Many thanks to Edgartown Books and the Edgartown Public Library for a hugely successful launch of A VINEYARD CHRISTMAS this weekend! NEXT STOP: Barnes & Noble, Sat., Oct. 13, 2:00p.m. Hope to see lots of friendly faces there! http://www.jeanstone.com
A lovely review on A VINEYARD CHRISTMAS from MV Times… I especially like the line where she writes: “Not surprisingly, Stone herself lives on the island, and we can feel her love for it throughout.” Enough said!!!!!
Years ago, a fellow author commented on how bizarre the life of a writer actually is. “You sit at your desk, alone, day after day, week after week, month after month,” my friend said. “You wrap yourself up in sweats or denim* and forego wearing make-up. You drink lots of coffee (tea, water, or otherwise). You don’t answer your phone. Or your doorbell. Your only friend is solitude. Finally you finish. Your book is published.”
Of course, my friend’s story (which perhaps I have embellished, but only a bit) does not end here. So let us continue.
“You publisher sends you a schedule of appearances and booksignings. You read it. You sigh. Then you throw your sweats or your denim into the wash. You dig through your closet in search of something decent to wear. Shouldn’t there be a plain black dress in there somewhere? And maybe a scarf? What about that blue skirt . . . Oh, wait. That one went to the Thrift Shop three years ago.You realize your mascara has dried up. But the time has come when you must look the way women once looked when they went uptown to lunch or maybe to church or when traveling first class on a plane.
“After all, you are now part of the world again. Or at least, you must appear to be. You must smile and speak to an audience other than yourself. Or your imaginary characters. Or your cat or your dog. And you must tell them about your wonderful book. If you do that, and do it moderately well, in a week or two or three, you will be allowed to slip into your sweats or your denim, sit back down at your computer, and begin the process all over again.”
So . . . that’s the whole story. And it’s my way of saying that if you’re on the Vineyard, or perhaps will be Columbus Day Weekend, please join me for the official launch of A VINEYARD CHRISTMAS. Maybe I’ll find my black dress by then.
Sat. Oct. 6, Edgartown Library, 3:00 p.m.
Sun. Oct. 7, Edgartown Books, Noon–2:00 p.m.
* When my editor approved my manuscript for the second book in my new Vineyard series, A ViNEYARD SUMME
R (to be released July 2019), I decided I need to toss out my 20+-year-old Menemsha Blues green denim shirt. It’s been washed so much, it’s lost most of its color. And there’s a rip in the left sleeve at the elbow that the Island Home could easily navigate through. I’m going to miss that shirt.
You and a friend will BE MY GUESTS—
Sat., Dec. 8th—at CHRISTMAS IN EDGARTOWN 2018!
THE PRIZE: Your day will begin in the morning when I pick you and your friend up at the ferry in Vineyard Haven (from Woods Hole) or in Edgartown if you arrive from Hyannis. Choose what you want to do from tons of fabulous events: the Christmas Parade, the Holiday Crafts Fair, Open Houses, shopping, walking tours, and hot chocolate and mulled cider seemingly everywhere! You’ll see the list of events ahead of time to allow you to plan what you want to do. Plus, I will treat you to LUNCH at THE NEWES FROM AMERICA—a terrific, 18th century pub that I’ve featured in several of my Vineyard novels. I’ll have you back to the ferry for the 6:15 p.m. boat. Please ENTER! We’ll have FUN!
TO ENTER: Send me a message through the contact page on my website. jeanstone.com, or Friend me on FB (JeanStoneBooks) and include a message that says you want to enter. The winner will be selected Sat., Oct. 8th at the launch of A VINEYARD CHRISTMAS at the Edgartown Library. (You don’t have to be there to win.) Spoiler alert: I drive a VW Beetle—there is a back seat, so if your friend has long legs, she’ll be more comfortable if she sits sideways.
It’s a perfect way to get into the HOLIDAY SPIRIT! Please enter only once. And GOOD LUCK!
Spring has sprung…sort of. The boats are running again…sort of.
But there is happy news: I have been hard at work on a new Vineyard series…women’s fiction with a dash of mystery. The first book, A VINEYARD CHRISTMAS, will be released by Kensington Books in September 2018 (my website will be updated soon with more info). It all begins at the fabulous Christmas in Edgartown, so mark your calendars!
In the meantime, here’s the new promo pic of me to prove that, yes, I really do live here now year round. I suppose to really have proved it this should have been taken in January, but it was too cold to stand up by the cliffs. And in February it was too windy. And in March I was too busy trying to meet the deadline for book #2 in the series.
Whatever…stay tuned…and Happy Spring!
Jean Stone on Martha's Vineyard 