First, I want to thank the nine women who took up the challenge and sent me detailed lists of the errors in State Fair. I wrote you all individually, but wanted to say thanks again. According to my agent, what you all did was called "crowdsourcing." Wow, are we with it or what? I just call it getting by with a little help from my friends! What was amazing is that each woman found many of the same errors, but also unique ones that no one else caught. No one person caught every error (and, likely, there are a few we all missed). Still, the paperback should be the most correct book in the series!
My book signing schedule is now on my website. Just check on the homepage under "appearances." As you'll see, I'm only going to Arizona, Southern California and the Central Coast. My publisher decided not to send me on book tour this year, so I'm doing this on my own. Times are pretty hard in publishing. If you've been listening to NPR or reading any of the news magazines, online or on paper, you probably have heard the rumblings. Borders going into Chapter 11 is serious stuff and the ebook phenomenon has really shaken up the industry. Where do I stand? Right now, I'm working on the sequel to The Saddlemaker's Wife and that's the last book on this particular contract. I have no idea what will happen after that. Though I try to keep up with what is happening in publishing, mostly I just try to write my pages every day and live my life. I only know for sure that Spider Web comes out in May and the book I'm working on now will possibly come out in 2013. If any of you can come out to a book signing and buy a book, well, I'll be real grateful. Can you believe this is the 15th Benni Harper book?
Daddy is finally settled into his new assisted living home. We moved him right after Thanksgiving and the adjustment wasn't as smooth as we hoped. But the people who own the homes were wonderful and worked with us. Daddy's finally feeling safe and good again. There were also many doctor's appointments which, thankfully, are almost done. I'm a little behind on my writing, but have faith I will catch up. It was surprisingly easy for me to get back into the minds of Lucas and Ruby. Like when I write about San Celina, writing about Cardinal felt like going back home. I have a working title which I'll announce on my next blog...because I haven't even told my editor yet! Allen's doing good and so is Boo. He'll be seven in April (Boo, not Allen). What happen to my little puppy?
I read this paragraph in a book by one of my favorite authors, Philip Yancey. (This particular book is called Reaching for the Invisible God).
"When I begin a book, I take up a machete and start hacking my way through the jungle, not to clear a trail for others, but rather to find a path through for myself. Will anyone follow? Have I lost my way? I never know the answers to those questions as I write; I just keep swinging the machete."
So, that's what I've been doing these last few months...with my father, my life and my writing. Just swinging that machete, trying to find my way. Really, that's all any of us can do, isn't it?
Happy Trails, Earlene
