Book baby

My book baby "Tales of an Inland Empire Girl" is being released today. Gestational period more than a decade. If I had known it would be Joycean in how long it would take, I might never have started. 

Each piece was written as stand alone (mostly) and each one had to be edited and rewritten to make those stand alone pieces into a book. It's a YA novel and memoir whatever that means. A rose by any other name...

At some point, more than 5 years in, I almost gave up. At some point, I called the book my albatross. So many titles. Reiterations. Variations. Workshopped at VONA, Inlandia, Macondo, with my writing group, the Tres Libras, and finally at the University of New Orleans (UNO).  Some stories went back to their earlier versions after too much editing.

At times, I got lost in the words. Had to work backwards. Last story first. Got some final feedback on my epilogue story "Trailer Park Daze" from my MFA class at UNO which helped tie it together. 

At some point, in the reediting process, a few years back, I almost gave up again. But I got lucky. A patient editor and publisher. A more than patient husband. Natural drive and ambition. I published my first book, "Portrait of a Deputy Public Defender, or how I became a punk rock lawyer" (with rock star publishing house Bamboo Dart Press), a chapbook about the horrors of mass incarceration, in less than a year while taking a break from the memoir/YA novel. Started a video podcast. It was what I needed. Staying home in the pandemic helped. 

Added poetry from my collection in at the end. I think I'm naturally multi-genre.

My dad's voice whispered in my ear the whole time. 

It was kinda magic.

I can't believe it. It's finally done. I know it's done because I can't read it any more. I've finally fracking finished it. And I love it. It's all mine. Mine. Mine. 

Buy the book here: http://www.losnietospress.com/tales-of-an-inland-empire-girl-available-now/