When I published my fourth book, In Discovery, in 2019, I decided I’d never write another essay collection. Four is my lucky number, and that volume seemed to be a natural end point for the “series.” I mean, how much was I, was life, going to change in the future? Not that much!
Mind you, this is someone who predicted that cassette tapes would be popular forever, midi skirts would not come back in fashion, and eating kale would never catch on. Obviously, my crystal ball turned out to be completely opaque, or I would have seen the last four crazy years coming, years in which the midi was revived, kale graced every single restaurant menu, and the cassette tape receded further into the distant past. With my abysmal prophetic track record, it is perhaps not a shock that, in fact, EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD has changed. And these cataclysmic changes have been far more consequential than music, fashion, and trendy veggies.
Encouraged by some (OK, a few) friends and fans, I began to consider Book #5. This tome would cover the pandemic, Aiden and Peter’s continuing childhoods, my retirement from Christ’s Lutheran Church. Still, I found multitudinous excuses NOT to put a new book together. The living room needed to be painted! Meaning: Steve needed to paint the living room, and I needed to observe! The boys needed my undivided attention! Actually, Aiden and Peter are blessed with two very involved parental units, plus they’re getting to be more independent all the time. Oh, yes--I needed to process my final months as a church worker! Except I now realize this is a “forever” process, and meanwhile I have to eat and sleep and, maybe, write another book.
Once I committed to the task, I went through the Five Stages of Writing--
Denial: it should only take me a week or two to finish
Anger: or at least envy of my fellow scribes, who seem to crank out book after book without breaking a sweat
Bargaining: “Dear God, help me go viral on a platform, any platform, and I’ll never trespass again!” Alas, my only “virals” still involve nasty stomachaches and fevers
Depression: after all these years, how can I STILL stink as a writer?
Acceptance: OK, back to work
As of today, the book is titled, formatted, book-cover-designed and back-cover-blurbed. I have reached out to locations for book launch parties (in Philly and in Lewes). I am immersed in articles and websites that offer helpful marketing tips and tricks (much as I’d love to just sit back and field a zillion requests for copies, it seems I have to actually put in some work advertising this thing. Drat).
So, friends, consider this my official announcement: Nanamorphosis: Reflections on an Ever-Evolving Life, is an actual thing! Soon to be a major motion picture! Or perhaps just a doorstop! (I am grateful for any purchase, and truly don’t mind if that's how you use the book--just don't tell me:-)
Thanks SO much for your support of me and my writing over the years!! I treasure my readersl!!
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I am an author (of five books, numerous plays, poetry and freelance articles,) a retired director (of Spiritual Formation at a Lutheran church,) and a producer (of five kids).
I write about my hectic, funny, perfectly imperfect life.
Please visit my website: www.eliseseyfried.com or email me at eliseseyf@gmail.com.
