After a chock-full year of editing, planning, proofreading, marketing, and collaborating with the amazing team at Orange Hat Publishing, I finally launched my book on March 1. It was arguably the most pivotal and meaningful day of my life, right up there with getting married and adopting my three kids.
I first got the idea for Crossing the Pressure Line fifteen years ago, when my children were toddlers and therefore crawling all over me. All the hours I spent making their lunches, driving carpool, and folding laundry, I was thinking about my character of Clare Burch in the back of my head. Why was she in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for a whole summer? Whom was she grieving? And what on earth made her want to catch a musky so bad?
Developing Clare's story in the private little pockets of motherhood has stretched my comfort zone, given me thicker skin, and brought me untold joy. I will never take any of these things for granted.
In the closing scene of Crossing the Pressure Line, Clare finds herself in a place filled with her loved ones:
"Everyone had started talking louder. Clare could feel their collective energy escalating. She looked around at each one of them. I have so many favorite people now."
The launch party for my book was held at Mystery to Me, an independent bookstore located here in Madison. As my friends and family walked in the shop and engulfed me with hugs that would've made Bobb Vogel proud, I was struck by how similar my celebration was to Clare's. I took in the sweet sounds of everyone's laughter and conversation, and I couldn't believe how lucky I was.
Thank you for reading my book, for supporting me, and for helping to send Clare (and Roger, Helen, Grandma Lulu, Grandpa Anthony, Lola, and Theo!) out in the world. My gratitude is eternal.