There was a time when I thought I should probably just keep quiet about the families I was lucky enough to be part of, considering how many others haven't had that, but the older I get the more important it is for me to bring some of it to life.
Happy New Year. I really enjoyed reading this essay about how you were named, about your family heritage, and about how you embraced the simplicity of your husband’s last name when you made it your own. I wish you the very best on your endeavors to get that book done, and I will be one anxious to read it.
I grew up in, and still live in Colorado Springs, CO where Helen Hunt Jackson once lived and where she is buried. I remember being fascinated by her from an early age when I first learned about her and the book “Romona.” The home where she once lived still stood when I was child, and since it wasn’t far from my own home, I was intrigued and curious about the house and her all the more. Sadly the house was torn down in the name of progress.
I once had a small book of her essays which I somehow lost. I must buy another if I can find it in print. She wrote essays that described her adjustment to the terrain and culture of Colorado which was so foreign to her in the beginning. She came here for her health, as so many did in those days. She had tuberculosis. I think she’d be cheering you on in your own writing goals. She really was a fascinating and accomplished woman and a role model I have admired since my childhood.
No. It is actually one that might have been more about the local area and a bit moire of a memoir and parts of her diary. I will see if I can find it locally. I’ll keep you in mind and let you know if I find it. I’m going to buy this one in the meantime.
Happy New Year! What a wonderful goal for this year, and I am sure you will achieve it! My word of the year is dream, so I loved seeing that word through your writing... dreaming big in 2024!
I love your writing and very much hope your three names appear on that book you want to publish. Just a word of advice? caution? whatever.... If you're hoping to publish through the traditional process (as opposed to Indie, which is self-publishing), your chances increase by leaps and bounds (oops! cliche😜) if you can convince them you have at least one more book in you. The financial and energetic outlay for a publisher to launch a new author is simply not worth it for one book unless it's a true gangbuster. Good luck!
This is another dilemma for me, Robin. I worry I won't live long enough to get through that infernal traditional publishing process. Not that I'm about to die, but I am 86 years old. I don't want to have to wait years for this. I'd rather do it on my timeline, not theirs.
I'll probably go the indie route and hope some big publisher will grab me up once they see how great I am! 😉
You probably have lots of folks who'd be better advisors than I would, but I'd be happy to answer questions about the indie process. I went from a traditional publisher to indie and am about to start selling ebooks directly from my website (robinreardon.com).
Yes, I do print and digital. I'll limit the direct sales to ebooks so I don't have to maintain a storage spot, or handle shipping, for paper copies. I'll still use all the standard retail outlets for both print and digital, but I want a more direct connection with my readers. When someone buys an ebook from, say, Amazon, Amazon knows who bought it. I don't. I don't like that, but I'm prepared to do only so much about it. There aren't many books these days that come out in print that don't also come out in ebook; it's all part of the same process, really. I don't know what your book is about, but unless you're planning on a lot of images, you should almost certainly do both print and e.
Thanks for the info. I don't plan on using a lot of images, as much as I'd like to. I know they're more expensive to print and I'm going to need to go easy on the funds.
Lovely memories. Little Italy must have been a warm and vibrant community. Do you still speak Italian? I will have to learn as my daughter is marrying an Italian.
The book sounds like it was ahead of its time. And Hollywood made a movie version too. Impressive.
It was a fascinating, lovely place. Sadly, I never learned Italian, which is why I had to have my cousins with me when I went into stores, and why my grandmother grew so impatient when we tried to communicate!
Happy New Year, Ramona Gracia Grigg.
I can't wait to see your name (all of your names) in that cover!
Thank you so much! 💕
Ramona is such a beautiful, musical name.
I hated it growing up. It sounded awful to me. So did 'Mona'. I wanted to be a 'Karen'. Not literally, in today's sense, of course!
Your vivid descriptions bring your families to life. How blessed/lucky you are to have such memories.
There was a time when I thought I should probably just keep quiet about the families I was lucky enough to be part of, considering how many others haven't had that, but the older I get the more important it is for me to bring some of it to life.
I'm really enjoying doing it!
Sounds like an exciting year. Good luck with the book. Happy New Year x
Thank you, Cali. Happy New Year to you! ❤️
Happy New Year. I really enjoyed reading this essay about how you were named, about your family heritage, and about how you embraced the simplicity of your husband’s last name when you made it your own. I wish you the very best on your endeavors to get that book done, and I will be one anxious to read it.
