Sunday, April 24, 2011

Book Come Lately




A long, long time ago - okay, December - I said that my book would be out in about two weeks. That would have made it the middle of January. Needless to say, it wasn't. My book, Looking Up: A Memoir of Sisters, Survivors and Skokie, was just released this past Tuesday, April 19th, which would make it about three months longer than the two weeks I estimated. That's all. About normal for my usual combination of procrastination and angst.
Why did I say that my book would be ready to roll in two weeks? Was I insane? Was I intent on causing myself full-blown depression and paranoia? Did I need even more pressure on myself than the regular pressure I had of just trying to write a book about being raised by somewhat insane Holocaust Survivor parents in a Chicago suburb in the 60s, the sixth of seven daughters, where normal was very abnormal, indeed?

Obviously, I said it'd be done in mid-January for a couple of reasons. First of all, I believed it. Second of all, I underestimated the poisonous combination of a neurotic perfectionist (and, trust me, a book can never be perfect) and a book project. Third of all, I had to get used to the idea that writing memoir is like running through the streets naked. Did I really want to run through the streets naked?

Then the intervening months took place. Like anyone who's gotten used to blogging, I missed it, but felt I'd pinned myself in. The next blog entry had to be about the book being published. How could I skulk back here and act like everything was normal with no book in hand?

So here I am, back in Bar Mitzvahzilla-land, the blog now moss-covered, stale, somehow frozen (so to speak) on a snowy December day in Flagstaff, my kids now four months older. Now, thank goodness I can leave the insanity of my childhood behind and get back to normal - the usual insanity of my everyday life. 

Do you miss blogging when you take a break, or miss reading blogs if you take a break from that? Do you write down topics so you can cover them later or are they forever gone?
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If anyone would like to lend a hand with my virtual book launch, email me at barmitzvahzilla@hotmail.com or leave me a comment here. All help is appreciated!

26 comments:

  1. Welcome back and congrats on the book:)

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  2. I'm so excited for you, Linda! I'll be passing the news on!

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  3. I'm on a break from blogging myself, but I was just thinking of you and our Gotham class and decided to stop by to check in. And what tremendous news I've found! Congratulations to you! You truly are an inspiration.

    When I return - June-ish? - I'd love to do a post on your book. I can't wait to read it! Let's be in touch.

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  4. So many people on here are aspiring authors or read the blogs of aspiring authors. That being said, in the publishing anything can and will happen. So, you could have written a post any time and said just about anything and we would have believed you. The industry is INSANE. Congrats on your book being out!!!

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  5. Congrats! What an accomplishment.

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  6. Congratulations! I'm on a spending freeze this month, so I'll have to wait till next month to get it and read it.

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  7. Karen, good to see you again! And thanks for the congratulations. I would feel a sense of relief but instead mostly I just feel worried... Like now I have to get the darn thing read!

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  8. Thank you, TKW! I'll send you the link in an email. I appreciate it!

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  9. Kristen, Congratulations on the baby girl! I've missed you from my break and during yours. The Gotham class does seem like it was a long time ago. Hmmm. I wonder if they have a class in promotion? :)

    Email me your address and I'll send you a copy of the book for when you're off hiatus, and thank you.

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  10. Robin, I know everyone would have been very forgiving but I felt like my next post HAD to be that the book was published, nothing else. And there was really nothing else in me for those months except endless editing. Even though I kept track of funny bloggy stuff, I don't think I could have written it right then because every day it was "the book, the book!"

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  11. Sherri, thank you and good to see you again!

    Charlotte, you are so disciplined! There's a Look Inside on Amazon that, to be perfectly honest, is showing a little too much right now (like the whole book) so that's free... Good for you for controlling spending!

    Rachel, thank you and congrats on your upcoming event too!

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  12. YAY - I'm sure you look great naked!!

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  13. And glad I checked in as well! Moss-covered blog? Not hardly! We're here - and thrilled you are - and so, so, so excited about the book!

    WooHoo! (No skulking aloud!)

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  14. Lisa, thanks for the vote of confidence! I think the book looks better naked than me...

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  15. BLW! Nice to see all my friends again. And I was here, kind of, just in this weird, exiled book misery place! I'll be by shortly to read some of your thought-provoking posts!

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  16. YAY!!! I am so happy to see you back!! Welcome back!

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  17. Jennifer, thanks for checking up on me during all that time on Facebook!

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  18. Mazel tov on the book launch! Gald to see you back. I do enjoy your blog.

    Do I miss bloging? Depends on the blog. My main focus is article writing, and I feel pressure when I do not update my blogs. I just added six new posts and three draft to my Girl Scout blog so I can put it to bed for summer.

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  19. PS-I just emailed my synagogue's library committee to buy the book for our in house library.

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  20. Congratulations Linda! I have missed you and am looking forward to getting my hands on that book! Welcome back!

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  21. Congratulations!!! That is quite an accomplishment!

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  22. Welcome back, my friend! Congratulations on your book. What an incredible accomplishment. I, too, have been away trying to finish up my latest memoir. I did miss writing the blog but I just couldn't imagine, like you, posting something when I knew I should be focusing on getting the darn memoir ready for Taos. Linda, it's great to have you back!

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  23. mmm - A big thank you on the synagogue library email. And I've missed you too!

    Maria, it's been a long time! Glad to be back and have the book off my back!

    Absence, Nice to be back in the land of the living! Honestly, I didn't think I'd ever get it done. If not, I wasn't ever going to leave my house again...

    Michelle, I'm very excited that you've done the same thing. I know what it's like having a book burning a hole inside of you so I'm glad you took the time to do it! Keep us all posted (like blog-posted!)

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  24. I bought it on Kindle today! Thank you so much for making available this way! I can't wait to get started!!

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  25. Thank you for ordering it, Maria! There's even a part about a Florida vacation that should strike a chord with you!

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