Collaboration

A year of mad beauty and so many shades of joy

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Tonight was a relatively quiet end to a year that was anything but quiet. I would not have it any other way.

2010 was an incredible year: published a novel and literary magazine, celebrated Chicago’s literary history, partied with rockstars, writers, composers, and photographers, renovated a house and cultivated a home, celebrated friendship among American Gods, and danced in the kitchen with the three magical people I’m blessed to have for children. I rekindled and reconnected with dear ones, was awed by art and inspired to continue living a life of creativity and connection.

It was a good year. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it possible. I am blessed and grateful and excited about what the future will bring.

May your new year be wonder-filled.

Happy New Year.

xxo

Unexpected gifts

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Last month at the launch party for The Silence of Trees, I saw several friends and family I don’t see nearly enough. Among them was a high school friend I hadn’t seen in two decade.

Michelle Conte Sylvia and I reconnected on Facebook while I was still living in Germany. I was immediately impressed by Michelle’s art and vision, and we’ve stayed in touch, tossing around a few ideas of collaboration for the future.

Michelle and her husband came to the Book Cellar, and Michelle gave me my first book signing gift! (How strange and lovely to be on the receiving end!) I now have a lovely print and seasonal room spray that I’ve already used on several occasions when friends have dropped by.

The title of the print is Protector of Confidence, and this is from Michelle’s description of the piece:

“The tree represents me, the heart hanging by a limb is symbolic of Confidence, My Heart and My soul. The owl is wise and a great protector waiting on a branch to swoop in and protect. This is extremely symbolic since I am really declaring that I will face my fears this year and expose my soul by creating and sharing more of that with you.”

Follow the link to read about Michelle’s experience of the launch party and her reading of The Silence of Trees on her blog, The Blackberry Briar.

This week I also received my first of Michelle’s hand-poured soy candles in the mail: Papa’s Cedar Chest. It’s burning beside me while I type this: a clean, earthy, comforting smell. I can’t wait to try other scents, especially those Fall and Winter holiday-inspired: Spiced Pumpkin, Coffee House Latte, Pumpkin Cheescake, Cider Mill, Pumpkin Latte.

In the above photo of gifts, you can also see a beautiful book aptly titled a book of books by Abelardo Morell. A gift from my dear friend Alison in Paris, the extraordinary book features photographs of unusual books combined with provocative quotes. It is an amazing collection of books as treasured objects.

The night of the launch party, I received a note from my youngest cousin, who’s just a few years older than my oldest daughter. Last but not least, it speaks for itself:

I want to say thank you. Thank you for the gifts, for the support, for the encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to read The Silence of Trees, for spreading the word, and for writing reviews. Thank you for being the readers I dreamt about as a child and hoped for when I was writing. Thank you.

xxo

Stop

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It’s a quiet, rainy Fall morning at Casa del Lobos.

I love this weather, this time of year. Life is busy but good–full of people I love, activities I enjoy, events I believe in. My only concern is that it’s a bit too full, too hectic. I feel like I’m missing moments and instead am being pulled along by the strong current. Soon I will need to stop, to have a series of quiet, rainy days full of small moments of kids and husband and writing, to enjoy meals and play and watching the leaves fall.

In the meantime, there are books and writers and artists and fashion and varenyky/pierogis and coffee. Always coffee.

In a few minutes, I need to make phone calls and figure out details for the book signing on Saturday, October 23. I haven’t mentioned it yet, but there will be free pierogis and a fabulous vorozhka/fortuneteller doing complimentary tarot readings. If you’re in the Chicago area, come to Lincoln Square and stop by the Book Cellar, 7-9pm. There will be quite a party if the facebook responses can be trusted.

We’re starting to put other cities on the tour schedule, finalizing details with book stores. It’s all rather surreal, this business of sharing my book, The Silence of Trees, with the world.

I had dinner with some friends last night (or rather some fiends *wink*), and the conversation turned to The Silence of Trees. I felt shy.

I rarely feel shy, but finally sharing this book has made me feel vulnerable. Maybe it will be like that with every book? Maybe not. I guess I’ll just have to keep writing and publishing to find out. (I’ll keep you posted.)

It’s interesting because I made my peace with being a “public” person when I began actively engaging people and communities online, back around the time of the Amazon ABNA contest. I grew up with a father in the Illinois Senate, a very public personality, so this is not new to me. I know this blog is online and available to people. However none of that has made me feel as exposed as the reality of my book published and out in the world.

There’s thunder now, and lightning. At 8:42 am! I missed Chicago thunderstorms when we lived in Germany. I always feel like they help to clear my head.

Much of my time over the last few weeks has been filled with literary business: the book launch and also the Induction Ceremony for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. I need to write more about that; it deserves its own post. In the meantime, mark the date: Saturday, November 20, 2010. I invite you to join me at Northeastern Illinois University. Drinks, hors d’œuvre, and desserts are included in the $45 ticket price ($35 for students).

I’ll follow up with a more detailed post. It’s going to be a fantastic event, and I hope that you can come out and celebrate Chicago’s literary history with me! (I’m going to be wearing a fabulous new hat!)

That’s a good beginning to the update. There so much more to write: Cabaret, wine with writers, cocktails & conversations with the cast, Amanda Palmer, and Neil Gaiman, creative collaboration…

Until then, enjoy the rain if you have it.
xxo