Monday, August 11, 2008

Tomorrow ...

Posted by Lisa Marnell

It's a Christmas Eve feeling today. Though tomorrow is August 12, not December 25th, I'm excited, a little nervous. Tomorrow Tethered will be in bookstores.

Tethered will be in bookstores! I read chapters from Amy's WIP so long ago. When I read the ending I sat on the bottom step of my old house in Massachusetts, cuddling with my dog, Maggie. I was en route to going to bed, but I had to read ONE MORE CHAPTER. Reading one more chapter turned into finishing the book. I loved the ending!

It's an Empty Nest feeling today. My friend's novel will be out in the world tomorrow. I'm melancholic, definitely. Times are changing for Amy, for our group. Though we are still determined to be writers, the stakes have changed and our own characters have developed in different ways. We aren't the wide-eyed wannabes we were three years ago; the writing world has its ups and downs.

Someday, I will walk into the Barnes & Noble near me, here in California, and I will see someone thumbing through the pages of Tethered. A part of me will be proud, no doubt. Yay, Amy! But is it odd that I will want to shut the book and tell them this is my friend's story? Is it insane I should want to whisper that a good, dear person I know struggled to write this gripping and touching tale and that looking at Amy's words is really none of her business? I know publishing is the goal in this business, but on some not altogether sane level, I want to buy every copy of Tethered, and keep it safe with me, I'll pile them in my study, if only for a few more days. I know readers will love this book; how could they not? The story promises such hope .

10 comments:

Judy Merrill Larsen said...

Lisa, this is so lovely. And no, I don't think it's insane to want to protect your dear friend's words. There's something so vulnerable about a book being released. And when you know the tears and hopes and fears that are wrapped within its covers. All I can say is we should all have such friends!

And when I head to the bookstore tomorrow to get my own copy, I promise to whisper good wishes above the stacks of her books.

mohanley5 said...

So...6Am today, drinking my coffee, and reading the Boston Herald, and turn to page 25...and there is Amy!!! Great article by Lauren Beckham Falcone. Amy, Lisa, Hannah and Lynne...do you have any idea how many people you have inspired by your work, and by your commitment to this blog? It has been such a pleasure to learn from you all, to evesdrop on your progress, your successes.
I am so excited about tomorrow...I have my whole day planned around writing...I have a few places staked out on the South Shore, where I'll pluck away on my laptop, to put the (hopefully) final touches on my manuscript...and at the end of the day, my big reward...I'll end up at Buttonwood Books for Amy's book launch...plan to get there early to make sure they don't sell out of "Tethered".
Best to all of you...
Amy, congrats...I'm so proud!
Mo

mohanley5 said...

I tried to get the link to the Herald article,but couldn't do it. Can someone paste it here? Or, Google Amy Mackinnon and Boston Herald, and it should pop up. Enjoy...
Mo

Amy MacKinnon said...

It's as if Lisa crawled into my head before she wrote this. What a comfort to know I have her, and that she understands me so well. Do you understand why I love my Writers' Group? And thanks to both Judy and Mo (you finished?!). Here's the link:

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/books/view.bg?articleid=1112201

mohanley5 said...

Hi Amy...
Goal is to finish by Friday, but won't force it...just needs some tweeks here and there, and another run through to make sure all my dates, names, places, jobs...etc match up...hate it when you find an error after reading 100 times and then printing...ugh, but it makes us better, right???
:)

Larramie said...

Tomorrow...it was "inevitable," Amy, so simply remember the hope that brought you to this time and place.

A wrap-around, squeeze HUG!

Lisa Marnell said...

Mo,

My congrats to you, too. Gosh, I am so happy to hear you're close to done. What a great bunch of Boston based writers!

PLEASE keep us posted.

Amy - right back at you!

Lisa

mohanley5 said...

Lisa,
Thanks for your kind words, and advice through this blog (Word Painting; Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass)

It has been 5 years of hard, but enjoyable work. I feel sad that it's almost over...like how I feel about sending my oldest son off to college next week...but, it's time to let it go and see how it stands on its own.

How goes the WIP?

Mo

phil said...

Good luck with TETHERED, Amy! I can't wait to read it.

Anonymous said...

That is such a sweet post. I'll be looking out for Tethered it sounds a very interesting read.