Hannah Rae's Blog, page 36

You've gotta enter to win...

Here's something exciting: The Way Back is going to be released on October 20th (one month from today!) and it will be available as a paperback, a hardback, and an ebook! I have no idea how to set up a preorder for the paper- and hardback cpies, but the ebook is currently available for preorder and you can find it HERE . If you want a tangible copy, however, you'll have to visit Amazon on October 20th and order it then. Sorry for the inconvenience.

I'm trying to keep The Way Back relatively cheap since I'm not looking to make a profit or anything. I just want to get my name out there, you know? I'm earning, like, 60 cents on each copy I sell... but if you feel $2.95 is too steep for the ebook, here's something else you should be aware of: I'm running a giveaway on Goodreads and 100 people will earn FREE ("F-R-double-E," as my former coworker Liz used to say) copies of the novella. If you're interested in entering the contest, you can do so by clicking HERE .

About the Goodreads contest... I'm hoping the winners are scattered all over the country and that the "city map" on my website acquires a few more blue dots as a result. Wouldn't that be fantastic?!

Okay. That's all I've got for today. I hope you enjoyed yesterday's chapter! In a month's time, you'll have access to all of them!

The Way Back Playlist: That Time I Brought A Band Home With Me...

Remember that time I brought a band home from the bar with me? No? Well, settle in for a story.

There was this one night I went to Garryowen with my friend Buddy and my other friend Theresa. We sat toward the back of the bar, sipping our drinks, and this very attractive man slipped behind the counter and disappeared into the kitchen. He wasn’t Buddy’s type so she wasn’t interested, but Theresa and I were like, “Ooolala.” Sensing the need to act before Theresa thought to do so, I complimented the attractive man’s mustache the next time he passed us. He’d waxed it.

Turns out, the attractive man was named Dan and he was in the band that was playing that night. Bella’s Bartok. I’d never heard of them, but as they began to play, I quickly realized that they sound quite similar to Gogol Bordello: high-energy and very danceable. I liked ‘em!

Upon the show’s conclusion, some of the band members came over to talk to my friends and I. I believe I sent Dan a Guinness… He intentionally dipped his mustache in the front when he took a sip and it was very cute. Anyway, Dan came over to thank me and brought his buddy Chris along. Chris was equally adorable, but in his own way. He was so joyful, you know? We got to talking about things and one of the things Chris asked me was, “Do you live here in Gettysburg?”

I said that I did.

“Do you have your own place in town?”

I assured him that I did.

“Like, a house?”

“A house,” I said. “I own it.”

“Does it have floors?”

“Um…” I began, perplexed. “It does, yes.”

“Can we sleep on your floors?”

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_d320d464fbae463fba2a775ebd193c71/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Apparently, the boys of Bella’s Bartok don’t book hotel rooms or come up with sleeping arrangements before traveling from their hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. Instead, they find someone nice and safe-seeming in the crowd and ask if they can crash with them for the night. On that particular night, the nice and safe-seeming person was me!

I told Chris that I needed to confer with my Buddy. Together, Chris and I erected an invisible wall of bricks in order to provide some privacy. To Buddy, I whispered, “I sort of want to take them home. It’d make a good story. But do you think that’s a smart idea?”

Buddy: “They seem like nice guys.”

Me: “Right, but I live alone. What if they pull a Ted Bundy or something?”

Buddy: “How about I go home with you and check the vibe? Then I’ll leave and call you first thing in the morning to make sure you’re still alive.”

Me: “Sure, that sounds logical.”

Disassembling the invisible brick wall, I turned to Chris and said, “I think I’m inclined to say ‘yes,’ but I only have two guest beds and I have cats, so if you’re allergic--”

“You have cats?!” he interrupted.

At that moment, Asher, Crisco, and Amory appeared. Amory had been communicating with someone on the sidewalk out front about possibly staying with him.

Amory: “Where are we staying? The guy out front wants to know if we’re gonna follow him home.”

Chris: “Does the guy out front have cats?”

Asher and Crisco: “Does Hannah have cats?!”

Me: “I have cats. Four of them.”

Amory: “We’re staying with Hannah!”

So I took them home. All seven of them! Or maybe it was just six of them that night... The number sometimes fluctuated, you know? I mean, it's not like they only ever stayed with me just the one time.

