Just when I thought the coast was clear and I'd have a reprieve to work on Book Three, Over There, In the Hands of Women caught the force of another wave - more events, book club invitations, and delightful opportunities to share Hannah's story with my lovely readers. The book's theme - history repeats itself if you're not careful, resonates with readers.
From my long career in the medical field, I know that word of mouth can make or break careers. The reading world is no different!
As a later-in-life author, I feel like an imposter when I hear great things about In the Hands of Women. My first emotion is relief that it wasn't a dud. Then, I'm amazed that others understand the story's purpose. Finally, if we're lucky, we have a fascinating conversation about their family's immigrant history, the obstacles they faced, and the joy they feel sharing - because retelling is how stories are passed along and remembered.
This new wave of interest is a story on its own - one of degrees of separation - from a nurse in another state, passing the book to her friends and a subsequent request to speak at their book club to letters from Ireland and a Portuguese reader seeking translations. How on earth did the book make it across the pond? I'm enjoying it all while immersing myself in World War 1, NYC, Paris, and the trenches between 5:30 and 10:00 a.m. (I can only write early in the morning). Afterward, I work on my launch list for Threadbare - all before lunch and an afternoon siesta. If it's a great morning, I squeeze in a two-mile walk and coffee with my neighbor.
Threadbare News
May 21 is the BIG day! Although Threadbare (Kindle format) has been in presale for the last few weeks, Paperback and Kindle will be released through all online bookstores on the 21st. I have begun scheduling book clubs and talks, so please contact me at jane@janeloebrubin.com if you'd like to get on the calendar. I'm especially pleased that my publisher kept the price down. $5.99 for a Kindle is a bargain - cheaper than a Starbucks and much more entertaining.
You may be wondering what the story of Threadbare is all about. First, for those who have read In the Hands of Women, you already know Tillie is based on my great-grandmother. This German Jewish immigrant died of breast/ovarian cancer in the early part of the twentieth century. I initially intended to give Tillie a life, albeit fiction. It became so much more - a four-book publishing deal.
As for the plot, in a nutshell, Tillie's Mama, Sarah, lying beside her the evening before surgery, imparts two deeply felt messages to her daughter: work hard to fulfill your dreams, and your family is the most critical part of your life.
This timeless conflict still plagues most women today, one hundred and fifty years later. A fourteen-year-old girl, a chicken farm in the vanishing hills of Harlem, New York, and deathbed instructions form the launching pad of Threadbare.
Threadbare can be pre-ordered by following the link:
And don't forget to post your rating/review on Goodreads and Amazon!
Enjoy the season!!!!
Jane