Buzz Buzz
Writing is so often a solitary affair. That image of the tortured artist hunched over paper or screen, squinting solemnly and sipping from a vast mug of coffee? Well, that's pretty much me. On most days.
But not yesterday. Yesterday was different. Yesterday was my big and tiny day. A day on which I felt miles from alone. A day on which I felt exquisitely supported. There were balloons from my babies. There were countless calls and comments. There were messages on Facebook and Twitter. There were gifts in the mail. It was an incredible (albeit super soggy) day and I will share all the details (too many probably) with you shortly. But for now, I want to say two words. Two simple words.
Thank you.
Thank you all for reading my words, holding my rookie hand. Through yesterday and so many that preceded it. Thank you for creating such tremendous and thrilling buzz around my first book. It is this buzz, organic and authentic, that will make Life After Yes reach as many people as possible.
Husband treated Mom, Sister C and me to a celebratory champagne lunch yesterday. I sat there, across from Mom, my first and best writing teacher, and I was in and out of ponderous silence. And I said something and I don't remember the words exactly, but that's okay. I said, What's amazing is that there is so much support, true support. There are so many fantastic and inspired reviews and things being said online today. It feels so good to be supported.
And Mom wanted to read these things, these mentions and reviews and interviews, and so I told her I would compile a list. And so, I would like to leave you with my Buzz Buzz List, crafted for Mom, but also for you. (Yes, very much inspired by my girls' fondness for buzzy bees and by a hilarious comment left by my wonderful bloggy bud Mo who said in his comment yesterday, you are the bees knees, thats for sure. And the wasps nipples most certainly.)
"Although it features a cast of hot, wealthy people cavorting in and around my favorite city, Life After Yes isnt a fairy tale either. Aidan offers us a wholly realistic protagonist whose life although full of the trappings of happiness is accessorized with grief, fear, and struggles with identity. Life After Yes captures pitch-perfectly the mood and anxieties of a group of New Yorkers in the wake of September 11th...And it is good. It is really good." (Motherese)
"Aidan explores thoughtfully all the various tools that people use to numb themselves, to avoid really looking at the core of who they are and what they have chosen. There is alcohol, there is empty flirtation and sex, there is betrayal, there is plain old denial. We watch Quinn realize the futility of all of these crutches, and ultimately we see the beauty and joy that is possible when we overcome the human instinct to hide from ourselves... I loved Life After Yes." (A Design So Vast)
"This book resonated with me, and will with anyone who has ever felt that nagging confusion after making a big change, a big decision in their lives. So, this book, will resonate with everyone. It speaks to the many layers of the human spirit with raw honesty, while grappling with issues of grief, humility, and love." (The Extraordinary Ordinary)
"Where Aidan really shines is in her drawings of relationships and in her subtle questions about those relationships -- about how we dance with the people in our lives emotionally: mothers and daughters, mothers-in-law and their sons, romantic partners, exes, best friends. Life After Yes depicts a world in which people are neither good nor bad, but many shades of gray, on many different levels. She writes about forgiveness and blame, doubts and assurances, joy and grief. She writes about life. That she so clearly lives it with vigor and thought comes through not only in her blog, but in her novel." (The Elmo Wallpaper)
"Empathizing with and even starting to like Quinn the tiniest bit are a testament to the skill of this talented author, and I am amazed she is a new kid on the block and that this is her first novel. As I continued reading Life After Yes, I was amazed by Donnelley Rowleys unflinching yet layered exposition of Quinn as she navigates New York post-9/11 in an attempt to figure out whether the choices that she is making will lead to a fulfilling life... *Highly Recommended" (Linus's Blanket)
"Now let me say right here that this is not normally my type of book. In fact, after the first page or two I was asking my self 'Why did I decide to read this? It's so cliche!'. But then something odd happened. Quinn thought the same thing. And that got me interested in the story. I wondered what was going to happen to a woman who supposedly has everything she should wish for but who suddenly doubts it all... this wasn't a typical romance/chick-lit type of book. It had it's dark moments but there was a surprising amount of fun moments as well." (Life and Times of a "New" New Yorker)
The conflict that shows in Aidans first novel is amazing the conflict between Prudence and Quinn, one and the same person but two distinctly different beings; the conflict between Quinn and others in the novel. The characters scream reality. I can picture myself in younger years as several of them. The setting is a city I love and the descriptions so vivid I feel as if I am there. (Nicki's Nook)
There have also been a flurry of interviews with moi published in the past day. Check out what I have to say about the writing and publishing process at the following wonderful blogs:
I am also thrilled that bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch named Life After Yes one of four debuts she looks forward to reading this summer! I am also very excited for my upcoming appearance on Book Club Girl On Air (6/14 7pm) which was announced on Book Club Girl yesterday. And I cannot wait for my many upcoming stops on my TLC Book Tour!
Last and far from least, I am very much indebted to the lovely and talented sister duo over at Momalom who designated yesterday and today "YES" days in honor of Life After Yes.
(See, Mom? The Internet is abuzz! Yay!)
I also want to thank so many of you who sent me pictures of my book on display at bookstores across the nation! And those of you who admitted that you had a harder time finding it. I was amazed and humbled to learn that so many of you took it upon yourself to speak up, to ask bookstore employees about my book, and diplomatically suggest that it should be displayed front and center. I hope you all continue to be the bees in the bonnets of bookstore staffs :)
This is when I cut myself off. And say those two words, so trite and so true, once more.
Thank you.
P.S. This post was going to be called "Buzzed" but that might have left you with the outrageous and erroneous impression that I drank celebratory pinot grigio and champagne on and off all day yesterday. :)
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- Do you feel supported in your professional and personal efforts?
- Do you agree that, more often than not, writing is a solitary endeavor?
- If you blog, has blogging made you feel less alone in your family and work life?
- Does the idea and image of wasp nipples make you giggle uncontrollably or is it just me?
Join my Buzz Buzz Brigade! If you have reviewed LAY on our site, or plan to in the future, or would like to do a Q&A, please contact me as I would love to answer your questions, link to the interview here, or include a permalink to your review my LAY page.
Keep buzzing and buying! And please join this buzzed rookie tomorrow night - Thursday, May 20 @ 7pm @ Borders Park Avenue (57th Street) for my reading!
