Robin Antalek's Blog, page 5

Birth + Book

If I had to point to a time in my life where everything exploded-- where even the expectations of the event didn't come close to the reality-- this would be it.   Publishing a book is a lot like childbirth -- publishing has a gestation period as long as mammals-- so I suppose in order of life changing moments I have childbirth -- twice--  and publishing THE SUMMER WE FELL APART.  

Just like nineteen years ago with my first child-- I was scared, falsely optimistic and way over my head.  There w...

BULLSEYE

I am so thrilled to announce that Target has chosen The Summer We Fell Apart as a Target Breakout Book on sale in Target stores nationwide beginning February 14, 2010!!!   

What I'm Reading Now....

Autobiography of a Face by the late Lucy Grealy.  It's horrific and beautiful at the same time and you owe yourself this read.  This kind of thing gets said often - but this time it really applies.  Lucy can paint pictures with her words in an unsympathetic and compelling voice.  This book will make you want to close your eyes and look away at the circumstances of Lucy's life.  But you won't.

Also please take a look at two books that my fellow Nervous Breakdown contributers have written:
...

The Big Day

The Summer We Fell Apart is officially out in the world!  It makes me feel like the first day of kindergarten and Christmas morning combined.  A little queasy, prone to tears that don't quite come to fruition and crazy excitement.
 Except you know what this really means, don't you?  I 've got to get back to work.... another book, another set of characters, and another place are all tugging on me to return so they can get on with their lives - and me to mine.
To everyone who has supported me on...

Bad Blogger

Everything and I do mean everything seems to have gotten in between me and the ability to post on the blog! My promised list of Christmas books to buy will have to be a New Year book list ... not entirely a bad thing, right?

My house has been full of family and friends, my older daughter home from college for Christmas break, the ever present pack of dogs ( thankfully we did NOT add to the canine family this Christmas) and beneath it all a disbelief that 2010 is actually going to be the reali...

The Summer We Fell Apart Trailer

Up on my website right now is a beautiful trailer for the book made by my oh so talented friend, Jill.  It is sooooo beautiful and I am so amazingly blessed to have such talented and generous friends in my life! Please go and take a look....
http://www.robinantalek.com/Video%20T...

SantaJesus

I have a new post up over at The Nervous Breakdown that attempts to explain the origins of my complicated relationship with the man upstairs and the man in the big red suit ....  http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/rantalek/2009/12/santajesus/ 

Tomorrow I'll put up a link of great books to purchase for the holidays....

Sharks

Please head on over to the sparkly and shiny brand new super improved home of the THE NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (www.thenervousbreakdown.com) to check out a slew of great stuff - fiction, non-fiction, humor, poetry, arts and culture and so much more... I also have a new post up called SHARKS you might want to read while you're hanging out on the site.  Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY!

I'm giving away two copies of THE SUMMER WE FELL APART on Goodreads.  Follow this link to enter: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

The contest ends on January 5, 2010..... Good Luck!!

PW Review.....

THE SUMMER WE FELL APART by Robin AntalekPublishers WeeklyFiction ReviewOctober 26, 2009  "A preoccupied playwright father and a cult-actress mother are the stars of the Haas family in Antalek's well-crafted and cunning debut novel ... a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and to the importance of family ties regardless of family history, making this an endearing and easy-to-relate-to dysfunctional family drama." WOW!