Hello! How are you? I meant to blog sooner but I’ve just had a lot going on. I’ve received some lovely emails about Knit the Season and the new paperback of Knit Two — thank you so much! — and I’ve started up with book club call-ins for 2010. And I hope you’re all doing well and you enjoyed the holidays.
Isn’t the situation in Haiti shocking? The images are so devastating. My older sister, who lives in Canada, was already in process of adopting from Haiti and so now things are up in the air; she’s doing all she can to find out more. But none of us are powerless, even if we may feel that way sometimes. One way to truly have an impact is to donate to the charities doing amazing on-the-ground work in Haiti. My husband and I have donated to the relief efforts, as have many of our friends. And, bit by bit, it all adds up. So, please, if you haven’t already done so, please consider donating to the Red Cross. You can make a donation directly on their site or — how cool is this — by visiting Starbucks!
Here’s a video from Haitian musician Wyclef Jean about how easy it is to donate at Starbucks:
You can even donate $10 to the Red Cross right now, wherever you are, from your cell phone by texting “HAITI” to 90999.
Thank you! I know the women who read my novels are the smartest, kindest, most caring women out there because I hear from you every day about all the wonderful things you do — the charity knitting, the volunteering, the community and school fundraising, and simply “being there” for your friends. So I’m not trying to add one more item to your to-do list. I’m sharing one easy thing — a quick donation when you’re at Starbucks — that I believe will bring you a sense of connection and satisfaction and also have real impact.
Be well! Keep reading! Won’t wait so long to blog again and catch up…
November 18th, 2009: Birthdays and Bestsellers!
Well, I got home after the whirlwind tour and basically went into hibernation mode (except to celebrate Baxter’s very happy 4th birthday)! I was so tired from all the flights and such. But I’m finally mostly awake and I wanted to let you know some exciting stuff: KTS is #20 on the NYT Extended Bestseller List and Knit Two paperback is on the NYT Bestseller List, also at #20. So my favorite number of the week is 20!
There are many photos from tour still to post, especially from my most wonderful visit to Cricket Meadow Tea in Litchfield, MN. What a lovely shop in a building with original painted tin ceilings — like stepping back in time. Now, Juli Johnson is the owner of Cricket Meadow and she is also a member of the very first book club I ever telephoned. This group has been so supportive of my
novels, and when Juli told me that FNKC and the character of Georgia inspired her to follow her dream of opening a shop, I was bound and determined to find a way to stop in! And it was lovely to see the book club again and meet the townspeople of Litchfield. Not only that, but I was sooo close to where my grandparents were born in Minnesota…I had to keep to my schedule but I wished I could have made a detour. I remember vividly the family vacation we took to see the old farmhouse when I was about four years old.
Last week was much fun overall, with stops at Jennifer Knits and Barnes & Noble in Edina and in Fullerton. One highlight was the huge turnout at the St. Louis Library — and thanks again to Kirkwood Knittery and Borders for bringing knitters and books — and then capped off by a lovely luncheon sponsored by Warwick’s at Burgundy Grill. We had a drop-in from Vancouver (Hi, Laura!) and two guests on vacation from Sweden, and I met Jean, whose book club I’ve called and who is the organizer for my Dec 3 event in El Camino. So it was a fun mix!
Just bought my 2010 date book and I’ve started scheduling Knit Two call-ins…
November 9th, 2009: Top Hats!
It was all about hats this weekend – wonderful, handknit creations for the Lands’ End/Warming Families charity drive – and there was a nice, fat pile each at Books and Company in Oconomowoc and at Next Chapter Bookshop in Mequon. I am so proud of the generous contributions from every knitter; we even had mittens in the collection this weekend. Another nice thing? Seeing many of the same faces from a previous visit to Mequon; this book tour is just like traveling around to meet old friends. Truly a joy. (I especially appreciate the large crowds because I know Sunday was a Packers game…)
In fact, everyone in Wisconsin is so welcoming! I met a wonderful group of knitters at the Lands’ End store at Sears in Madison Friday, including one dear woman who brought in bags and bags of hats she had made on her own. We truly had ourselves a knit-in. What fun! (As you can imagine, I have oodles of photos to put up from tour; below are a few snaps.)
