Tag Archives: smiles and duct tape

When “Thank you” isn’t enough – THANK YOU!!!!!

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Four days on Block Island in a house full of family, has us all feeling super grateful (and maybe a little exhausted). All things considered, we are one lucky family!

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The support our family has received over the last ten years has been amazing and with the release of Smiles and Duct Tape, it’s all been magnified. I’ve been receiving notes for the last two weeks from friends and family and strangers who have stumbled on the book. I’m so touched by the kind words and thrilled that the book is finding an audience.

The words “thank you” aren’t really enough, but THANK YOU!!!

If you are local, please join our family at WORDS for a reading/signing/Q&A this Thursday, December 1 at 7:30. I can’t promise that I won’t be super nervous (and I will definitely end up in tears at some point), but at least I can THANK YOU in person.

Love, Jess

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B Nice

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The Eagle has landed. Smiles and Duct Tape has been released. It’s out of my hands and out there for all to see – and read – and judge – AHHHHHHHHH!

I have lived my life trying to keep expectations low. If you strive for an A and end up with a B, you’re disappointed. If you strive for a C and end up with a B, you’re thrilled. I‘ve been a solid B most of my life and proud of that accomplishment. I pat myself on the back almost every day. Even days when I’m making dinner still unshowered in my yoga pants, if my family made it through the day and is being fed, it’s been a successful day!

Smiles and Duct Tape is the first time that people have rather high expectations for me. I do think that my writing has improved over the last ten years, and I’m proud of my 500 word essays on this blog, but the book is 49,000 words – in a row, it’s about the worst 1000 days our family has ever been through, AND I’ve never written a book. I hope people are looking for a solid C performance and give me a big high-five when they discover it’s a B, maybe B+.

If you read Smiles and Duct Tape and enjoy it, I encourage you to write a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. If you read it and think I should stick to 500 words at a time, please keep that information to yourself.

The book is currently available at Deeds Publishing, at our beautiful local bookstore WORDS, Amazon (paperback and eBook) and my basement. Please contact me for quantity purchases (i.e. book clubs/super fun holiday gifts for the whole family) and I will give you a deal.

Love, Jess

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another week walking on eggshells

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Good news, bad news.

I will start with the bad so that I can end on a high note (that’s my thing, in case you haven’t noticed).

I had a mild freak-out last week and asked my poor publisher to make some changes to the manuscript. It may have been my way of delaying the production of SMILES AND DUCT TAPE – it’s been hard for me to let go of this project. Anyway, it worked. We’re about a week behind with the release of the book.

The good news is that the book is now with the printer and it should be in your hands by the end of next week. It’s not too late to pre-order – CLICK HERE!

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Now I can spend another week walking on eggshells.

I’m guessing all first-time authors are nervous as they brace themselves for the public’s reaction to their writing. Add that I’m a girl who couldn’t really read until fifth grade AND I was not born a writer — just ask my high school English teachers. I feel almost ridiculous adding the title of author to my resume. And, it’s not just my words that I’m worried about releasing for judgment – it’s my family. I’m hoping that people find our story inspiring, but who knows . . .

It’s too late now. The book will be out there soon and, whatever happens, our family will survive. THAT is one thing that I can always count on.

Love, Jess
I promise that I AM NOT looking at the book again – no more delays.

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