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HOEING the rows
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Hello, friend!
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Happy news! I'm back at work on Book Two! Which feels like a little miracle and a returning both, even as I regretfully admit that from the afternoon I signed the publishing contract for That Which Binds Us in April of 2024, until January of this year, I did not open the #2 manuscript work-in-progress file. Not once.
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I would never have expected this, never ever, and even now I find it shocking to acknowledge. I mean, one of the few things I know for sure is writers write.
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Here are my thoughts on the matter, extending to myself some grace and having the helpful perspective of hindsight. I could neither make the time nor relinquish the emotional space for #2 because so much was required to prepare, launch, and properly promote the song-of-my-heart debut.
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These were the realities, none of which I had the experience to have expected:
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One: four rounds of editing during that initial contract year
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While my submitted manuscript did not have any major plot problems to remedy or, thankfully, much actual re-writing*, each round of edits required a reconsideration of literally every sentence. In the manner of an old-west showdown, there was a great deal of attention paid to "COMMA—STAY OR GO," with characters written in mountain dialect facing off (and standing strong) against the revered and rather stoic Chicago Manual of Style. (This happened over and over in every edit; I wonder how many times the same comma was removed replaced removed replaced ad infinitum.) To be clear, I learned a lot in each of the four edits, and I thank each of those fine editors for helping make my book far better. Editing makes every book better. (Also, editing is not for the faint of heart.)
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Two: the giant hand-off (when working with a small, independent press) that goes to the author once the book is published
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Three: me being a marketer by trade
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(This is not insignificant when considering where my focus during the book release/book tour lay. I did spend my career as a creative director and brand strategist.)
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Four: becoming a debut author at the age of 65
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Perhaps because it took 12 years for me to take this story from concept to published book, I am keenly aware of both how long things take and how quickly time passes. It was so important to me that I make the most of every opportunity afforded me this first go-round. As my husband, Tim, reminded me over and over: You only have one debut. (I love him.)
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As of June 9th, my novel will have been out a full year. And what a year it has been, filled with more joy, delight and surprise than I ever could have dreamed. As I look to the summer and fall before me—seasons that are still filled with more wonderful book events than I ever could have imagined—I am filled with a wild and endless gratitude.
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And as I said, I am writing again. Up early, candle burning, coffee in hand, I am making my way page by page, paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence, through the draft of a novel that sat patiently by, waiting for my return and my attention. All the feelings are familiar. The thrill when I read a passage I'd forgotten and that makes my heart sing. The fretting over a word that feels just right but doesn't deliver the proper cadence for that particular phrase or sentence. The endless, inevitable questioning of this plot-point, or that. The knowing, the understanding this time, that it's work. A grind. A daily, demanding, hard-work grind that never lets up and never gets easier. That requires of a writer that you take a giant hunk of ragged stone and not only imagine sculpture within it, but through diligence and dedication, you cut, form, shape, smooth and polish every edge and surface until the big clunky chunk becomes something else entirely.
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I am hopeful I will be successful in the shaping of this second novel. I find it remarkable that I don't yet know, and that I won't—I seriously will not know—until I reach the many-many-drafts-later "finished" end. Until then, as Ron Rash says about the work of writing a novel: I'll just keep my head down and hoe the rows. Row after row after row. It's what's required, and with the glorious experience of Book #1 under my proverbial belt, I now know without a smidge of doubt that the work it takes is worth it. Contract or not, there's nothing in the world as glorious as landing in a place where you deem your final product worthy of a reader's trust and attention. I know that now, am sure of it, because I've never experienced a greater honor than the manifestation of that belief. I marvel every single time it happens.
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A few volumes (stacked behind my writing desk) that I reference regularly in the editing of this manuscript. Suffice it to say I'm trying some things with this latest go-round. WOOT!
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Do I write in my books? Yes. Yes, I do.
