Gavin on Chicago Fire,, just seemed to be missing that Rescue Me grit
Ann, I am SO excited about this book!
Love the rocket launch! I bet your book launch will be just like that.
I love the cover!
I missed what the plot was about so I am guessing from the comments: A sucessful real estate broker, who enjoys her alcohol is forced to decide if giving up drinking is worth it.
Both of your previous books were great. This will definitely be even more so. When you wait a while to write, you tend to gain more perspective, you gain more experience, you’ve already proven you’re a great writer! I love the rocket launch metaphor. It makes sense when you’re doing something huge in your career. The best of luck and I know you have nothing to worry about. All is going to hit the shelves and you’ll be on the NY Times best selle list. From what you stated to your hairdresser, it sounds like a good read. I can’t wait. Looking forward and hoping to catch a book signing..
I have the same problem. I was asked what I was working on at a PTO Meet and Greet the other night and all I can get out is the title “The Illusion of Marriage”. That’s always followed by ‘What’s it about?” you’d think I’d have an answer down pat by now, but I freeze like I’m being tested. Maybe by the time I actually finish it.
I’m looking forward to reading your new book. The cover is very attractive and nicely balanced-love it.
Everyone knows the real estate market’s been in the tank for years; what they don’t know is Hildy Good has been there too!
That’s great!
Good luck with this phase of the book’s life….Better than a Failure to Launch!
Can’t wait to read it, and love the final jacket design.
You’re bound to think up a great phrase soon.
Ann, it’s so great to see the cover of your new book. I think we all feel like we’ve been on this ride with you. Congratulations!
Wendy, that is so cool that you met Ann in Italy. What are the chances?!!!!
Ann – best of luck with the book launch!
Can’t believe I missed the opportunity to win an advanced reader copy of The Good House! Since my vision is much better after the eye surgeries this past summer, I guess I’ll have to blame by ADD brain. *I feel it’s important to have something to blame whenever I f*ck up. LOL
And Ann, don’t be hard on yourself about not being able to succinctly describe your book in a glowing, marketable one-liner. That’s kind of like asking a mother to boil down everything wonderful and complicated about her child into one poetic, romantic-comedy-worthy sentence
Looking forward to the book. And do come to TX for a reading; Luke the Poetry Dog and I will show up with bells on.