Asher was wearing a fur coat that first night and so I got out my fur coat, put it on, and we had a photo opt. Then I offered everyone a drink and introduced them to the cats. Dan and I stayed up until 5AM talking about music and books and how he doesn’t put ice in his water. "When my body needs water, it needs water," he told me. "It doesn't matter what temperature it is." I think of that surprisingly often...

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_0b818e0f2e414712a461c87ae13a59ea/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Anyway, Dan and I sat at the kitchen table and drank red wine until the sun began to rise. It’s both the earliest and latest I’ve ever consumed wine.

The next morning, the boys made breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast, and orange juice, if I remember correctly. Chris and Dan went to the grocery store and I vividly remember telling them not to buy eggs. For some reason, I had so many eggs in the refrigerator at that point in time. In later visits, French toast and Eggs Benedict were on the menu… Amory knew his way around the kitchen and always created something delicious. Amory, in fact, was the person who prepared the first poached egg I ever consumed! And it was delicious!

Since the band’s initial stay at my house, their lineup has changed quite a bit, but their songs and performances are every bit as amazing as they’ve always been. Catch them in concert if you have the opportunity – you won’t regret it! They're getting bigger by the minute and you need to take advantage of the small venues in which they still sometimes perform. Maybe you can even offer them a place to crash after the show!

Mothers, Other Mothers, & OTHER Other Mothers

My mom is my best friend. That's a truth I'm quite proud of and am happy to advertise. In the small town of Gettysburg, she's a bit of a local celebrity... especially among the parents of story-time attendees. Having been the head of the public library's children's department for a long stretch of years, Miss Nancy read aloud many books to many, many children. As teenagers, my brother and I were still occasionally treated to impromptu storytimes at the dinner table!

One of the cool things about my mom is that she likes to read. What's even cooler is that she likes to read the things I write. If she doesn't like something, she makes sure to tell me. (She doesn't always sugarcoat her words, either.) For the most part, though, she loves my characters almost as much as I do. Petey Goode and Bert Robinson are her favorites, I believe; each time she reads a manuscript starring the latter, it's inevitable that she'll at some point exclaim, "What's not to like about Bert?!" This is probably the most accurate statement of all time. I can't think of anything unlikeable about Bert.

It was my mom who originally instructed me to make up a story in my head, thus leading to the creation of Lake Caywood and all the folks who live there. That was back when I was in the fourth grade and struggling to fall asleep one night. When I approached her about my inability to shut off my brain, she suggested I use it to create a fictional tale. That night, Kenny and Sierra were born.

Yeah. You read that right: Kenny and Sierra. [insert eyeroll here]

I've always had an obsession with names and it makes ZERO sense that I ever thought the names Kenny and Sierra were worthy of residency in my brain. As I grew older and my tastes improved, those characters were renamed (hence, Sebastian and Lucy) and a third fellow (Bert) was added to the mix. They're still the trio that occupies my thoughts as I climb into bed each night and turn off the light; I still to this day look forward to spending time with them and they're always getting into new adventures.

Somewhere along the way, I introduced my other mother Amy Gorman to Bas, Bert, and Lucy... but the novel I most associate with Amy is Like A Flip Turn. After a hiatus from writing, I got this idea for a novel at the start of the summer. That June (and then right on through July and August), Amy and I spent almost every day at the swimming pool. We swam laps, worked on our tans, and eventually went back to her house for a late lunch and lots of wine. (Amy is a phenomenal cook and she has the unique ability to make even the most simplistic meals memorable and magical.) The talks we had that summer were deep and often centered around writing.

It was toward the middle of June, I believe, that I got back into writing. When I started picking away at Like A Flip Turn, I had no idea where it was going, and if I'm being completely honest, it was heading in the direction of realistic fiction. But as I was telling Amy about my ideas one day, she said, "Is there magic in this one? Oh, I hope there's magic in this one!" So I went home and started over. Today's version of Flip Turn is FILLED with magic; there is magic on every page: animals talk, flowers provide words, unsettled souls are able to communicate with the living.

Amy has now read everything I've ever written: the rough drafts and the final drafts, the good stuff and the bad. I love her for that. I love that she's able to give praise and criticism, and that she's also able to love my characters even though she's more of a "plot person."