In Dallas
Hats from Mequon!
Librarian Debbie knit hats!
Signing in Gurnee
Hats collected at Lands' End in Madison
Meeting readers
November 8th, 2009: Saturday in Chicago
Chicago was so warm on Saturday! Here I’d packed all these toasty sweaters and it was practically spring. Met some wonderful readers up in Gurnee at the Warren Newport Public Library — and hats off to librarian Debbie, who not only emailed me a while back to personally invite me (and I’m so glad), but who also knit two hats for the Lands’ End/Warming Families charity hat drive. Good stuff! I also met another writer, the delightful Marilyn Brant, author of According to Jane.
Then it was on to the Oakbrook Borders, where I had a chance to reconnect with one of my favorite bloggers, Amy Artisan, as well as meet Carol, the owner of Amy’s favorite yarn shop My Sister’s Knits. (I’ve known Amy for a few years now and she’s been a great supporter of all of my books. In fact, when FNKC was brand-new and I was on my very first book tour in 2007, I was scheduled to be in Milwaukee but not Chicago. And Amy drove all the way from her Chicago home back then just to say hello and get her books signed.) We were laughing at the memory because I had just a handful of folks at that 2007 signing and we had a much more robust crowd last night! Today is a drive back to Wisconsin, to Books & Company in Oconomowoc and Next Chapter Bookshop in Mequon. Looking forward to it!
November 6th, 2009: Notes from the road
I can’t believe it’s already Friday! Had so much fun in Atlanta on Wed and Dallas last night. Everyone had lots of questions so I was chatting my head off. And we’re all eating a lot of chocolate, btw! It’s very good for us. It is! Antioxidants and all that.
Now, on every tour, I pop around to do what are known as stock signings — autographing books at stores in the local area in addition to my announced event. And everywhere I go this week, it seems I am running into other writers! Just in from the airport on Wed afternoon, I was signing copies of KTS and K2 paperback at Borders and I looked up to see Haywood Smith, author of The Red Hat Society and Ladies of the Lake. Now, Haywood and I shared a stage at the Decatur Book Festival in 2008, so it was a real treat to catch up. And then, on Thursday in Dallas, I met first-time novelist Patricia Falvey, whose The Yellow House is coming out in Feb and, I hear, getting great reviews. Even more small world? I mentioned at my signing at the Dallas Barnes & Noble that I saw Patricia — and one of the readers told me she and Patricia go to the same hairdresser! So you see? I write about community and supporting each other, and we really, truly share all these little connections to one another. I wonder who I’m going to meet today as I head to the friendly Midwest…
November 5th, 2009: A Face-to-Face Tweet!
Meeting Pam, one of my Twitter followers, at The Georgia Center for the Book. Enthusiastic group - asked lots of super questions!
November 4th, 2009: New! New! A book club visit giveaway
I want to come and visit your book club! Yes, I really do!
So please enter the giveaway and let’s hope the computer randomly picks your name. I’ve done similar giveaways and made personal stops at book clubs in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada; in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and in St. Joseph, Missouri – where Sherri renamed the book club in honor of The Friday Night Knitting Club series!
I’ll take care of my own travel, bring bookmarks and chocolates, and then sit down with you for a great chat about Knit Two and Knit the Season. All you have to do is supply your own good company! Read all the official rules and other good stuff here. (FYI: The newsletter tote bag giveaway and the book club visit giveaway run from separate databases so make sure you’re entered for both!)
November 3rd, 2009: A Great Event & 86 Hats!
All smiles at RJ Julia in Madison CT as I celebrate the collection of 86 hats for the Lands’ End/ Warming Families charity drive with the owner of Madison Wool.
Thank you, knitters! Let’s keep at it!
