Motherhood & Words

Today marked the beginning of the great emptying of the house. Stella went back to school and D went back to work, and on Wednesday Zoë will begin kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN! She’s a little worried, I think, about making new friends and learning a new system. A couple of times in the last week she’s mentioned that she wants to go back to her preschool instead. Sweet darling. (At this I silently scream noooooo! Finally the girls will be on the same school schedule and we won’t have to write that huge preschool/childcare check every month.) And of course I know my little Z will be fine once she settles in.

So soon the house will once again be quiet, and I will be able to dive into my writing and editing and preparations for the launch of Ready for Air. The finished books should be in the press warehouse in just a few weeks, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Publication of this book has been so long coming that it doesn’t feel real. In fact, it might not even feel real when I do have it in my hands. We’ll see.

One thing that I’ve been thinking a lot about is how interesting it will be to have my present-tense narrative out in the world so many years after the actual events of the book transpired. Stella will be ten in September, and she’s smart and strong, artistic and athletic. The questions that obsessed and terrified me ten years ago have been answered. (Or at least most of them have; I now have new worries that fill the space in my head.) But I imagine that as I re-immerse myself in that story, it will feel as though I’m living in both worlds—then and now streaming along parallel to each other. What will I make of that?

Stay tuned for events coming up in October—both in person and virtually—and I’ll let you know when the book is in bookstores. Thanks, as always, for stopping by.

Kate

I have been teaching creative writing for almost twenty years. Reading about other women’s lives and experiences has expanded my world. To be able to walk in someone else’s shoes, whether it’s for a moment or an hour or a few days, is an incredible gift, providing me with insight into the human experience. It takes courage to write your truths, especially if it doesn’t seem as though anyone cares, as though anyone is listening. Let me tell you: your stories matter, I’m listening, and I’m here to help you find the heart of those truths, to get them down on the page, to craft them, and to send them out into the world. Together, we will change the world, one story at a time.

16 Comments

  1. Cecilia on August 26, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    Can’t wait to see your new book, Kate. And it’s quite something to know how things have turned out 10 years later. (I still remember the photo you posted of you and Stella running the 5K together. Remarkable!)

    Good luck with the start of school for both your girls!



  2. Kate on August 26, 2013 at 2:54 pm

    Thank you, Cecilia! And celebrate your big boy’s first day today, as well! So amazing, aren’t they?



  3. Sue on August 26, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Enjoy the newfound peace. I cannot wait for you to share how it will feel to live in both worlds once the book is out. I am so excited to read it.



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:50 am

      Thank you, Sue! I hope that it turns into an essay at some point–I guess I have to live it first, though, don’t I?



  4. Janine Kovac on August 26, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    Exciting stuff! And you know, your book is already out there in galley-form! it’s being read and enjoyed and recommended! Hip, hip, hooray!



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:51 am

      Oh Janine, thank you! I’m so pleased that you have one of those copies!



  5. Sara on August 26, 2013 at 9:47 pm

    Can’t wait to read the book (put in a pre-order at my local bookstore already)



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:51 am

      Oh Sara, you are such a dear. Thank you! I can’t wait to hear what you think.



  6. Mary on August 26, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    I really cannot wait to read it! So exciting.



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:51 am

      Thank you, my dear!!



  7. Angie Mizzell on August 27, 2013 at 5:29 am

    For the reader, the time span adds to the emotional impact of the story (I think!).



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:51 am

      Oh Angie, thank you!!



  8. Andrea on August 27, 2013 at 8:50 am

    Congratulations on the (almost) quiet house and the (almost) book ! I’m so happy for you that you get to write full-time now! I hope the transition to school goes smoothly, and I’m looking forward to reading more about the book and book launch. I’m sure it will be emotional, reliving those early, harrowing moments, but how wonderful to have your healthy 10-year-old girl there by your side as you do it.



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Exactly, Andrea! And she has become so proud of the fact that she was a preemie! I love it.



  9. Marilyn Bousquin on August 27, 2013 at 10:12 am

    Hi, Kate. What a lovely post and what a perfect time of year for Ready for Air to step out into the world, right along with Zoe and Stella! Can’t wait to see what you’re up to next. Xo, M



    • Kate on August 28, 2013 at 9:53 am

      Aw, thank you, Marilyn. It does seem like exactly the right time for it to be released.