this is how our family walks uptown
Yesterday evening, we celebrated my US deal. I took the family out for hamburgers, in part because that seems like quintessential American food, and in part because Albus has been dying to go to this place called The Works uptown, which exclusively serves burgers.
no good photos were taken on this outing
I tried to impress on everyone the hugeness of this celebration, and even attempted a little speech (no one noticed), but the milkshakes, extensive topping options, and general excitement of eating out was far too distracting. So I sat back and enjoyed the whirling conversation. Afterward, we popped into Words Worth Books to browse and splurge. (I picked up Erin Bow’s brand-new, just out YA novel, Sorrow’s Knot, which looks as deliciously darkly scary as her first.) And then we wandered home and everyone was so thoroughly stuffed and wiped out we just went straight to bed.
Everything about this outing was a delight.
Here’s the most delightful part. We’ll get to do it again — only next time, we’re going out for fish and chips and mushy peas. (!!!!) Can you guess? Unbelievably, amazingly, overwhelmingly, I have more news to share.
The rights to Girl Runner have been sold in the UK (and Australia) to another terrific editor: Lisa Highton, who is the publisher of Two Roads, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton. Yup. I’m over the moon, and have been re-reading somewhat compulsively the press release Lisa prepared yesterday to announce the acquisition, which says, in part: “GIRL RUNNER is a brilliantly evocative story of time and place with an unforgettable heroine.”
Kevin and kids are already plotting to hitchhike along on any future tours to the UK.
So here are the pub dates, for those who are wondering:
September, 2014: Canada (and Australia, I think)
Spring 2015 (tentative): US and UK
I don’t know why, but wandering through the bookstore last night I felt enormous excitement to imagine my new book on the shelf, wondering what its cover would look like (a different cover in each country?), wanting to pick it up and feel its weight in my hands. I think my party planners and I are going to have to out-do ourselves for the launch this time around (and that’s saying something). The fun of bringing this book to life is still ahead of me. And a footnote in all of this is that I’m getting to work with these amazing, accomplished women — Janice Zawerbny and Sarah MacLachlan at Anansi, Claire Wachtel at HarperCollins, and Lisa Highton at Two Roads, plus my agent Hilary McMahon who’s been with me now for nearly a decade. It’s pretty darn wonderful.
In other news, undeterred, and inspired by a post I found on the ever-reliable internet called “The Crisper Whisperer: How to Handle Eggplant Overload,” I ordered the half-bushel of eggplant, and half-bushel of tomatoes. Because a) I have masochistic tendencies, b) there’s room in the freezer and c) you’ve got to take your chances when they come.
News worthy of breaking my commenting shyness. Congratulations, Carrie! That’s a huge, huge deal. (The first one was too, how did I not comment then?) So glad the rest of the world is catching on to you and your wonderful writing. Nice to see you being rewarded for your tough decisions earlier this year.
Thank you for breaking out of shyness to comment. I love discovering who is reading along.
Carrie, this is monumental news. And merely corroboration for those of us who knew your writing from much earlier.
Thank you, Chris!
Here’s to many more internationally themed dinners in your future!
Wouldn’t that be something!?
Fantastic – no surprise and I’m sure this book will run around the globe in no time! Obviously, if you need a photog for when you go to the UK to promote, you know L&I will happily tag along, too! 😉 HA! You will have to start planning the dinners to be internationally themed as “m” says above!
Thanks, Nancy! (But I will say that I’m still very very surprised!)
What incredible news Carrie! Can’t wait to read your new book!
And I’m looking forward to sharing it!
Ok, now this is just a test to see if my previous comment worked, or if I just deleted it! Sorry!
Shoot! It looks like my first comment didn’t work for some reason. Now, what did I say the first time? Oh yes – Wahoo! It’s too bad that you won’t be coming to the UK while N and I are still here!
Congratulations on your amazing, incredible, and exciting news! I’m so happy for you! 🙂
I know, you’ll be back here long before I’d ever get to go there.
Thrilled for you. (And America and the UK)
Thank you! Kevin and I were out celebrating when you saw us a week ago Friday.
You go! Not that you need telling …
I may not need telling, but I appreciate the support!
Congratulations, as always; much-deserved, as always! Can’t wait to read it…how long do we have to wait?
The thing I most closely identify with in this post is the word “compulsively”. What different lives we all lead, eh? 😉
K
It will be published here in Canada next September. Not too long! I do have to finish revising it first …
Hello! I should have commented long before now, as I’ve been reading your blog for a long time, and I loved The Juliet Stories! We took a class together in grad school (Victorian Women Reading, it was called) but you may not remember me, as I was very quiet. At any rate, I just wanted to congratulate you on thes e latest developments and to say how much I am looking forward to The Girl Runner!
Hi there, I can’t see your real name in your comment, but I do remember that class well, the long seminar table, the way I felt kind of incompetent the whole time. Thank you for checking in and saying hello!