February 9, 2011

Yesterday, I made the final, final changes to my novel and sent it off to my publisher!  I'll post more news soon, but, in the meantime, here's the catalog description of I Gave My Heart to Know This.

A big-hearted, sweeping 20th-century saga about the strength of women's friendships, by the beloved, award-winning author of Keeping the House.

In 1944, Grace Anderson, Lena Maki, and Lena's mother, Violet, are working for the war effort at the local shipyard.  Grace dreams of a glamorous life in Hollywood, even as she dutifully waits for letters from Alex, her sweetheart in the Marines, and from Derrick, Lena's twin brother.  But when Alex is killed and Derrick’s ship is sunk, she becomes mired in the Maki family’s nightmare of trying to determine Derrick’s fate. 

Decades later, Violet's great-granddaughter Julia goes to the Maki farm in an effort to make sense of her own life.  When long-lost Violet returns in search of a final reconciliation, Julia  pieces together the tangled history and dark secrets that the farmhouse has been hiding, and learns that lost things can, sometimes, be found.  I Gave My Heart to Know This is an unforgettable novel about the inexorable power of women’s friendships and of their dreams.

Read my account of the copy editing phase of the writing process in A View from the Loft...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 23, 2010

After a couple more brief rewrites this past month, I got the word yesterday from my editor: "In my opinion, this is IT!"  As of now, my new novel is scheduled for publication in August 2011!  My editor swears she's been running up and down the halls at Random House saying, "You HAVE to read the new Ellen Baker book!"  :)  I blush to report also that she said she'd never seen a book go in one 6-week rewrite from being a "really good book" to a "phenomenal book."  She said it was as if the book had been a "really pretty tree" before -- but now the twinkle lights have been turned on, making it "magical" and "breathtaking."  Hooray!  I'm so grateful for all the help I've received along the way from my editors, agent, and others, and so excited to be moving forward and to feel, finally, that the novel has taken the shape it was meant to have.

So here's what it's about: World War II shipyard welder Grace Anderson dreams of designing costumes in Hollywood; instead, she’s stuck doing her patriotic duty in the bitter Wisconsin winters, nursing her sick father, and keeping up a superficial correspondence with her high school boyfriend, Alex, a Marine in the Pacific.  To lessen the monotony, she agrees to exchange letters with her coworker Lena Maki’s twin brother, Derrick, who's serving in the Navy. But when the just-for-fun epistolary romance turns serious, Grace becomes mired in a Maki family nightmare and a struggle for “home,” the consequences of which aren't resolved until more than fifty years later, when Lena’s granddaughter, Julia, is caring for the family farm and her long-lost great-grandmother appears, in search of a final reconciliation.  Uncovering family mementoes and buried secrets, Julia pieces together the mystery of her family's past and learns that lost things can, sometimes, be found...    

When I posted the publication date on Facebook, someone asked, "If the book is done, why does it take so long for it to come out?"  The answer, as I understand it, is that it depends, first of all, on where the publisher has room for it, as they only publish a certain number of books each month/each season.  And I believe they like to have at least a year to build up lots of advance interest in the book through publicity, reviews, etc., because, once it hits the shelves, they want people to be looking for it.  Also, there are many steps to turning the manuscript into a book, such as copy editing, jacket design, choosing a typeface, designing the interior of the book, and so on.  So for me, this upcoming year will be a time to do all that I can to get the word out -- and I'll also start writing a new book.  I have an idea for a third book which is currently in proposal form and I'm waiting to hear whether my editor wants me to go ahead with it.  So I feel there is a lot to look forward to!  

I'm especially looking forward to the chance, next year, to travel and reconnect with the fabulous readers, book clubs, and bookstores I got to know with KEEPING THE HOUSE -- and to connect with many more.  Meanwhile, I'm spending this summer in Maine and would be delighted to visit with New England book clubs in person -- just email me and we'll see if we can set it up!

Wishing you a wonderful summer!

 

May 19, 2010

I did it!  I finished my latest revisions and turned in my manuscript ... I'll post when I hear any news...

 

March 31, 2010

Just as I suspected (below), I heard from my editors last week!  They love my book -- and have a bunch of suggestions about how to make it even better.  I'll be spending about the next six weeks on another rewrite, focusing mainly on the last 1/3 of the manuscript.  (I imagine at this point you all are going to expect this to be a damn good book.)  Anyway, wish me luck!  I'll post again when I have more news.  Thanks, as always, for your patience and your faith in me. :)

 

March 22, 2010

Thanks to all of you who keep checking back for news about my new book!  All this time, I've been hesitating to post a "no news" update, thinking that any day I WOULD have something definite to report.  I thought, how silly to post "no news," only to have to go back the very next day (surely!) to say, "Spoke too soon!"

Now I wonder: Will it really work that way?  Will tomorrow be the day? :)

Meanwhile, if you're checking here because you loved KEEPING THE HOUSE, would you do me the great favor of writing a review on amazon.com or barnesand noble.com?  I'd be forever grateful!

Thanks again so much for your support, and I will post again whenever I have news.  Probably tomorrow. :)

 

November 17, 2009 

I just got the nicest letter from a woman named Judy.  She wrote: "Now I AM concerned about you!! I check your site each week, looking for news on your new book. I know something has to be wrong, and it is hard to face the fact that I can't know what and why the book is not here...
I often wonder how an author faces a re-write, when the story that lives inside of you ... comes alive.  Then the publisher comes along and completely changes the whole scene. (Or something like that)!!  I so hope this isn't happening to you, or discouragement is taking over... DON'T GIVE UP !!  You gave me some very pleasurable hours, and I look so forward to reading my new Ellen Baker book when it is done."

I was so touched by this note. I've been waiting until I had more significant news to report, but Judy's concern has inspired me to post an update -- the last thing I want to do is to make anyone worry!  I asked her if I could share what I wrote to her, and she generously agreed.  So, here's the scoop:

"There is really nothing wrong regarding my new book -- the process just takes a bit longer than one might think.  The last I heard, last week, my editor hasn't yet had the time to read my latest rewrites, so that's why there's still no update.  However, through my agent, my editor did express confidence that she was going to love what she read, based on what a great job I did on rewrites the previous time around.  So, I am really not worried -- it just takes patience, this waiting, and lately I've been thinking a lot about the lines from the T.S. Eliot poem, "There will be time, there will be time... time for a hundred visions and revisions..."  Meanwhile, this waiting has given me the time to focus on some personal things which had also 'fallen through the cracks' during the many months that I was consumed with writing.  So please, don't fret.  All is well.  One other thing I have to mention is that, although the rewriting process has been quite a challenge with this book, I wouldn't change anything about it.  The discerning eyes of my editors and other wonderful readers have meant that you will get to read a much, much better book than what you would have had they not contributed their talents and visions... I hope you'll find it worth the wait, and meanwhile, please don't worry about me, and thank you!"

To all of you who are faithfully checking for news and looking forward to my new book, I say the same -- thank you!  Your enthusiasm and support truly means so much.  I PROMISE to post when I have more news.  Meanwhile, if you're looking for something good to read, I just posted some new suggestions on my bookshelf.  Thanks again, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

 

September 30, 2009

Just turned in my latest rewrite!  Will post when I hear back ...

 

July 2009

Embarking on another rewrite -- very grateful for my editor's insightful comments -- and happy to see the words "next time could be the final draft"!