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May I also say, as this book birthday approaches, how grateful I am to you for your remarkable support of That Which Binds Us. So many The Daily Grace readers have been with me since the early days of the blog (which actually pre-dates my interest in writing a novel!), and I can honestly say none of this would have come to be without your love and encouragement. Or at a minimum, this would not have been nearly as fun!
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I'm sending you LOVE, ENCOURAGEMENT and PRAYERS FOR STAMINA in support of whatever it is you're working on, or whatever you want to do next. I promise you: the world awaits!
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*I actually rewrote two scenes. One was the wedding night at the Virginia House Hotel, at the encouragement of Turner's fabulous editorial assistant, Ashlyn. Remind me to tell you that story sometime!
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So much good stuff ahead! I'd love to see you!
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This one was a dream. A book event at my beloved hometown indie bookstore, All Good Books. Ben and his team at AGB have been such supporters of my novel and me, and it was a joy to be in conversation with one of my favorite people, historical fiction author Carolyn Newton. One thousand hearts for this one!
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I cruised up to Kingsport, Tennessee for an event with many of my dear Appalachian writer friends at the Kingsport Library! It was such fun to read alongside this Hindman Settlement School/Appalachian Writers' Workshop crowd—good heavens, the talent!
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May I please introduce to you the fabulous ladies of the BBC Book Club! I joined them at Bobbi's beautiful Lake Murray home in Lexington, SC, and did we ever have a time! We feasted, laughed, and talked all things That Which Binds Us. Book people are the best people!
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Reminder: I do love meeting with book clubs! I'm happy to come to your meeting in person, if geography and schedule allow. Also, Zoom meetings are a blast! Do reach out if your club is interested. You can reach me via my socials, my website or cathy@cathyriggauthor.com. There's never a fee; it's my joy to be among readers!
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What an honor to be a guest of host Tina Bryson on The Mountain Spirit podcast! We talked ancestry, storytelling, and the voices that refuse to be silenced. She asked deep, thoughtful questions about the legacy of growing up Appalachian; about the power of the push and pull of the maternal line; about the reasons I believe it's never too late to answer a calling.
I do hope you'll give our conversation a listen! You'll find it here.
Also, check out the vital work being done by the organization behind the podcast, the Christian Appalachian Project. CAP serves children, families and seniors across Appalachia’s 13-state region and their work is impressive and important.
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Good Hang, with Amy Poehler
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Pick an episode. Any episode. You really can't go wrong.
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But these two? Man oh man.
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Jon Hamm is a proud member of the Loser's Lounge. Amy hangs with the actor and talks about the best positions to play in baseball, how many cigarettes he smoked in the pilot of 'Mad Men,' and his alter ego, Juan Jamón.
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Nick Offerman is going to play us his ukulele song. Amy hangs with her former 'Parks and Rec' costar and talks about why his mustache makes him talk slowly, his favorite 'Parks' episodes, and why you cannot step into the same river twice.
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As I mentioned above, I've been doing a lot of writing and that has greatly slowed my reading-for-pleasure. In fact, the only book I read in its entirety in May was Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke. I listened on audio and got through the long novel quickly, as I couldn't wait to see how on earth the author was going to wrap up this hot-book-of-the-spring story. I have to say in the end I didn't love it—particularly since I have a hard time not reading as a writer (which is to say "critically," LOL) and from a storytelling standpoint, I felt there were flaws. If you read it, I'd love to know what you think. Send me an email!
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A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.
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Since I didn't offer a great book LOVE (as I always do), here are the upcoming reads I am very, very excited about!
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Plus I just scored this on audio from Richland Library! YAY!
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from THE DAILY GRACE archives
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Letting go.
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Oh, that magical moment when the world is brimming with possibility and promise! It's available to all of us—to each of us—anytime we want. Here's how.
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This is a photo from the camera monitor that's above my sweet grandbaby's crib. Posey, who just turned two, insists that a (curated!) selection of books goes to bed with her each night and each nap so that when she wakes up, she can select one to read. To herself. Out loud. Which she does for 15 minutes or so (even if we don't know exactly what her words mean). How I love this child!
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NOW AVAILABLE
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