I grew up in, and still live in Colorado Springs, CO where Helen Hunt Jackson once lived and where she is buried. I remember being fascinated by her from an early age when I first learned about her and the book “Romona.” The home where she once lived still stood when I was child, and since it wasn’t far from my own home, I was intrigued and curious about the house and her all the more. Sadly the house was torn down in the name of progress.
I once had a small book of her essays which I somehow lost. I must buy another if I can find it in print. She wrote essays that described her adjustment to the terrain and culture of Colorado which was so foreign to her in the beginning. She came here for her health, as so many did in those days. She had tuberculosis. I think she’d be cheering you on in your own writing goals. She really was a fascinating and accomplished woman and a role model I have admired since my childhood.
OMG, Sally, thank you for this! And for your kind words.
How sad that her home was torn down. Awful.
But I can't thank you enough for letting me know about her book of essays. I just ordered this one in Kindle version. Is this the one you mean?
https://www.amazon.com/Century-Dishonor-Classic-Expos%C3%A9-Americans-ebook/dp/B0BBRLG1JZ/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1TU8L9CTJ6675&keywords=Helen+Hunt+Jackson+essays&qid=1704137113&sprefix=helen+hunt+jackson+essays%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-10
No. It is actually one that might have been more about the local area and a bit moire of a memoir and parts of her diary. I will see if I can find it locally. I’ll keep you in mind and let you know if I find it. I’m going to buy this one in the meantime.
Excuse my typos. 😩🤷🏼♀️
It happens! 💕
Okay, thanks. This one looks interesting, too. I don't know much about her at all.
Happy New Year! What a wonderful goal for this year, and I am sure you will achieve it! My word of the year is dream, so I loved seeing that word through your writing... dreaming big in 2024!
“Mold and spices and heaven.” Now THAT is a smell.
Yes, the best salamis were covered in a gray-green mold. Some washed it off before serving, but others liked the taste. I wanted mine washed off!
I love your writing and very much hope your three names appear on that book you want to publish. Just a word of advice? caution? whatever.... If you're hoping to publish through the traditional process (as opposed to Indie, which is self-publishing), your chances increase by leaps and bounds (oops! cliche😜) if you can convince them you have at least one more book in you. The financial and energetic outlay for a publisher to launch a new author is simply not worth it for one book unless it's a true gangbuster. Good luck!
This is another dilemma for me, Robin. I worry I won't live long enough to get through that infernal traditional publishing process. Not that I'm about to die, but I am 86 years old. I don't want to have to wait years for this. I'd rather do it on my timeline, not theirs.
I'll probably go the indie route and hope some big publisher will grab me up once they see how great I am! 😉
You probably have lots of folks who'd be better advisors than I would, but I'd be happy to answer questions about the indie process. I went from a traditional publisher to indie and am about to start selling ebooks directly from my website (robinreardon.com).
Thanks so much, Robin! I'm mainly interested right now in actual books, with ebooks as an aside. Have you done real books, too?
Yes, I do print and digital. I'll limit the direct sales to ebooks so I don't have to maintain a storage spot, or handle shipping, for paper copies. I'll still use all the standard retail outlets for both print and digital, but I want a more direct connection with my readers. When someone buys an ebook from, say, Amazon, Amazon knows who bought it. I don't. I don't like that, but I'm prepared to do only so much about it. There aren't many books these days that come out in print that don't also come out in ebook; it's all part of the same process, really. I don't know what your book is about, but unless you're planning on a lot of images, you should almost certainly do both print and e.
Thanks for the info. I don't plan on using a lot of images, as much as I'd like to. I know they're more expensive to print and I'm going to need to go easy on the funds.
A great title and subtitle and an even better dream! I love that you have your eye on a book with your three beautiful names on the cover.
Wishing you a wonderful year ahead.
Piece of cake! Happy New Year, Ramona!
Happy New Year RGG! Your three names sing!
Happy New Year to you, Martine! Thank you. 💕
Lovely memories. Little Italy must have been a warm and vibrant community. Do you still speak Italian? I will have to learn as my daughter is marrying an Italian.
The book sounds like it was ahead of its time. And Hollywood made a movie version too. Impressive.
It was a fascinating, lovely place. Sadly, I never learned Italian, which is why I had to have my cousins with me when I went into stores, and why my grandmother grew so impatient when we tried to communicate!
I wish I could speak a second language.
I’m looking forward to this.
This is so thrilling. Excited for you. Love the storytelling around the name we will see on that book cover.