November 2nd, 2009: On Sale! K2 & KTS
Tuesday is the big day: Knit Two paperback and Knit the Season arrive in stores. I’m in New York City to kick off the book tour at Lion Brand. Now, I overpacked as usual — but I’m not worried because Jon is coming along to carry it for me, nice husband that he is! I think Baxter must have known something was up because he trailed me from room to room as I gathered my clothes, my knitting (for my Lands’ End hats for charity), bookmarks, chocolates. Just you wait: Someday I’m going to bring the Baxter on tour, teaching him how to sign books with his paws.
Wanted to let you know that I’ve made sure to leave room in my writing schedule over the next few months so that I can telephone Knit Two paperback book club meetings! (And we can definitely talk about Knit the Season as well.) I”m up to about 250 book clubs so far this year talking about FNKC and Comfort Food…
BTW, a reader recently emailed to ask if I still do my tote bag giveaways. You bet I do! I’ve given away tons of totes. The most recent recipients of totes include Karen in Medford, MA and Erica in Fruita, CO. You become eligible to be chosen when you sign up for the newsletter — it’s that simple. (Or you can be my mom, who gets a new tote bag every time I have a new book.)
Hope to see you on my travels…
October 12th, 2009: Happy Thanksgiving!
If you’re in Canada, that is. So, wishes for a wonderful turkey dinner to all my friends, family and readers up North.
I’m working on my hats for the Lands’ End/Warming Families charity campaign. I hope yours are coming along too! It’s easy to get started — here’s the pattern designed by Vickie Howell (click here) — and I will have a box at every book signing where I can collect your finished hats and forward them to Warming Families. (BTW, Vickie has a wonderful new pattern book, AwareKnits, that’s out now.)
Speaking of books, things are gearing up for my Nov book tour! November 3rd is the big day! I can’t believe it’s almost here — and that KNIT THE SEASON and the paperback of KNIT TWO are coming out in just a few weeks. The new covers for both books are gorgeous and KNIT THE SEASON is covered in this shiny foil that reminds me of a fancy gift.
The book tour fun kicks off in New York at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio and then it’s on to RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT that night. And then Atlanta, Dallas, Madison, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, LA, Fullerton, and San Diego! The addresses and map/directions info is on the Events page. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Gearing up for a knitfest this weekend and next! Times and addresses are on the events page but I am going to be in the Boston area on Fri, Sept 18th and Sat, Sept 19th – Burlington and Natick, Mass. Next weekend I’m in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s what is going on and it’s so cool: Lands’ End is partnering with knitting charity Warming Families to donate a lot of their very special (and supremely soft) FeelGood yarn so that knitters (beginners and experts alike) can make hats for people in need. As part of the fun, craft guru Vickie Howell of DIY’s Knitty Gritty is sharing tips and techniques and I’ll be reading and talking about my knitting books. Basically, the idea is to come together to support our local communities, and celebrate friendship and stitching! You can find Vickie’s hat pattern (PDF download) here. I can’t wait to get started on mine!
Truth be told, I’d planned to be done a hat already but I’ve just had a lot going on. I think this happens to all of us, right? No sooner had I comfortably settled into the fun of summer – barbecues, green tea iced tea, discovering the new local farmer’s market – than I looked at the calendar and suddenly it was September! With a lot to do. But I’m stoked for the next few months. For one thing, I’m working on another novel called Relativity and, as my husband Jon would attest, I love an excuse to just stay home in my pajamas and write. For another thing, this is going to be a juicy big fall: the paperback of the FNKC sequel Knit Two – as well as the threequel, Knit the Season – both come out on Nov 3. Big day! Not to mention there’s going to be a great tour winding through New York, CT, Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California. (Dates, times, cities will be on the events page later this week!)
Random but amusing: Our friend (and my web designer) Dani looked after Baxter dog when I was at Lake Austin Spa Resort (gorgeous and relaxing!) for a special book club event in August. And guess what? She took Baxter to a pool party – and he jumped in for a swim with the guests! That’s my boy…
September 15th, 2009: Is it really the end of summer?
