There have been so many wonderful moments in the month since GUTS’ publication day! I’ve gotten many messages from friends and family as they’ve read and enjoyed the book, and had several experiences talking about GUTS and reading from the book in public venues. Huge thanks to all of you for reading GUTS, for coming to my events, for sending me photos of your copies of GUTS “in the wild.” A few people/events I want to highlight:

• This week I am proud to be a sponsor for the wonderful Seattle Review of Books. All week they will feature an excerpt from GUTS and purchase links. They have been a pleasure to work with and I love their sponsorship program.
• My first-ever radio interview on WRITERS ON WRITING is now available as a podcast. My interview starts around the 29-minute mark, though it’s worth listening to the first interview with Attica Locke too. Thank you Marrie Stone!
• My publication day began on a poignant note with an email from my Kindergarten, First, & Second grade teacher from Shady Hill School, Louise McIlhenny. Louise was visiting her daughter Emily, who was born at the end of my 2nd grade year. Emily lives in the Boston area and her twins go to Shady Hill. Louise sent me the photo below, of her with her twin granddaughters and GUTS, in my former classroom where Louise taught me how to write. 

Receiving this photo, and the accompanying praise from my former teachwr, is one of the moments that makes the whole book-publishing effort worth it.

• I had a wonderful launch party  hosted by Hugo House at the beautiful Hotel Sorrento in Seattle. Approximately 80 people attended. I didn’t know that I knew 80 people in Seattle, let alone that I knew that many who would come to my party. Friends from all parts of my Seattle life were there, and even one of my doctors showed up. I got my hair done and wore the sparkliest piece of clothing I’ve ever owned.
• I had two great events in Colorado: a talk at the Bud Werner Memorial Library in my former temporary home of Steamboat Springs. Family, friends, and strangers braved a huge snowstorm to come hear me talk. Then I headed to Boulder for a reading at the wonderful Trident Bookstore & Cafe, where I read to a friendly audience of strangers and friends, including childhood classmate from ages 4-15 Matthew Cushing, who is now a g.i. radiologist in Boulder. What are the odds of our lives intersecting in this way?? My dear friend Ross McCall interviewed me onstage at the Trident. He thoroughly prepared and did a beautiful job. I’m thinking of asking him to accompany me on the remainder of my tour.
• The Trident is an awesome bookstore. They were great hosts, bought some copies of GUTS for their store, and shelved me two books away from STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER by Tom Robbins, a favorite book when I lived in Colorado. So, career goal accomplished.