August 14, 2012

I Wrote a Book

Over the last year, I have been mostly-stealthily writing a book. A real live book with pages and a cover and a story that has a beginning, a middle and an end.  A novel.

I wrote a book.

I sort of feel like I have to keep repeating that sentence over and over because sometimes it doesn't seem real, even when I have an actual copy in my hands.

I wrote a book. But not without help.

Even though not very many people knew I was working on it, I was fortunate to have some good people in my corner of the ring.

In particular, my friend and crit-partner Stephen Parrish has my undying gratitude because he pushed and nudged and encouraged and cajoled and rolled his eyes when I was being ridiculous. And he told me stuff stunk when it stunk. And he didn't listen to me when I complained that I was tired or that things were hard. He always knew that morning would bring a fresh attitude.

I wrote a book that people read tirelessly. (And sometimes, I'm sure, tiredly.)

Fellow writers, friends, family members read the book in various drafts. And other friends offered expertise in other aspects. It's a better book because of their honesty and openness. Blowing kisses to Bee, Erica, Ginny, Jennifer, Lunaea, Sarah, Shannon, and Steph.

I wrote a book that looks and sounds like this:

Kate Pearson heads west from Arkansas in an old jalopy with two parakeets, a job offer and a half-baked plan: Dreamboat celebrity chef Warren Hoffman has offered Kate a job – and himself – if she will relocate to Oxnard, California. The catch? Kate soon discovers Warren has a Big Secret. And that he’s possibly crazy.

During her journey, Kate stumbles into the lair of paranoid militants calling themselves the League for the Suppression of Celery. When they learn her destination is Oxnard -- celery capital of the world -- they stop at nothing to indoctrinate her into their nefarious cult.


Her escape from the League sends her racing toward her happily-ever-after while being pursued by members of the League who want her back, and by the compelling new friend who inexplicably quits his job to travel across the country to find her.



I wrote a book.

And I plan on doing it again. And again. And again.

 

28 comments:

  1. I always said, if you wrote a book, I'd buy it. The day has come. Congratulations! As James N. Frey said, it's harder for most people to row a bathtub across the ocean than write a novel. You may now dispose of your rubber duckies. Welcome to the club. And here's hoping you clickety-clack many more.

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  2. Holy smokes, Wendy! I can't wait to read it!!!

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  3. Yikes, Wendy, the link on the cover didn't work. Where might I purchase said book?

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    1. The print and ebook versions are both available from Amazon here: http://www.bit.ly/wenbook

      Thanks, Janice!

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  4. And I'm going to read every one.

    Huge congratulations, Wendy. Your baby is beautiful.

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! I appreciate all your efforts.

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  5. Hi Wendy! Congratulations on the book. Honored to be stalked :)
    Lela

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    1. Thanks for coming by. (You say "honored" now. Just wait til you get to know me better...)

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  6. Is the paper version out? Where can I buy? Where? Where!

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  7. Nevermind, googling and good reads helped me :)

    @janice Here are the links:
    Kindle edition - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008NWXNJW/thelasrev
    Paperback - http://www.amazon.com/League-Suppression-Celery-Wendy-Russ/dp/0985166614/ref=la_B008NXHVP8_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344948982&sr=1-1

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    1. Thanks, Aniket! Also, the link on the sidebar goes to the Amazon page (and going through that link generates some income to pay writers at Lascaux Review).

      The link goes to a page which shows both the ebook and paperback format.

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    2. Alright! I shall use that link to purchase the book then. But I'll have to do that after my trip to Germany & Spain, as they won't deliver it to me in 3 days.

      May be I can get Steve to get the book for me, and I can pick it up when I meet him. :)

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  8. A whole book? Yea! I'm proud of you!

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    1. A whole one. I figured out the trick. First you write one half and then you write the other half! (Something like that anyway.) :)

      Okay, actually in all seriousness... one of the best pieces of advice I got (hi Steve!) was "keep filling blank pages." It sounds a little funny, but was quite freeing. Just cover them up and then you can figure out what to do with the later.

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  9. Yay and congrats!!! If and when this is published it should totally go up on CeleryTree! That title just cracks me up, and the summary sounds really good. I want to read your book.

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    1. Well, we got that "if and when" thing nailed down pretty good. I wonder if putting an anti-celery book on a web site that is named after Celery would create some kind of rift in the space-time continuum. And would it destroy the Internet?

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  10. Ok I'm in, you made me laugh, think and cry for many years now. Amazon is next stop.

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    1. YOU are a sweetheart. Thanks for always checking in. It means a lot to me.

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  11. Wow well done, I am going to try and get it here in the Netherlands! Greetz from Dutch Wendy !

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    1. Yay, Wendy! You need to take a picture of the book next to a landmark in the Netherlands for me! I can add it to my "Celery Tours the World" documentary.

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  12. Congratulations! What a dream come true! Your hard work has paid off! I'm so happy for you!

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    1. Thank you, Pat. So happy you dropped by to celebrate with me!

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  13. Finally, we can talk about it!

    Congratulations, Wendy. You don't give yourself enough credit. You are a fantastic writer with more of a sense of story than many, and this is a great book. I can't wait to read it again, now that I have my chunky, adorable copy!

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    1. Jennifer, thank you! I had so much fun working on it (and with you.) And yeah, it's fun seeing that big ole fat book in person. (Can't wait til YOURS comes out!)

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  14. Congratulations, Wendy. I'm so happy for you and I can't wait to read it! XOX

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  15. Congratulations Wendy! It is a wonderful first novel and I look forward to many many more. I am so happy for you. You are awesome!

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