Laurel Snyder

So so so much to say and share, and no time, as I’m racing a deadline…

But I *do* need to quickly tell you some bits of news– both happy and sad.

The happy news is that Any Which Wall is out today!  TODAY!  Yes, my magic-in-the-Iowa-cornfields book is available at a bookstore  near you THIS MINUTE, and I’d be so happy and honored if you’d consider getting your hot little hands on a copy!

But I know money is tight right now, so I wanted to mention that there are all sorts of nice things you can do, to help me launch this book, besides buying it.

You can take a moment today, and  blog about it, or Twitter it, or become a fan on Facebook!  You can add it to your Goodreads, or put it on your  Wishlist.  All of these things are a great help to me!  Once you’ve read the book, you can review it somewhere online…

And of course, you can go to the library and request it, or ask about it at your child’s school library! That’s my favorite thought in the world– that all my friends would demand it at their local library!  I was such a liberry kid myself, and there is a wonderful  librarian in the book, a nutty lovely woman named Lily, who wears forks in her hair and drives a classic car!

Oh, and if you live in Atlanta, you can come and celebrate with me, and help me launch the book, at Little Shop of Stories, on June 1! I’d love to see you, and it’ll be a ton of fun.

But even if you don’t do any of that…  the simple fact that you’re reading this blog post means that you’re part of my community, and so I thank you for your support.  For me, a stay-at-home-mommy, the simple fact of having this vast network of people at my fingertips is a miracle. A sane-maker.  Thanks for being part of that community!  My book could not exist without you. Truly.

So… that’s the happy bit.

And now the sad…

I was supposed to be in NY this week. I was planning to be at BEA, and to spend my days visiting bookstores in NY, harassing nice booksellers, and signing stock, then flying off to dinner and drinks with fabulous writerly publishy friends.

I’m not.

Instead, I’m in an equally wonderful place– Iowa City– but for a much less fun reason.

This week, my husband’s grandmother passed away.  She was a truly wonderful woman. An even mix of sweetness and steel.  In the 10 years I knew her, she was an example of conviction, faith and love. I learned a lot from her, was entertained by her, and inspired.

Now she’s gone.  And so we are here, in Iowa. We got to see her before she left, say goodbye, and I’m so glad…

But after. After we’d laid her to rest. After she was out and through…

I found myself thinking how funny it was that I was in Iowa, to celebrate the publication of this very Iowa book. Driving through the cornfields, down the two lanes and gravel roads. Inhabiting the very place my book attempts to capture and describe.

I felt, suddenly, like I’d been drawn here. I know it sounds goofy, but it’s true.  It feels like I’m supposed to be here today. Not in NY, here.

The universe, she is a funny thing.

Goodbye, Louise.  I am certain you are where you were headed, all along.

Hello, Iowa.  It feels like I am too.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 11:32 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.