Your Weekly Dose of EEE #2: Help Me Make an Audiobook
And, come party with me!
Hey!
How was your week?
Some weeks are long, and some are short. For me, this one felt infinitesimal. It started out with a lot of driving and working at my day job and appointment-ing and lots of things that don’t have a lot to do with writing, and it seemed like the days flashed by without waiting for me to catch up. Weeks like that are the most frustrating for this professional writer. BUT. A few satisfying things did happen:
During all those hours in the car, I got clarity on a few important things.
I got a good chunk of time yesterday to write (or at least think) on the sequel!
I attended a virtual writing prompt party last night, and it was really fun! I don’t ever get to write about random things not related to my regular work, and it’s great exercise. Greetings to new folks who came from there to here. I’m happy to see you!
Alright. On with the second installment of this week’s note.
What’s Exciting Me?
🖊️ The first launch event is in the books, and it was awesome! We did a workout event at my local STRIDE Fitness, and the amazing owner, Brenna, bought copies of the book for all participants. And the class was sold out! Eighteen local readers now have a signed copy of When We Were Mothers, and I absolutely did not cry when I greeted everyone and told them about me and the book.
🎫 People are claiming their FREE tickets for the virtual launch party, which is coming up faster than I can prepare for it. Get yours here! The party is Monday, February 27, at 2PM EST, and it will be held over Zoom. That time is awake-time for almost every time zone where my friends live, and I hope you can all make it!
🎧 Lastly, I’ve had a lot of requests for an audiobook. Audiobook production is expensive. I said when I made enough from book sales I would make the audiobook. I’m not there yet—not even close, tbh. But having an audiobook would mean more people would read the book, as there are a ton of audiobook listeners who won’t buy a digital or hard copy anymore. Luckily, there is a way out of this catch-22.
🤑 You might be aware that there is a paid subscription option for Nicci’s Notes where you can support my work for $50/year. A few people take advantage of that option, but not a ton—I haven’t advertised it much because I didn’t have a clear offer for paying members other than “Support this creator!” But now I do.
Funds from paying members (including those of you who have already subscribed) will now go directly toward the production of the When We Were Mothers audiobook. In exchange, I will send you video updates of the process leading up to the publication of the sequel, as well as some superfan-only exclusives that I don’t share anywhere else, like character dossiers and more.
It’s still going to take a lot. (Did I mention audiobook production is expensive?) But I think we can do it. We’re already almost a third of the way there! Ready to dive in?
What’s Entertaining Me?
That was long, so I’ll try and keep this short. (Narrator: She had no intention of keeping it short.)
📺
The Wire brings up some systemic issues many of us don’t have to confront head-on in our daily lives, like issues with policing practices along with dehumanization of poor people, homeless people, black and brown people, people with substance use disorder, and others. And the fact that this show was on TV 20 years ago and we’re still seeing similar issues in so many places is pretty depressing.
I’ve also been watching The Last of Us. I liked the first 2 episodes, though the mechanism of zombiefication reallllllly grosses me out. I have heard amazing things about Episode 3, but I want to be in the right frame of mind before watching it, so I will probably hit it this weekend.
And, oh yeah. I went to see Hamilton last weekend. Not really TV, but a show nonetheless. I loved it and can’t get the soundtrack out my damn head.
📚
I finished Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and I absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to talk about it at book club. And then, in an uncharacteristic move, I opened up my copy of Don Quijote de la Mancha in its original 16th-century Spanish. I get about a page read each night, so at this rate I can probably get it read before my youngest goes to kindergarten. Maybe.
🎶
Hamilton, see above.
What’s Enlightening Me?
I’ve been helping some friends through a really awful and unfair time in their lives. Every time it seems like they’re going to have some respite, something happens to throw a wrench in the works. It kills me to see the pain they’re going through, and I cry for them just about every day, while also doing as much as I can to ease the parts of their struggle that can be eased.
The enlightening thing is this: Time is so short. So, so, short. Or it could be, anyway. And even if it’s long, it’s never enough. It’s hard to live that knowledge, but then a situation like this comes along and you see how short time really is. There’s a line from the Hamilton song, “Wait for It,” that really speaks to me in the moment: “Death doesn’t discriminate. It takes and it takes and it takes, and we keep living anyway.”
What I take from that: It’s worth it, but it also hurts.
Hug your people, people.
Love,
Love you and your writing!