Some exciting news

Remember when I used to blog? What happened to that? Oh, right. I had a baby. And I work. And I write. Well, sometimes I do, though this past month has been all about grant applications and mentoring other writers (which is also great). June 15th is my day to get back to writing and I cannot wait!

I do have several pieces of wonderful news to share:

1) The Best Place on Earth is going to be published  in Italian! The publisher is Nuova Editrice Berti, and they make beautiful books. Sono eccitato!

2) I (finally) signed with a literary agency! Inkwell Management is one of the world’s leading literary agencies and I’m thrilled to be working with them. I got to meet Kimberly Witherspoon and David Forrer at their Fifth Avenue office when I was in New York for my New America Fund event. I’m proud that I signed my first book deal on my own, but I think I’m ready for an agency to take over.

3) I have two pieces of creative non-fiction forthcoming with The New Quarterly, “Soldiers,” and “Learning to Stand Still.” Both pieces are from my memoir. I love The New Quarterly and am pleased to be included in their war-themed issue.

4) I gave up my office for Baby recently. I wasn’t too happy about it, but then Sean created an amazing writing space for me upstairs, in this little nook in the living room. He even made a barrier in the form of a large bookshelf so the room is now divided into two. I love my new office! I have a view of the street and a breeze and it’s beautiful. Sean is awesome.

5) Not my news but extremely exciting: my dear friend Eufemia Fantetti is runner-up for the Danuta Gleed award for her book Recipe for Disaster and Other Unlikely Tales of Love! I couldn’t be more proud!  Her book is beautifully written and darkly funny and you should all read it. Do it.

Oh, and summer is here! It’s hot and sunny and I got new dresses and cute sandals and my Mediterranean blood is happy. Sometimes I pretend that the lake is a sea, and that the water is warm and salty, and then I’m really really happy. (Read more about my love of the sea, my brief belly-dancing stint and why I write detailed sex scenes in this interview on author Lauren Carter’s  blog).