Ummm…where did August go? Did this happen to anyone else? No sooner had I comfortably settled into the fun of summer – barbecues, green tea iced tea, discovering the new local farmer’s market – than I looked at the calendar and noticed that we’re only a few sleeps from the beginning of September! While it would be nice to have a few more lazy days, I’m stoked for the next few months. For one thing, I’m working on another novel and, as my husband Jon would attest, there’s nothing I love more than to just stay home in my pajamas and write. For another thing, this is going to be a juicy big fall: the paperback of the FNKC sequel Knit Two – as well as the threequel, Knit the Season – both come out on Nov 3. Big day! Not to mention there’s going to be a great tour winding through New York, CT, Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California. (Dates, times, cities will be announced soon!)
Random but amusing: Our friend (and my web designer) Dani looked after Baxter dog when I was at Lake Austin Spa Resort (gorgeous and relaxing!) for a special book club event last weekend. And guess what? She took Baxter to a pool party – and he jumped in for a swim with the guests! That’s my boy…
August 10th, 2009: Baking in the sun
Nope, not suntanning! (Besides, I only burn in the sun.) Lately I’ve been all about the kitchen. With the help of Jon and my friends Dani and Rachel, once again we cooked up all the recipes from the back of KTS and we had a feast. Let me tell you, latkes on the patio in August are delish! Rather fun to have treats when it’s not the holidays. Same goes for the very Christmas-y butter tarts and the pumpkin muffins. (Although not the same recipe, my mother-in-law always makes pumpkin muffins at Thanksgiving so it’s a big deal for Jon. He loves them.)
Then I made a double batch of chocolate chippers which we enjoyed when the neighbors came over for a barbecue last night. Just a nice, lazy Sunday afternoon. I feel as though I hibernate when I work on a novel — caught up in the world of my imagination — and then I want to socialize in the real world before I dive back into another story.
I’m pleased to say I finished the copy edit of Knit the Season — the copy edit is the version where the editors and I tidy up the manuscript and make sure the commas are in all the correct places and all that good stuff. Can’t wait until the book comes out on November 3rd! Plus the book tour will be up on the Events page soon. Dates are just being finalized but I am excited to report I’ll be making a trip to the Midwest — and that includes Chicago. I haven’t been to the Windy City for a while and I’m eager to make another visit. I often hear from readers and book clubs who live in the area so I’m especially glad to have a chance to meet them.
My task for this week is to tidy up my very messy desk, which is covered with manuscript pages! It’s as though a paper factory had an explosion. Plus I need to catch up on all the little odds and ends around the house.
Next week I’ll be doing my first spa book club/signing at Lake Austin Spa Resort, in Texas. What a great combination, book club and facials! Though not at the same time….
Hope your August is going well!
July 27th, 2009: Summer Fun, Fall Excitement!
How you’re having a good summer! It’s been super hot, both in California and in Canada, where we have spent some time with family. But mainly I’ve been writing writing writing! Wanted to be sure to reveal the spectacular covers of my next books — the paperback of Knit Two and the third book in the FNKC series, Knit the Season. (Yes! I’ve received a flood of mail in recent weeks asking if I am doing one to follow Knit Two…and the answer is yes!) Both books will be in stores on the very same day — November 3rd — and I’m heading out on tour. Dates and cities to be announced soon!
Knit the Season hardcover
Knit Two paperback
May 7th, 2009: Home on the Range
So happy to be home again! Returned last week from another great tour and was thrilled to spend some quality time snuggling with The Baxter. Somehow he had piled up all his tennis balls under the couch so spent much of my first day back on my hands and knees digging them out. Thoughtful dog! When he thinks I’m bored (such as those long hours I spend typing) he pushes them back and then whines about it. Good thing he’s also trained my husband to retrieve them. The two of us are quite a pair, spending our evenings pulling dog toys from beneath the sofa. However, I’m also back in writing mode and Baxter has resumed his daily residency under the desk when he’s not hiding his tennis balls. So far he’s offering no opinion on my new pages…
Hope you’re all doing well!
April 23rd, 2009: Comfort Food is a Bestseller!
