These two photos represent a chunk of my 2020: I published a novel! THE WRONG KIND OF WOMAN is out in the world, on bookshelves, and in readers’ hands! But the pandemic meant no in-person events, no travel, closed and half-closed bookstores. A mixed blessing.
But I have so much to be grateful for, and so many to thank. My supportive and generous husband, kids, extended family, and friends, who’ve buoyed me up with their enthusiasm and energy. My wonderful agent Sharon Pelletier and my stellar editor April Osborn. My publicists, Laura Gianino and Roxanne Jones. And so many others at MIRA Books, like Lindsey Reeder and Katie Didow. Generous authors like Caroline Leavitt, T. Greenwood, Carol Rifka Brunt, Abby Frucht, and Amy Meyerson, who wrote beautiful blurbs. The bookstagrammers and bloggers who reviewed and shared. Independent bookstores like Gibson’s and Still North Books and Bookery, and so many others. Authors who took the time to help create wonderful virtual bookstore events, like Amy Meyerson, Katie Crouch, and Alka Joshi. And book clubs who invited me to talk to them! And my fellow 2020 debut authors, with their amazing array of books, who banded together for support and encouragement. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of their books in 2021.
I did other things in 2020—I finished my MFA at VCFA with a wonderful cohort of writers and advisors. I tore my ACL and MCL, and learned how to do physical therapy via Zoom. I drank too much wine and ate too much chocolate and sourdough bread. And during the pandemic spring, we got to spend extended time with two of our kids, and from afar, we watched our daughter present her thesis in art history and then graduate virtually from Carleton College. Silver linings. There were more of those, but that’s enough for now.
Goodbye 2020, you weren’t all bad.