“Some people wear their scars on the outside.
Some hide them deep, and never let anyone in to see them.”
It is going to be a month.
A month of joy. A month of good things. A month of celebrating with friends, a month of releases, a month of fear and vulnerability and excitement, all rolled up into a wild three-week book tour and release schedule, with two brand new stories and a reprint heading your way.
I, for one, am very, very, excited. It’s been a long time coming, this month.
You’ve heard me talk about the story behind It’s One of Us, my own infertility journey, and the splashy, ripped-from-the-headlines plot of an unethical company using a donor’s sperm indiscriminately, and how I’ve explored the concentric circles—the ripples from the stone thrown into the pond—those actions created.
But one of the aspects of It’s One of Us that I haven’t talked much about was my inspiration for Olivia Bender’s occupation. She is an architectural designer with a hugely successful career; a popular, sought-after fixture in the Nashville architectural renaissance. She’s even been approached to do a television show —and this is where life and art collide.
As a creator, watching others create is totally my jam. One of my favorite past times is watching people build and restore homes, and then make them pretty. Good design is an art form, and there are some amazing artists out there who I love.
Kelly Wearstler was my inspiration for Olivia—I watched her Masterclass and took page upon page of notes. Kelly is an industrial designer, doing high-end hotels, and her work is remarkable. When I finished, I had such a strong basis for Olivia’s character: her style, her talents, her aesthetic.
I love, love, love The Established Home with Jean Stouffer and her daughter, Grace Start. I feel my blood pressure drops as they talk, and their British countryside aesthetic is totally me. (Says the girl who loves modern art and clean lines... I want to be classic, English countryside, but I’m more French country transitional modern contemporary with a touch of dorm room thrown in for good measure...) (yes, I am in a design identity crisis. Someone help.)
Another fave is Inspired Interiors with Sarah Sherman Samuel. Sarah designs furniture and makes art to go into the spaces she’s doing, and that’s both remarkable to me and inspirational.
Nate and Jeremiah’s Home Project is a current favorite. There’s something about their family, their ethos, their openness that makes me feel all the things.
Jennifer Todryk—the Rambling Redhead—has a fun show called No Demo Reno. Her enthusiasm is contagious and I find myself grinning through the whole thing.
And Joanna and Chip Gaines, the heart of Magnolia, just make me laugh. Chip’s goofy antics, Joanna’s savvy business sense, their journey, their family—it’s sweet and inspiring at the same time.
There are so many more, and this has gotten a bit long, but I think you get the idea.
There’s something all of these people have in common. Yes, they’re talented, and I love their finished work. Yes, they’re tops in their field. But what really attracts me is a more subtle, and more important, commonality.
They openly, freely, and joyously, celebrate their art.
Just watch Jean and Grace walk through a finished home. Their conversation is charming. They are thrilled with how well they’ve accomplished their goals for the space. They don’t shy away from saying: wow, we did a great job here. The clients are going to love this, we love this, the viewers are going to want to imitate this...
It is rare—*rare*—to see women happily celebrating their successes. We’re taught—no, conditioned—by society to see pride as a sin. Being proud of our work is bad, somehow. We’re encouraged to deflect, self-denigrate, to turn the compliments back on the giver. Modesty is to be rewarded. Be humble. Don’t draw attention to yourself.
Well, I think that’s nonsense. I think we should be proud of our hard work, and say that, openly. Move over to our industry, and look at Shonda Rhimes. She gets this. (Read Year of Yes. You’ll see. And talk about a Masterclass worth watching. Incredible!)
I’m excited that there seem to be more and more examples of this happening. It’s a Good Thing. (Said another kick-ass lady who owns her brilliance.)
This month, three items will appear in bookstores, libraries, and on your devices. A short story I am incredibly excited about, the mass-market paperback of the book that almost derailed my creative life, and the new novel, IT’S ONE OF US.
Which is my 25th published novel, by the way.
I busted butt for all three of these stories. For IOOU, I sifted through some of the most heartbreaking moments of any life, not just my own. I found a deep wellspring of emotion and vulnerability, tapped into it, bled onto the page, and
created something that is my best work yet. And yes, I am so freaking thrilled it’s almost here! I hope you love all of these stories as much as I do!
The quote at the beginning of this missive is from IT’S ONE OF US. I’ve mentioned before that certain lines present themselves to me when I’m thinking about a story—that was one. It’s very much me, in so many ways. But honestly, I think it’s many of us.
I see you. I’m giving you my scars this month. And I’m proud of that. What are you proud of this month?