So thrilled that Comfort Food is #25 on the New York Times Bestseller list! I am excited and grateful beyond belief. I am so thankful to be able to share my stories - writing has been my dream (and my compulsion) since I was a little girl. Thanks for reading.
BTW, I think I am starting to really get the hang of Twitter. I find myself wanting to type my most random thoughts into my cell phone and send them along! Also wanted to let you know I am trying something new tonight: I am going to Twitter the Borders Bookclub. What this means is readers who are joining in the discussions in their local Borders can twitter questions about FNKC directly to me at my Twitter username, KateJacobsBooks, and I am going to choose a selection and Twitter my replies. I am not the most technical person but so far tweeting is a ton of fun. Maybe soon I am finally going to start a Facebook page too.
It’s been another whirlwind week. Super to the catch up with the folks at Kirkwood Knittery in St. Louis and to see all of the wonder knitters from Shabby Sheep who came out to the jam-packed signing at the Dallas Barnes & Noble. And I even snuck in a visit to see podcaster Marly at the Knick Knack yarn shop in Arvada Colorado! Am soaking in a few more minutes of beautiful Colorado mountain scenery before flying to New Mexico for tonight’s event at Bookworks in Albuquerque. My first trip EVER to beautiful New Mexico. Can’t wait!
p.s. Special thanks to my friend Nicole at The Bookworm in Edwards; Nicole and I used to be at Working Woman magazine together almost a decade ago. And now she runs an absolutely stunning bookstore-cafe! It was such a treat to be able to sit down and catchup in person.
April 21st, 2009: FNKC is Borders Book Club choice!
As I often mention, every month I telephone about 40 book clubs. (Yup, that’s
more than a book club a day!) It’s one of my great joys because it’s such a
privilege to speak to readers of every age and in every state. (Coming up soon
is my first book club with some ex-pats in Saudi Arabia; I love going global!)
Inviting me to call-in is simple: just send an email via the Contact page.
However, as promised last week, I wanted to give you more details on a new and
exciting development: The Friday Night Knitting Club has been chosen by
Borders as the first selection to kick off their brand-new Borders Book Club.
The program officially launches this coming Thursday – April 23 – with a book
club event in all of the Borders stores at 7pm local time. That’s a lot of
stores! (You can find your local Borders here.) I recently taped a welcome
message so I could greet everyone “personally” and I even start off the
discussion by answering a few common questions about FNKC. Then a Borders
staffer in each store will lead a group discussion. It’s going to be awesome!
And there will be snacks and goodies at most stores, so you can get together
with your friends (and perhaps make some new friends) and just enjoy a fun,
social evening.
Why do I think book clubs are great? I’ll tell you. It’s a night for readers
to come together, not as somebody’s wife/mother/boss/employee (pick whichever
applies) but simply as individuals. Where you can just relax, think, express
opinions. A place to recharge and make YOU the priority. Don’t belong to a
club? Check out bookstores, libraries, community groups. There are lots of
clubs open to new members. Nervous? Don’t be. You have a ready-made
conversation starter – it’s easy to join a new club because you never have to
worry what you’ll talk about – and a group of like-minded readers who are also
looking for community & connection. I so appreciate every single reader who
chooses to read my novels, and part of why I call book clubs is so that I can
personally thank as many readers as possible. But book clubs are not just
about my novels. They’re about nurturing ourselves, enjoying that imaginative
escape from the every day, and simply taking some time to reflect and center
ourselves. Read! Join a book club! Talk. Laugh. Talk some more. Most of all,
enjoy!
And now I’m off to a book signing in Dallas tonight!
April 17th, 2009: Whirl of a tour!
Well, I have a ton of photos to put up! It’s been cupcake central at almost every book signing. (Yum yum yum…) I think I’m in love with red velvet. You can see on the events page all of the great bakeries who are co-sponsoring events.
Plus I have SUPER news: Comfort Food is #24 on the NYT extended bestseller list and #20 on the Indie Bestsellers List. And that’s all in the first week on sale! Wonderfully exciting and thanks to all of you who are taking a bite out of Comfort Food.