Many people don't have strong relationships with their mothers. I do know this and I'm thankful that I have an amazing friendship with both my mother and other mother. It seems almost unfair that I should have an other other mother... but do! Theresa Hardman is my third mother and she, like the others, exudes kindness, warmth, and abundant encouragement when it comes to my writing.

Just recently, Theresa read my manuscript Running Through the Words, and while reading it she said one of the simplest things that meant so, so much to me. "I'm really enjoying your novel," is what she verbalized. "I look forward to spending time with the characters each day."

It's true that I am someone who prides herself on character development, sure... but more than that, I am someone who loves my characters as much as (if not more than) many of the people in my world. To have someone express such an intense appreciation for the people who live in my head--to have someone want to spend more time with them and get to know them better--is a huge compliment.

In addition to reading my novels, Theresa reads all of my blog posts and comments on all of my social media sites (which brings me so much joy! I love reading the comments of fans on Facebook and Instagram!). She checks in weekly, whether it be via phone call or text, and she sends uplifting messages like "You have a gift, Hannah Rae" at the most-needed moments.

I could go on and on about the love I feel for my mother, other mother, and other other mother, but this particular blog is meant to focus on how my moms support me in my writing. Never fear, though: These lovely ladies will be featured again someday because the three of them are among the most important people in my world.

The Mastermind Behind the Book Blurbs

Today I met with my marketing manager, Mary, at my favorite coffee shop, Eighty-Two. We drank caffeinated things and essentially wrote some blurbs for the backs of future books. I'm in the process of rereleasing Just Whistle (this has been mentioned in previous blogs) and want to improve the synopsis. The most magical element of that novel is the old farmhouse, which has rooms that come and go at random, but that particular element isn't even mentioned on the novel's current back cover. Mary, in only about two hours' time, managed to not only write a better blurb for Just Whistle... she also wrote one for Kick It One More Time!

The girl has a gift.

Admittedly, she has a lot of gifts. Mary is a phenomenal teacher and a wonderful friend and an excellent mother and an asset to The Educated Friends (she's wicked smart; our trivia team is so lucky to have her!), but the gift that impresses me the most is that she can take an almost-200,000-word manuscript and condense it, succinctly, into about 300 words. Each time she does it, I am in awe. I mean... have you ever tried to do that? Probably not. Trust me when I say, "It's insanely difficult." But Mary makes it look easy! She puts her words together so well!

In addition to being a brilliant book-blurb writer, Mary has a mind for marketing. It was she who introduced me to the concept of "booktoks" and encouraged me to create a TikTok in order to promote The Way Back. She also shared some ideas for my website, so we'll be meeting about that in the next couple of weeks. If you notice some positive changes on my page in the near future, that'll be your indication that Mary is working her magic.

One final plug for Mary before I sign off and eat some spaghetti: If you are an author and you're struggling to write a blurb for the back of your book, contact me and I'll give you Mary's info. She'll make short work of that dilemma, thus eliminating your headache and improving your life.

The Way Back Playlist: Do you remember BMG?

I can remember an afternoon in my third year of teaching when my concert husband Phil texted me and wondered what I was doing that Saturday. “I scored impromptu tickets to Weezer,” he told me. “Brock’s gonna meet us there.”

Side note: Do you remember BMG? I have no idea what BMG really stands for, but I always referred to that company as the Big Music Guys. I signed up to get, like, thirty CDs for two dollars or something like that. Maybe it was two pennies. I don’t remember, but I still to this day have oh so many albums belonging to one- or two-hit wonders (The Rembrandts, Dead Eye Dick, The Real McCoy, Everything, The Brian Setzer Orchestra…) courtesy of the Big Music Guys. Right before I signed up for BMG, however, I went to K&K Records and purchased my first two albums with my very own money. One was Green Day’s Dookie, the other was Weezer’s Blue Album. I still have both. I still love both. I still feel that both are iconic.

So… okay. Back to Weezer. As much as I’ve always loved them, they’d never been a band I yearned to see in concert. They have since, however, become a band I yearn to see in concert again.

They. Are. Incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOIsYA1QDuk

Weezer had trampolines on stage. Not huge trampolines, but trampolines that were big enough to bounce the band members onto the tops of their amps, where they then proceeded to rock out to such classics as “Buddy Holly,” “Undone (The Sweater Song),” and “Hash Pipe.”

