This year has been amazing. Not only have some of my favorite authors published new books in 2013, but some of them have been my clients, too. You've heard me talk about Gayle Carline's wonderful From the Horse's Mouth: One Lucky Memoir which was such fun for me to work on—being a grown-up "horse girl." Her next mystery (with horses this time!) is coming out early next year so stand by for more on that. Gayle's blog, "On the Edge of the Chair of Literature" is also great—witty, well-written, and often painfully candid—you can find a link to it on this page, since I follow it.
One of my other blogger-writer friends, Loraine Paige, continues to amaze me with her ongoing heartfelt "Dear Rita Mae Brown" series of letters (you can find her blog, "From Paige to Page" here). Loraine must be up late every night, and early each morning, writing her second novel as she does rewrites on the previous one (which I'm also editing), America. More on that series in future posts.
Another writer whose work I got to read before publication this year is Claudia Whitsett. Her latest contribution to the "Samantha Series" is called Intimacy Issues and it's every bit as funny and hard to put down as the previous book, Indentity Issues, was.
Now, to cap off this spectacular year, my inspiring "Pitch Witch" partner Marla Miller has gone the indie publisher route, too! Her e-novel Deadly Little Secrets officially came out on Dec 1, World AIDS Day, which was perfect in a number of ways.
First, the book is set in 1985, when AIDS was still something that the average person could largely ignore (sad but true) and which our own government was still ignoring (even sadder, but still true). Second, that health crisis turned out to be one of the most fatal epidemics in recorded history; we owe it to ourselves to know more about AIDS, and to not begin ignoring it, or simply "indicting" those affected by it, yet again. Lastly, the world lost a great playwright and I lost a dear friend, James Lee Hansen, two decades ago on World AIDS day, so this book coming out that day was serendipitous.
I'm also working with another writer who is starting his own online publishing business--Social Publishing House. I met Brian Gilb at SCWC in Newport and was struck by his enthusiasm and sincerity. The start-up business has already gained focus and support in 2013, and promises to develop in exciting ways in the new year, too.
My life is made so rich by knowing these amazing writers, who care so much about the world and their place in it, who give their time, daily—as writers, teachers, and entrepreneurs—to help illuminate the way for others coming up the path behind.
So glad I can be part of their projects and help them share them with the world.
hasta pronto!