My book, From the Lake House, has been out since July 2020. Anyone remember July? I don’t. 

I’m certain I’m in good company in feeling that most of the last twelve months have been a blur. Almost immediately after my book was released, I took a hard pivot to start the fall semester at UNC-Chapel Hill, where I work as an academic coach. Fall semester always requires extra oomph to get programs up and running, and students tend to swarm my department with energy, excitement, anxiety, and overwhelm. Thanks to COVID, we offered all of our services remotely this fall, so students swarmed our computer screens instead!

I’d like to give Zoom a shout-out for allowing me to continue to do the work I love. No joke—I know that I’m privileged these days. I’d like to also thank Zoom for my new eyeglass prescription, the constant strain in my neck and shoulders, and the feeling I have at the end of the day when I desperately want to crawl out of my skin. In the late afternoon, I emerge from my house for a restorative walk, bleary-eyed and strung out. 

Despite living out life at my desk in my tiny home office for the last umpteen months, I’m happy that I made several meaningful connections with terrific people and organizations around my book. I’d love to share two interviews with you and invite you to an upcoming author event. 

1. Open to Hope

I was so thrilled to meet Dr. Gloria Horsely and Dr. Heidi Horsely—a powerhouse mother and daughter team who head up this fantastic organization. Open to Hope is a national online community offering inspirational stories of loss, hope, and recovery. In this interview, I talked with them about the disorienting nature of grief and the two primary tools I used to move through it: journaling and communing with nature. The interview was recorded on video in October and is about 15 minutes in length.

2. Charlotte Readers Podcast

Landis Wade founded and hosts this podcast where authors give voice to their written words. Landis is a kind-hearted soul AND a fabulous interviewer. Back in November, we talked about my bundles of introverted nerves when my book was released, the meaning of the title, and how grief evolves years after a loss. What a treat to talk with Landis, and what a gift he is to NC (and beyond) authors. The podcast episode is about 45 minutes in length.

3. Page 158 Books (live, virtual event: March 11^th at noon)

Page 158 Books, an independent bookstore in Wake Forest, NC, will sponsor an author event for Carol Henderson and me. Carol is my former writing coach and friend, and we’ll discuss our experiences writing memoirs about baby loss. Carol is a prolific writer, and I absolutely love her work. I’m also indebted to the writing group she created that became the fertile ground for my memoir to take shape. Sue Lucey from Page 158 Books is a champion of independent bookstores and local authors and will moderate the discussion between Carol and me. Please grab some lunch and tune in to our live conversation on March 11^th at noon! Details and registration for this virtual event can be found here.