Unless you count Earth, Wind, and Fire (which I don’t), that Weezer concert (I believe) was the only stadium concert I’ve ever seen. I should have Phil confirm this. And you know what else? I should also talk to him about future tour dates…

Trivia Recap: 9/15

Who's a valuable player? This girl.

The Players: Hannah (English teacher), Mary (English teacher), Ben (social studies teacher), Darren (math professor), Phil (too complicated to put into words but definitely a damn fine lawn helper), Greg (Phil's friend, career a mystery), and Victoria (veterinarian)

Opening Category: The Sound of Music

Hint of the Day: Whale

Round One:

Did you know that the moonlight shines on the wings of wild geese? No? Well, neither did we. The Educated Friends missed the first question of the game... but in the long run, it didn't matter all that much. The men got "Candle in the Wind" and nocturnal/diurnal, but Mary and I were spot on with our Renaissance man answer of "Michelangelo." It's because we're both looking for a Renaissance man. Unfortunately, it seems that the Renaissance men in Adams County are already married.

Weirdly, we all killed Triple 50/50: Minor League Sports. Though none of us had any evidence to support our answers, we all opted for the combination of "hockey, baseball, baseball" and that was right. It earned us a two-point bonus.

Round Two:

Although I wasn't much of an asset when it came to TV theme songs, I knew a thing or two about American Authors (along with several of my team members) and spaghetti sauce. Phil wanted to go with Ragu, and he thought that's the answer we were going with, but apparently when Phil said "Ragu" the rest of us thought he said "Prego" and "Prego" is what I had said right off the bat. So when Darren walked our five-point answer of "Prego" up to Adam and Phil realized we hadn't written "Ragu," he was worried.

He was worried for no reason, I should add, since "Prego" was the corrected answer.

Greg proved his worth with Huntsville. The clue was something about a populated city in Alabama (I forget the exact wording) and both Darren and Ben were toying with the idea of "Montgomery." Greg was all like, "One hundred percent, it's Huntsville." So we listened to him and it earned us three points. Woohoo, Greg!

Halftime Sheet:

We only missed one. I was convinced the answer was "Steve Irwin" but my team thought it was someone else whose name I cannot remember at the moment because it's late and I'm tired and I don't feel especially well. (I'll explain why in a moment.) Anyway, we put down not Steve Irwin and it was wrong. But Steve Irwin was wrong too. The real answer was, like, a Russian hockey star or some such nonsense as that. Alex Ovechkin. How were we to recognize his face carved from wax?

Side note: I have a lot of weeds in my yard. Weeds to the point that I can edge my garden three or four times each summer and these stupid viney things called Creeping Charlie still encroach upon my flowers and strangle things to death. Randomly, I asked my concert husband Phil if he'd help me with my lawn. He's taken the request quite seriously. Today, we got into some serious lawn repair. I had to mow yesterday in preparation and I was go-go-go from the time I got home from school to about 7:30 when I sat down on the couch to watch Jeopardy. By 8:00, I was feeling crummy. I slept terribly, waking up every hour or so because my glands were swollen and my throat hurt. I had a weird dream about a French owl who had been hit by a car and was worried about its nestlings who were being held captive in a yellow farmhouse not far away. I needed to use a phonebook to find the number for a wildlife rehabilitation center. No one would answer the phone and it was just very stressful. I went to work exhausted and then came home to mow the grass, like, five more times because Phil did this thing to the lawn that eliminated a good chunk of the weeds but I then had to bag the mess that it made. And that made a mess in my lungs and it turns out, at the age of forty-one, I have some serious fall allergies. I'm hoping to sleep tonight... but we'll see.

Round Three:

South America was the first category and Ben drew a map. It didn't help us to get the right answer, but I'm still adding it to the collection. Someday, there will be a coffee table book of his napkin- and halftime-sheet drawings and you will buy it to put on display in your living room. We all got the next musical question, "In the Orchestra," correct... simply because "Violin" seemed like a logical answer. "3 Clues, 1 Number" was a bit harder. It had to do with speeding skating and distances and ultimately our math guy Darren figured it out. Phil helped him to rationalize things, though. The good news? Their efforts paid off and we got the points. All nine of them PLUS our five bonus points! Woot! Woot! Go team!

"Time for Some Bubbly" was one of my shining moments. Did you know the frothy stuff on champagne is referred to as "Mousse?" Neither did my team... but yours truly figured it out! We got the points (all one of them; Phil felt "one-point confidence" in my answer) and I received some accolades.

