Bedtime and Blurbs

A few years ago I was deep into reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. I was enthralled with the story, the writing, the whole experience of the novel. I had been stealing time during the day to finish it, taking the local train instead of the express, lingering at lunch longer than I needed to, I was experiencing the rush of reading a good book. I wanted to know how it ended and I never wanted it to be over.

I got so lost in the story that I ended up staying up until 3 o'clock in the morning to finish it. When I closed the back cover and looked up at the ceiling I sighed. I had given up my sleep and was amply rewarded.

Until a few weeks ago, I had only known what that feels like from the reader's point of view. I never imagined what it would be like to hear that about a story I wrote. And then I got an email from my editor sharing feedback she got from an early reader. Among many wonderful things, she said she stayed up until 1:00 in the morning to finish it and commented that was no small feat as she was the mother a very active two year old.

My first reaction was to want to say, "I know how that feels," and tell her all about the books I had that experience with and how great it is to get so lost in a story that you are willing to give up sleep! My second reaction was, "Oh my God, that's my book!"

Surreal. Sur-really exciting.

On Saturday, I got an email again from my editor delivering the first author blurb for the book. I was standing in my friend Gina's kitchen and scrolled down to the quote. I sat down and then stood back up again. "What's wrong?" Gina asked.

I just kept saying, "I can't believe this, this is amazing."

It was a great blurb from a writer I admire. Again I had that odd sensation of thinking after reading the blurb, "this sounds like a book I should read." I should look into this Teri Coyne she sounds like an interesting person.

I have these moments when I see my name on the cover or read comments like these when I suspect that there is another Teri Coyne, and while she and I look alike and share many things, the Teri Coyne who is the author if The Last Bridge, is not me --not the writer who hates semi-colons, dreads copy edits, and has huge problems with continuity. That Teri Coyne appears to have her act together, the one writing this post just spilled Ranch dressing all over her sweater.

At this rate the only reason I'll be staying up late tonight is to do laundry.

Passages and Prayers

I'm going to officially welcome myself back to my blog. Although it is already January 19th, this feels more like the real start of the year, at least for me. There is no denying 2008 kicked every one's butt in some way. As with most things, only time will tell if the challenges of 2008 turn out to be the opportunities of 2009 and beyond. One thing is for certain though, I think I speak for most of us when I bid last year a fond farewell.

For me, last year ended on a sad note. My aunt Rosemary passed away on Christmas morning at my brother Patrick's house. Although she was having heart problems, we thought her new pacemaker would give her more time with us. We we wrong. Christmas was Rosemary's favorite holiday. She was a generous and loving Aunt who put a great deal of time and effort into her gift giving. She was my mother's older sister by ten years and was a stalwart and strong influence in all of our lives, throughout our lives. My mother said it best when she said, "I have never spent a Christmas without Rosemary." It may not seem like a big deal but in an age with change comes at us quickly, it was a comfort to know that Rosemary would always be there.

Our holiday together was definitely lower key than usual but instead of retreating into our old ways we did something we haven't done in a long time, we came together and laughed and shared our memories of holidays past and of Rosemary. My nieces crawled into our laps, held our hands and listened to our stories. We opened Rosemary's gifts and kept her with us throughout the day. In a way it was the best Christmas we have had in a long time. And I might add a fitting tribute to Rosemary.

At New Year's we all came together in Pittsburgh for the funeral and again, felt the impact of time and the passing of our last extended family member. Each of us contributed in some way to her send off and my mother arranged a beautiful service in the church Rosemary attended throughout her life. It was hard not to feel her presence and love that day.

I traveled home on New Year's day and tried to get back to the business of every day life, there are things to do, projects to finish, goals to accomplish. Time waits for no man? Isn't that what they say?

Yesterday, I let time go without me for a little while and just sat in my chair an let the sun warm my face and thought of how lucky I was to have been loved by Rosemary.

Safe travels Rory.