More news coming soon! I want to fill you in on the new Borders Book Club: FNKC is the store’s first pick and book club discussions are taking place in every Borders store on April 23 at 7pm local time. Go to Borders.com to find a store near you.
And I want to fill you in on some of my adventures from the road. (Wait until you hear about the reader — she was really so nice! — who accidentally spilled her coffee all over the signing table and all over me. Was I ever happy the coffee wasn’t too hot! But don’t worry: I saved the copies of Comfort Food from getting wet!) I’ll tell you more stories later — but first I must get a little sleep here in Nashville as tomorrow it’s on to Louisville.
p.s. My tweets are getting more frequent! Come check out Twitter; my username is KateJacobsBooks.
April 7th, 2009: New! Comfort Food paperback on sale
It’s always a thrill when a new book comes to stores. I am kicking off a month-long tour with a signing at Chester County Books in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Note to everyone: Expect some of the most delicious cupcakes and treats at many of the events! One fun thing being done is supporting the local economies of each city by encouraging participation from local yarn shops and bakeries and cake shops. I’ll read and sign your books while you also have an opportunity to discover some of the wonderful wares available from shops in your area.
I’ll be in New Jersey, New York, and New Hampshire this week — a celebration of the Northeast and time to sneak in visits with friends and family. That’s one of my favorite things about touring: I get a chance to meet new readers, renew acquaintances with readers I’ve met at previous signings or whose book clubs I’ve called, and also have a chance to enjoy face-to-face gabfests with friends I don’t get to see often enough now that I live in California. This tour is truly national, with stops also in the South and the Midwest and even the Southwest. Check out all the details on the Events page.
p.s. The “Georgia” afghan from Knit Two is now online. Go to the Books page and look for “Knit.” Recipes coming soonish.
April 6th, 2009: Tweets and Twitters and text messages, oh my
As some of you know, I have a MySpace page and I have this blog (where sometimes I go on and on and other times…I write sporadically. Clue: You always know I’m deep into a new book when there are no entries, btw). But I’ve just decided to add something new to the mix – I signed up for a Twitter account. My handle is KateJacobsBooks and I’ll be tweeting random thoughts and tour info and who knows what else? I look forward to tweeting with you!
March 30th, 2009: New tour starting soon!
Happy Spring! I can hardly believe April is almost here: 2009 has already been a whirlwind. I had a fabulous winter book tour for the hardcover of Knit Two – I have a ton of photos and will share them soon – and I especially enjoyed the in-person visits with the book clubs in Wisconsin Rapids, St. Joseph, Missouri, and Grimsby, Ontario who won the book-club-visit giveaway. Then I spent the past several weeks at home, working on a new book but also feeling a bit under the weather. (Everyone I know has battled something this winter!) Thankfully, I’m all better now and just in time to head on the road again to share the new paperback of Comfort Food.
The cover is gorgeous and the new paperback even has a secret Jacobs family recipe in the back. (It really does!) I am really looking forward to doing an event at my local knit shop – Pearl’s Knitting Parlor – on April 3rd in Thousand Oaks. And then I’m signing books with stops in California, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico. Plus I am speaking at two fundraising events in Massachusetts and back home in California at the end of April. The specifics and map info is available on the Events page. So I hope to see each of you soon. Come on by and say hello!
Confidential to every wonderful knitter making the Georgia afghan from Knit Two: I wanted each of you to make the throw whatever length was desired. But for those of you who prefer specifics: About 980 to 1200 yards will do nicely. Have fun!
November 24th, 2008: Novel Adventures Dec 1 & Knit Two Nov 25!
The day I’ve been waiting for is sooo close: Knit Two goes on sale tomorrow! My tour dates are up on the Events page and address info has been added. Phoenix and Toronto are recent updates and the tour kicks off with a signing in Encino next week on Dec 2. I have a packed schedule but it’s going to be very fun and I hope to see you!
Plus I wanted to let you know I’m running a new giveaway in which I’ll make in-person visits to winning book clubs to discuss Knit Two. Sign up soon! (Of course, I continue to telephone book clubs – just send me an email if you’d like me to talk with your group.)
