The Journey continues — in paperback (and I want you on my team)!

Exactly one year ago today, Magical Journey, was published. I remember taking many deep breaths, trying (mostly in vain) to quell the butterflies in my stomach.

Watching my memoir arrive in bookstores across the land, waiting for the first readers to find it, wondering if my midlife “coming-of-age” story would resonate with anyone else, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to celebrate the birth of my new book or hide under the bedclothes and wait for it all to blow over.

What a difference a year makes!

Thanks to YOU, my dear readers — and to the heartfelt, eloquent, profoundly moving letters and comments you’ve written me over the past twelve months — I feel nothing but excitement and joy this week, as I await the first paperback copies of Magical Journey. (Official pub. date: January 21.)

These days, making the leap from hardcover original to paperback is not a given, as it once was.  It requires sturdy hardcover sales, a track record, and a commitment from both author and publisher.

So, I’m not taking this moment for granted.  In fact, I want to do all I can to fulfill my publisher’s faith in me, and to prove right their hope that this quiet little book of mine will now find its way in paperback.

Magical Journey owes its (admittedly) modest success in hardcover to you, and to good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth.

I didn’t go on Oprah or Good Morning America.  I didn’t get reviewed in the New York Times (though receiving a rave in People was quite a thrill).  There was no ad budget.  But I went to lots bookstores – and I loved meeting you there.  I answered every letter I received from every reader.  And I kept on writing to you all here each week.

I heard from many of you that you’d not only read my book, but you’d also bought copies for others.  You shared it with your friends.  You gave it as a gift.  You suggested it to your book group.  (Some of you even sent photos of your book groups!) You took a leap and said to someone else, “Here’s a book that speaks to me. I think you’ll like it, too.”

For all of this and more, I’m  deeply grateful! In fact, you’ve given me an idea.

Today, I’m boldly reaching out to ask all of you, my reading friends, to help create a buzz for Magical Journey in paperback.  My hope is that with your word-of-mouth and social media assistance, we will create a ripple that moves through our own close circles of friends and beyond.

 Here’s how:

1.  Say yes and email me HERE to join my “team.”  Please be sure to include your mailing address! ( To show my gratitude I’ll soon be sending  you a special “thank-you” package in return:  a signed, personalized copy of an original manuscript page from Magical Journey, a signed bookplate, and a hand-made Magical Journey bookmark, created just for you by my dear, crafty mom).

2.  Once you’ve joined my team, I’ll personally e-mail you, 6 times only,  with a weekly request.  (Don’t worry, no heavy lifting!) I’ll send you simple, one-or two-minute suggestions, such as posts to share on Facebook and/or Twitter — book news, quotes, bits of inspiration. I may ask you to share my blog with a few friends, to rate the book on Amazon, to recommend it on Goodreads, or to suggest Magical Journey to your book group.  Every single request is optional –  you simply do the things that feel comfortable to you.

Of course, feel free to come up with your own ways to help spread the word, the more creative the better!

3.  The final “team” email will go out on February 26th.  By then, with all our shared efforts, I hope Magical Journey will be launched — with plenty of wind in its sails! To celebrate, there will be a special gift drawing for everyone who participated. (Details on this to follow.)

And now, for a bit of early good news!

The words “Book of the Month” are a thrill for any author to hear.  So, it was exciting indeed to learn that Magical Journey has been chosen as the “Book of the Month” for January at BookMovement.com, THE go-to website for book groups.  (35,000 book groups, to be exact.)

I love the way the folks at BookMovement came up with so many great ideas for book groups reading Magical Journey. They even feature my own beloved book group in their newsletter — complete with a photo of our our field trip to Ann Patchett’s Parnassus Bookshop in Nashville last winter.   They also provide menu suggestions, activities, and a music playlist.  Fun and inspiring!  To read the newsletter, CLICK HERE.  (And, of course, do please share it with YOUR book group.)

Thanks in advance to you all. I am blessed to have such devoted readers —  real friends and fellow travelers with whom to share this journey through books and life.  Together, we can make good things happen!

P.S.  Want to pre-order a paperback copy today?  You can do that here.

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