Appalachian Justice Revisited
There are all sorts of rumors and theories in the writing world about when books sell best, but I've never found any of them to be true. My own book sales fluctuate without any apparent cause.
One memorable month back in 2011 saw sales of Appalachian Justice suddenly quadruple. I later received a handful of requests to phone in to book clubs to discuss it; apparently four clubs had picked it up that month, which was fun.
Appalachian Justice is three years old this month, and in spite of the fact I've published three other books since then, it still seems to strike a chord. I often hear from readers that the protagonist, Billy May, is as real to them as she was to me during the writing process.
Yesterday I received two different messages about Appalachian Justice, and both warmed my heart. One reader who hails from West Virginia wrote, "What you have given me is the gift of my culture." I've always thought Appalachia (and West Virginia in particular) to be a beautiful, haunting, spiritual place, and was so glad to connect with someone who felt the same.
Another person enjoyed a quote from Billy May: "Strange, the way the years flow together with no regard to time and place, no separation of events, as if the whole of my life has been one big, unendin’ cycle of emotions. Here laughter and there sadness, terror mixed right in with joy, fury holdin’ onto loneliness. Like a creek, I think, all flowin’ together, sometimes gentle and peaceful and sometimes bashin’ to bits against the rocks."
One of my favorite messages, received shortly after publication, was from a minister who said, "You've succeeded in taking an issue I never understood and helping me to understand." That's just about the best outcome I could have wished for.
With the publication of my more recent novels I sometimes feel as if I don't pay enough attention to Appalachian Justice, or to Billy May, so I thought it only fitting to celebrate her birthday before the month completely slips away.
Here's wishing you a very happy birthday, Billy May.
One memorable month back in 2011 saw sales of Appalachian Justice suddenly quadruple. I later received a handful of requests to phone in to book clubs to discuss it; apparently four clubs had picked it up that month, which was fun.
Appalachian Justice is three years old this month, and in spite of the fact I've published three other books since then, it still seems to strike a chord. I often hear from readers that the protagonist, Billy May, is as real to them as she was to me during the writing process.
Yesterday I received two different messages about Appalachian Justice, and both warmed my heart. One reader who hails from West Virginia wrote, "What you have given me is the gift of my culture." I've always thought Appalachia (and West Virginia in particular) to be a beautiful, haunting, spiritual place, and was so glad to connect with someone who felt the same.
Another person enjoyed a quote from Billy May: "Strange, the way the years flow together with no regard to time and place, no separation of events, as if the whole of my life has been one big, unendin’ cycle of emotions. Here laughter and there sadness, terror mixed right in with joy, fury holdin’ onto loneliness. Like a creek, I think, all flowin’ together, sometimes gentle and peaceful and sometimes bashin’ to bits against the rocks."
One of my favorite messages, received shortly after publication, was from a minister who said, "You've succeeded in taking an issue I never understood and helping me to understand." That's just about the best outcome I could have wished for.
With the publication of my more recent novels I sometimes feel as if I don't pay enough attention to Appalachian Justice, or to Billy May, so I thought it only fitting to celebrate her birthday before the month completely slips away.
Here's wishing you a very happy birthday, Billy May.
No comments have been added yet.
