Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Dear Reader,

Dear Reader,

My novel is released today. Let's pretend you've bought it. Let's pretend you're holding it in your hands. I know what it feels like. 



Visible Woman by Perry Vasquez
The novel you are about to read has been with me for over a decade. Like all authors I’ve tried to put into it everything I have to say about life, just in case I never get a chance to do this book thing again. So what you’re holding is my best attempt at downloading everything I have in my head that matters.

I’ve been asked what pieces of this novel are from real life and which are pure invention. The truth is that nothing here is a direct representation of anything in “real life.” At the same time, everything here is very real to me, and all of my most important pieces: my kids, my husband, my mother, and even my robot fixation, are present. This book is a treatise; it’s what I believe. And that means true love and merciless death and mechanical evolution and happy motherhood and mortal fear. There’s some weird stuff, some serious stuff, some goofy stuff. Some of it is pretty dark.

Publishing a novel is, I am finding, a very personal public act. In the book, I expose my self – dark and light, good and bad – and when you have read it, you will know me better than I will probably ever get the chance to know you. I am so grateful that I have this way to explain myself, this book-sized opening in my head. And I am so grateful to you that you are willing to listen, to hear this story, and to understand.

In other words, I have waited a long time to meet you, and I’m so happy that you are finally here.

Love,
LYDIA

14 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Lydia!

    My copy is on its way, the good folks at Book Depository say (international). And I can't wait to read SHINE SHINE SHINE. I've heard so many great things about it. So, thank you for pouring yourself into a book-sized package and sharing it with the world. You're making a dent for better on many. Godspeed!

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  2. Dearest, most wonderful, AMAZING Lydia,

    HOOOOORAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED TO GET MY BOOK IN MY HOT LITTLE(ish) HANDS!!!!

    It's a brilliant book and you'd BETTER be doing that whole book thing again, or I may wither and die, unlike your robots.

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  3. So stoked! I am so looking forward to reading it :)

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  4. Lydia, you don't know me but Julie Kibler is my oldest and dearest friend, and I am coming with her tomorrow evening to your book launch event in Virginia so I hope to meet you. I just listened to the first chapter of the audio version of your book that Joshilyn Jackson so generously shared on FTK (or SHINE-r Than SHINE-zu). I cannot wait for the rest of the story. I plan to buy the audiobook because I just love having stories read to me by talented narrators. I hope to meet you and perhaps you can sign my audiobook. Congratulations on what promises to be a brilliant bestseller!

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  5. Imma go to two bookstores after I get maisy from vbs and buy it and have staged overloud conversations about it with my kid. Maisy knows her lines. It is going to be like a mini happening.

    Because the book is that good. Deserves happenings. For real.

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  6. Lydia, I am so excited for you (and me 'cause I get to read it!). I haven't been this excited to read somebody's first novel since I stumbled upon David Foster Wallace in a Harper's magazine piece years ago. I wish you much success, so much so that your new (good) problem is that now that you've said everything you wanted to say, you need to start thinking about your follow-up novel.

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  7. Shelley WestenbroekJuly 17, 2012 at 8:36 PM

    This reader is thrilled to be making the acqaintance of your novel brain. I already like your blog/mom/marriage brain, so I'm sure this novel and I will have a wonderful friendship.
    Bought my copy today from my local indie -- there were only 3 left!
    -Shelley

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  8. Thing 1 - Congratulations

    Thing 2 - I'm putting this on the iPad even as I type this.

    Thing 3 - Loved what you said. I'm more interested in truth than I am about "what's fiction or not". Something does not have to be historical fact to be true. Mythology is chock full of more truth than you can shake a stick at. The Bible is loaded with poems and parables that have profound truths regardless of weather a foolish man really did build a house upon the sand. If there is no truth in art, it is a waste of time, but I get tired of those who endlessly want to know what is fiction and what is "true", as if they were mutually exclusive, or even related at all.

    Thing 4 - Congratulations again!

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  9. Just finished reading Shine, Shine, Shine. Great read! Hope you write many more books!

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  10. Thank you! I'm very happy it is finding readers. That is just too cool.

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  11. I homeschool my autistic son, so.... I had to buy your book. I read it in one night. It is that good. What you wrote will affect my parenting and my self esteem for the rest of my life.So in return, I will purchase whatever you publish for the rest of your life. Write on.

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  12. Hi Lydia,
    I am reading your book. I happened upon it at the library last week and then forgot about it until yesterday. I just had to put it down for a minute and look you up on the internet because I want to tell you that I am having a wonderful time reading this book. I'm about halfway through right now and I love Sunny and Maxon and I hope they're going to be okay.

    Thank you for a beautiful story, beautifully told. Now, I've got to go; Maxon has just met Sunny and they're waiting...

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