Unfortunately, Mary and I over-rationalized the "Science Fiction Characters" clue and opted for "Jules Verne" instead of "H.G. Wells." Darren had originally said "H.G. Wells" and we should have listened to him because he was right. We lost two bonus points for that one.

6-4-2:

We needed to figure out the last name of someone and that someone had the last name of "Banks." I forget the clues because they didn't mean anything to me, but we got four points.

Round Four:

Good ol' Ben understood the significance of the show Robot Chicken (apparently this is stop-animation, so I should probably watch an episode or two, eh?) and Darren helped him come up with the bonus answer of "Seth Green." We chose "Toys and Games" as our bonus category (Phil insisted it was called "Poison Games") and Darren got this immediately. Did you know Wonder Woman had an invisible plane and a toy company (I forget which one; maybe Darren will put this detail in the Facebook comments) sold an empty box claiming to contain it?

The next category was "Shark Attack" and I knew I was going to be good at this but my team seemed skeptical. I guess they didn't believe that I used to check shark books out of the library and I've not only seen all the Jaws movies but I've also read the book AND I love Shark Week. But, whatever. The answers were 1) Dorsal, 2) Whale Shark (which I had written down before the clues were even given, mind you), and 3) Florida. Florida is where the majority of shark attacks have occurred. Several members of my team were leaning toward California, but they finally realized that I was right and we went with Florida and it paid off.

Next was "Ancient Landmarks" and we didn't know the answer. We didn't even know it after we heard it. But the last category was "Classic Song Lyrics" and I secretly thought to myself, "This is your category, Hannah." Because if there's one thing I love, it's songs from the 50s and 60s. This one was soooooooo easy! The answer was "Me and Bobby McGee" but I was the only one on my team who knew it! And then Ben was trying to figure out the bonus question (which I didn't really understand), but once I figured out what he was trying to come up with, I was all like, "Oh. Kris Kristofferson?" And he was like, "Yes!" And so we put it down because I watched a whole Sunday Morning episode about that song and how he wrote it and Janis Joplin changed the lyrics to "windshield wipes slappin' time" and I freaking love that song so much!!!

Not only was I the only one on my team who knew the answer, I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE RESTAURANT WHO KNEW THE ANSWER. So... turns out I'm not the weakest link. Yay, Hannah!

Final Category: Beer

Phil had expected Mary to get the answer to the final question because she usually does, but then the category was announced as "Beer" and there's no one who knows beer better than Phil and so he had the answer pronto and we turned it in and got twelve more points as a result... which made us the overall winners by one point! GO EDUCATED FRIENDS!!!

Next week's opening category: Old Crow Medicine Show. I'm sure the answer will be "Wagon Wheel" and the clue will involve Darius Rucker. Adam had absolutely no clue who Old Crow Medicine Show is when I told him our category. He was very, very puzzled and referred to them as "a type of band." Hopefully, he gives them a listen before next week. Adam, if you're reading this, my favorite song is "8 Dogs, 8 Banjos." Give it a listen.

Sometimes teaching is the best thing ever!

As much as I love writing, I’m fond of teaching as well. This year, my students are proving to be a lot of fun. And they’re sweet! Seriously… I have such a sweet group of kids this year! Here are some stories:

Story #1

Yesterday, I was standing at the podium in my classroom and one of my students (we’ll call her Haha) came over and stood beside me. She said, “I just want you to know that I’ve caught up and am really sad that I need to wait ‘til Thursday to read the next chapter.”

I puzzled over this comment for a second and then I said, with much enthusiasm, “Are you reading my online novella?!”

Haha said, “I am. And it’s really good!” She then proceeded to act as tour guide while she walked one of her friends through my website. It made my day! A student of mine is reading my novel and she not only likes it, but she’s impatient for more chapters!

Story #2

Last week, one of my students in the same period as Haha (for the purpose of this blog, we shall refer to him as Mr. Read Aloud) asked what I was doing over the weekend and I told him I had to finish making a pinata so I could take it to a party on Saturday. Mr. Read Aloud exclaimed, “Wow! You have a busier social life than we do! You’re always up to something!”

It made me laugh and made me feel very popular. Mr. Read Aloud is a fun guy.

