More and more, I am becoming me.
It took me this long to get here.
Fewer and fewer things in this house. A miniature car, bright orange. No more of
that corporate work that bound me to this desk from 3 AM, sometimes until 10 PM, sometimes, work that made me less than pleasant (but only sometimes, I think, I hope). Only the books I want to read twice or three times in the house, and the ones I buy now are the ones I want, not the ones I feel an obligation to.
The work I do is the work I want to do. Reading
the middle-grade books that carry the grown-up wisdoms. Reading
the memoirs that I will teach. Profiling the people and places that inspire me, like
Elisabeth Agro, say, who has revolutionized crafts in my city. Talking to other writers in real ways about
the real work we hope to do.
I lived decades measuring my life by what I thought of as "real work." I was, I boasted to myself, making the correct sacrifices. I am trying on something new. Living my life as measured by my passions. I don't know how far this will go. But I'd be so mad at me if I didn't try it.
Sometimes everything falls into place. A dear friend becomes an agent. She sells (she does!) a book (two books). She forges a link to another special person. A conversation begins.
Who hasn't listened to an All the Wonders podcast and thought, Oh, my. What intelligent questions. What a happy dialogue. What a voice that Matthew Winner has. Who hasn't secretly hoped for the chance to be a guest?
Thanks to my agent, Danielle Smith, thanks to the sale of that book (those books), thanks to her generous linking of me to Matthew Winner (a writer, librarian, husband, dad, and All the Wonders wonder), I had my secret hope answered. I'm episode 272, and during our conversation I talk about the making of sentences, the intrusion of the writerly impulse, the story called THIS IS THE STORY OF YOU, and, well, my new news. Matthew reads from my book. So do I.
All of that
is here.Thank you infinitely, Mr. Winner
and, of course, the remarkable Ms. Danielle Smith.
ALL THE WONDERS lets you find out more about my inspiration behind the story of two little Olympians: MAX AND MARLA
Have you ever read a book and wanted to squeeze every ounce of celebration out of it you could? Talk about it, sing about it, read it over and over, learn about its creator, make stuff?
We did too.
We’re launching soon, but in the meantime watch this space.
Ahoy!
Get to know the rest of the team behind All the Wonders:
Danielle Davis + This Picture Book Life
Emily Arrow
Matthew Winner + The Let’s Get Busy Podcast
Blake Hamilton
Mike Ciccotello
Brian Won
We are looking forward to this journey, and hope you will join us for the trip! More soon.