And the web episode of Novel Adventures in which I appear – it’s called “The Prince and the Perfect Taco” – had a date change and is now going to air online on Monday, Dec 1. Go to cbs.com and you can catch up on all the previous episodes!
Finally, I send best wishes to each and every one of you for a very happy Thanksgiving week. I’m very much looking forward to spending the holiday with my husband and our friends. (And Baxter is stoked – he just loves turkey!)
November 3rd, 2008: Novel Adventures
Want to check out something fun? I’m going to appear in a show! Go to CBS.com and look for Novel Adventures – an original Web series by Jonathan Prince about four women who join a book club…and are inspired by a different book each week to embark on adventures that help them find fulfillment. Each episode – or webisode – will air for 48 hours at CBS.com, TheInsider.com, and TV.com and then roll out on the CBS Audience Network as well as be available on itunes.com.
Now here’s the really wild part: I’m in episode 6, airing on November 24! And Knit Two comes to stores on November 25! My role in Novel Adventures was to be novelist Kate Jacobs, so it really wasn’t much of a stretch. But what an experience to be on a set. Very fun. And kinda surreal. I was so worried I’d forget my lines! The actors were all funny and smart and very kind to me: Daphne Zuniga (One Tree Hill) plays Laura, a recently divorced mom; Paola Turbay (Cane) is Joanna, a single attorney looking for love; Ashley Williams (How I Met Your Mother) is Lizzie, a newlywed struggling with life in a new city; and Jolie Jenkins (Desperate Housewives) plays Amy, a happily married baker who yearns for a baby. The episode I’m in on November 24 is called “The Prince and the Perfect Taco” and you’ll have to tune in to see why. Of course, my segment is even easier to follow if you’ve been catching the whole series so definitely check it out. And hey, go easy on me: I haven’t acted in anything since tenth grade when I was Mrs. Stanley in The Man Who Came to Dinner. Between you and me, I’m a lot better playing myself!
September 29th, 2008: Great Summer & New Book!
Okay, I’m a little sheepish for not writing in such a long time. But only a little bit! You see, I’ve had a busy summer since I returned from the Comfort Food tour. Here’s what I’ve been up to: I called nearly 100 book clubs this summer alone to chat about The Friday Night Knitting Club and Comfort Food. Plus I threw out the ceremonial first pitch at an LA Dodgers game as part of the Stitch n’ Pitch group – and yes, I had to learn to throw a ball first! I was the worst player on my third grade softball team so this sudden honor brought with it a lot of trepidation. The good news? I was able to spend the evening knitting in the stands afterward with everyone else. (Thanks to Barry Klein of Trendsetter Yarns for being the catcher!) What else? Well, my husband and I drove to Canada to visit my family. Hung out with the niece and nephews. And we taught Baxter how to swim in the lake, and then the river. (I know, I know, a Springer Spaniel that had never swam before… But you should see him now! He’s like a dog version of Michael Phelps.) Not to mention I turned thirty-five and am (almost) completely fine about it. So the past few months have been hectic. Some days even a tad stressful. And other times exhilarating. Because I’ve also been quietly, quickly, and intensely working on a new book, a novel that I am so excited to share with all of you. I wrote the sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club! The new book is titled Knit Two and it’s coming to stores on November 25. Read the first chapter on the Books page and keep an eye on the Events page: There are book signings coming up in December and January in all sorts of places. Looking forward to hearing from you and hope to see you as I travel around this winter!
Happy Spring! I can hardly believe April is almost here: 2009 has already been a whirlwind. I had a fabulous winter book tour for the hardcover of Knit Two – I have a ton of photos and will share them soon – and I especially enjoyed the in-person visits with the book clubs in Wisconsin Rapids, St. Joseph, Missouri, and Grimsby, Ontario who won the book-club-visit giveaway. Then I spent the past several weeks at home, working on a new book but also feeling a bit under the weather. (Everyone I know has battled something this winter!) Thankfully, I’m all better now and just in time to head on the road again to share the new paperback of Comfort Food.