Story #3

Among that same group of teens is a girl who I’ll refer to as True-Crime Lover. She and I are friends on Goodreads and she reads ALL of my blog entries. I just learned this today and it made me so happy! I think it’s so cool that my students like me enough to want to read what I’m writing… and hear about the every-day occurrences in my life.

Story #4

Today I was talking to my students about Starvin' Marvin and the adoption of Harvey. When I got to the part of the story where I mentioned needing to take my mom to the doctor and trying hard not to cry the whole way to Hanover, I was able to say, "Side note!" and then look at another teenager in the room (I'm gonna call her Family Friend) and share, "Had Marvin not been eaten that morning, your Uncle Tim was going to feed him every twenty minutes for me. Did you know that? He was down the street installing a garage door for my parents that day."

Family Friend was amused. She's a cool kid.

Story #5

I’ve got a group of sophomores in one of my morning classes that takes such an interest in my Jeep. When it was sick and in need of a new AC compressor, many of them contributed their own diagnoses. It’s gotten to the point that if I walk into the room and begin class with, “Guys! I need to talk to you about something important,” they all assume it has something to do with the Jeep and perk right up.

Story #6

Last but certainly not least… One of my sophomores (I had her last year too) has become my social media agent. I call her Agent B. She’s attempting to secure TikTok followers for me. Even though she’s been doing a pretty solid job, I’ve been threatening to fire her since she hasn’t read my novella. Agent B threw a fit: “No, you can’t fire me! I’m doing good work!” I pointed out to her that a real agent would want to know the material she’s representing.

Agent B came in on Monday and said, “Guess what. I read the first chapter of your book!”

“You did?!” I responded. “What’d you think? Are you going to read more?”

She said very matter-of-factly, “Of course I’m going to read more! I’m not going to start it and not finish it, Ms. Meeson.” And then in typical Agent B fashion, she rolled her eyes. I adore that child!

Those are my stories for the day. I hope you enjoyed them!

Starvin' Marvin

I know that I already talked a bit about the baby blue jay I attempted to save over the summer (in my post about adopting Harvey), but I'd like to give Starvin' Marvin an entry of his own. It might sound crazy to some, but I still think about that little bird almost every day.

I found him in my front yard, beneath the magnolia tree. At first, I thought he was a leaf. Admittedly, I sort of hoped he was a leaf. I mean, baby birds are a lot of work and I wasn't looking for a lot of work in the middle of the summer. Marvin's parents didn't attend to him, though. I put him under a hosta beneath the tree, set up my little camera, and monitored the footage to see if his mom and dad were swooping down to periodically feed him.

They weren't.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_7a94e03afade42018ea3cb13f8594381/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

I did a lot of research online and learned that baby blue jays can eat moist dog food, soaked raisins, and mealworms. I had all of these things on hand and created a delightful smorgasbord for Marvin. Because he required feedings every twenty minutes, and because he was always squawking when I went outside to care for him, I named him Starvin' Marvin.

We had two and a half really good days together. I'd hold him and talk to him and tuck him in at night. He was so smart; he used to stick his little bum over the edge of the makeshift nest I'd made for him, pooping into the garden instead of inside his home. As he got stronger, I imagined him coming back for visits when he was much older. Maybe he'd flutter down to perch on the front stoop, tapping his beak against the door to get my attention. Or maybe he'd sit on a branch of the magnolia tree and squawk about his day. Blue jays love peanuts and I thought that when he got bigger, he might like to eat peanuts out of my hand.

Alas, Marvin didn't make it and I do blame myself. I didn't have him secure enough, I suppose, and something got him. I imagine it was a neighborhood cat, but I could be wrong. Whatever it was, it returned the next night in the hopes of finding a second meal; there was evidence of a search.

I was incredibly upset. I had to drive my mom to a doctor's appointment the morning that Marvin went missing and I fought tears the whole way to Hanover and then the whole way home. I cried that afternoon and I cried some more that evening. I remember thinking, I'll feel better tomorrow. "Things are always better in the morning." Just ask Atticus Finch.

The problem was, I was still really missing Marvin the next morning... which is why I visited the SPCA's website and discovered three long-haired male kittens that were up for adoption. I went to meet the two who were striped with white paws; I came home with the little guy who was white with brown patches. Harvey chose me, and I am so glad he did!

