Like any lover of books, I have lots of memories of reading my favorites. From the kids books my parents shared like Swimmy and Make Way for Ducklings, to the books I read in my teens by Leon Uris or James Michener, to books I read in college like Terry Tempest Williams' Refuge, and in the years afterward to pretty much everything Jim Harrison wrote... these memories of reading certain books have become part of me. I remember in particular being in my 20s and devouring everything Rick Bass had written. I admired his writing and wished I could be like him--wished I could write and publish books. Now, it's the evening before publication day for my second book, The Ground Beneath Us, and I want to give thanks.
It can be too easy to forget what a blessing it is to have what we have. In this case, too easy to forget how amazing it is that tomorrow a book that I have written will be published and distributed around the country by a major NY publishing house. Too easy to get wrapped up in what critics have said about the book (or, perhaps worse, haven't said), too easy to wonder if this book will do as well as the first book. And this isn't even to mention how easy it is to see all the things the new book isn't--all the magical scenes and transitions and stories and conclusions that didn't get written. Too easy to forget the one most amazing fact:
Tomorrow, my second book will be published.
This afternoon, I did my first radio interview for this new book, The Ground Beneath Us, with a station in Wyoming. And the interviewer talked about how much he liked the book, how it made him see the world in a new way. And as he was telling me this, I just thought "thank you for reading my book." It still amazes me--and I think it always will--when people said, "I read your book and...(usually something nice)." You read my book? Thank you so very much. I hope you liked it. I hope you liked as much as I liked those books I read as a kid and a teenager, those books I read just out of college and in the years since. I will never take for granted the blessing of having a stranger tell me that they read my book and that it touched them in some way.
Tomorrow, my second book will be published.
Today, the interviewer in Wyoming asked if I hoped my books would have a political impact. And yes, I want my books to change the world. Or, at least, to help change the world. But in addition to that, I just want my books to add some beauty and kindness to the life of anyone who reads them. I'd like anyone who reads The End of Night or The Ground Beneath Us to set the book down and feel grateful for having read. As I am grateful tonight as I think about tomorrow and think of everyone who has helped me bring this book into the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