He was snuggling with me last night, purring and holding my hand in his paws, licking my fingers and just generally being a perfect wonder. And I thought to myself, If there's one good thing that came out of Marvin's death, it's this guy. Because I love that little kitten more than seems humanly possible. ❤️

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_6a8a7f2f2fe646b3993deedea253e217/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

The Way Back Playlist: Be the butterfly

I discovered Rayland Baxter via Instagram and I’m pretty sure I have Caamp to thank for the discovery. They’d given him a plug or he’d commented on one of their posts or something along those lines. After doing a bit of additional investigation, I started listening to Rayland Baxter and realized that his music – which is different from a lot of the stuff I tend to listen to – is pretty fun.

Know what’s even more fun? His Instagram reels. He doesn’t post a whole lot of stuff about his music, I’m finding. Instead, he films himself having ridiculous conversations with people he meets in his travels, or interesting musicians performing on sidewalks, or even snippets from the filming of his new music video (in which he’s dressed in a pair of long johns and sports antennae and a giant pair of butterfly wings).

Admittedly, another reason I took an interest in Rayland Baxter has to do with the fact that he’s kind of adorable in a very I’m-not-trying-to-be-adorable-but-I-can’t-help-it kind of way. I mean, he has a mustache and he’s still adorable. That’s an accomplishment.

The name Baxter is cool as well. My first Airedale was named Baxter and he was one of the best dogs to ever roam the earth. Just Whistle is dedicated to him and Rhett, Charley’s Airedale mix, is modeled after him. Coincidentally, I’ve been rereading Just Whistle because I want to rerelease it with a new cover and a better blurb on the back. Rhett not only reminds me of Baxter… he’s so so so much like Arlo! An absolute menace: that’s what Rhett is.

My Baxter:

Rayland Baxter:

The Way Back Playlist: #staandforcaamp

Between now and the tangible release of The Way Back in its entirety, I’ve decided to periodically focus a blog entry on the bands that will appear on the novella’s playlist. If you’re looking for music recommendations, look no further because I’ve got some for you!

I discovered Caamp about a year ago when I was sitting on my friend Kristin’s patio, burning things in her fire pit. She’d invited her friend Randi, as well, and Randi was playing some music on her phone. This magical song came on – “Keep the Blues Away” – and I was like, “Who is this?”

You know how sometimes a song just hits you? Well, Caamp’s “Keep the Blues Away” just hit me and I fell instantly in love. Head-over-heels in love.

For a good month or so, Caamp was my shower band; I listened to them exclusively while getting clean in the mornings. I listened to them while not in the shower as well, but Caamp became the only band worth listening to in the shower. Some misheard lyrics in the song “Vagabond” actually inspired the title of my book Running Through the Words (which, coincidentally, I’m considering releasing as a serial novel in the upcoming months).

I’ve so far only had the privilege of seeing them in concert once, but that number will double on September 24 when some friends and I attend Sound on Sound in Connecticut! I’m super amped up for that experience: not only will Caamp, The Lumineers, and Trampled by Turtles be there, but it’s also a craft beer and wine festival! I’m gonna take a bunch of business cards and see if I can put some more blue dots on the map.

You know how Dicky Barrett from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones sounds as though he’s been smoking since he was still in the womb? Well, although the lead singer of Caamp, Taylor Meier, isn’t quite that raspy, he does have a super cool register. From my limited experience, he sounds every bit as good live as he does on the band’s studio albums. I can also attest to the fact that he sounds better when standing. My concert husband Phil, his best friend Brock, and my dear friend Emily don’t know this because they refused to #staandforcaamp. I, however, stood. I will be standing at Sound on Sound as well… along with Jody and Erin.

Of all the bands on The Way Back’s playlist, Caamp has probably been the biggest inspiration. So many of the lyrics are poetic and beautiful. My favorite song, “All the Debts I Owe,” paints such a picture in my brain.

Actually, it’s more than a picture. It’s like… when I listen to that song, an entire story comes to life. The characters are full-fledged and the plot is complex. At some point, when I’m in between writing books or something, I might write a short story about it. Short stories aren’t really my thing, but sometimes I’m inclined to produce one. You never know!

Anyway, Caamp is actually featured on The Way Back’s playlist not once, but TWICE, and neither “Vagabond” nor “All the Debts I Owe” are the songs. You’ll have to stay tuned if you want to find out what they are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpQv_Xvcu2M