My Book Is Finally Out There!

[kate]

It's been pretty interesting to have so many people who don't know us well suddenly get the real picture of what this is like.

A few days ago a friend from church stopped me in the lounge and said, wow, you know I just figured your husband had some genetic thing . . . I didn't even know he was injured. (She joined the church a few years after his accident.) It seems impossible--and sad-- to me that there are people in the world who can't remember a time when he was still whole and healthy.

The best part of having written this so far happened last Saturday night. My daughter's youth group was doing a coffeehouse/talent show fundraiser for their mission trip. I had volunteered to read some excerpts as my "talent", and I was standing up there looking out at everybody and getting to say thank you. Both our girls were in the room, smiling at me . . . and I got to tell the crowd that Bruce wasn't with us because he was, um, SKIING!

(For those who don't know, that's how he broke his neck . . .but now almost 6 years later he's a high intermediate sit-skier who never misses a chance to get up in the mountains again.)

It was a sweet moment.

www.lulu.com/unbreakable

[Joni 66]

Hi Kate...I have been perusing this site for the past month. My son was injured in an auto accident on 8/19/06 and he is now a T12 Paraplegic (complete). He is 24 years old and this has not only affected him, but also has impacted the lives of our whole family. I am very interested in reading your book. I like to read how other people cope. So far we have been doing pretty well. He has maintained his sense of humor--I thank God for that! We do have our ups and downs, just as everyone else does. It's nice to know that we're not in this alone. Thank you for writing your book...and congratulations! I have just ordered your book and look forward to reading it.

Joni

[kate]

I like to read how other people cope. So far we have been doing pretty well. He has maintained his sense of humor--I thank God for that! We do have our ups and downs, just as everyone else does. It's nice to know that we're not in this alone. Thank you for writing your book...and congratulations! I have just ordered your book and look forward to reading it.

Joni

Thanks Joni--I really wanted a book like mine when it was all new . . . just some voice to tell me that in spite of everything, there was going to be some kind of "after" that sounded bearable.

Company and a sense of humor--it doesn't sound like much, but it turns out to be enough to keep you sane.

k

[mgoblue]

Is your book still available?

Kate, I glanced at your book a week or so ago and it looks great, clicked on the link today to order and when you go to the Lulu link, it says "this author has no published content."

[kate]

Kate, I glanced at your book a week or so ago and it looks great, clicked on the link today to order and when you go to the Lulu link, it says "this author has no published content."

yeah, when lulu changes their website in any way, we have to go back and confirm all the information again . . . try it in the morning, should work fine.

and thanks for asking! the book, as many of you know, is homemade in the same sense that learning to live with sci is homemade.

i wrote it during the 2nd year post, using our massive collection of emails, hospital records, and journals as resource material. i had a blessed month of solitude to work on it, courtesy of hedgbrook (a retreat center for women writers on whidbey island near our home) and that proved to be enough to get most of it drafted.

then more effort to get into shape, then my agent shopping it around, then 19 letters from editors saying basically hmmmmmm, this is great, but how would we market it?

i struggled with that question for a long time, and finally decided to use a publish on demand house, which is where it is now.

bruce (star of the book!) did the formatting, the cover design, and has handled all the communication with lulu.

i've been taking it to the local bookstores, (who are now stocking it), asking to do readings (one scheduled), and working on getting it into reading groups (4 so far).

also, at my church a lot of people have bought it and read it . . . very strange to know that all these folks now have access to the most intense days of our family's story.

i'm proud of this book, whatever happens to it. it's honest and funny and real--the way a new injury unfolds in the life of one little family trying to mind their own business and stay happy.

it shouldn't exist. sci should never happen, and it shouldn't have happened to us, and i shouldn't have been already trained to write this kind of story, and on demand publishing just appeared at the right moment, and--there are a dozen reasons why this book should not be. but it is.

[Obieone]

Just placed my order Kate .... am looking forward to a good read on a cold prairie winter night and congrats by the way if I haven't already said it!!

Obieone

[Bspill1]

Thanks for a great book.

My mother enjoyed it very much.

[kate]

Thanks for a great book.

My mother enjoyed it very much.

You're welcome--tell her I'm really glad she liked it.

[Joni 66]

Hi Kate-

I purchased your book and just finished reading it today. It was awesome! You did a great job! I felt a connection to some of the things you wrote about. The book was very honest and funny too. I read some of it to my son, Chad, since he isn't into reading. We had quite a few chuckles. I'm letting my family and friends read it and then I'm going to donate it to Magee Rehab in Philadelphia, PA...which is where my son went to rehab.

[kate]

Thanks Joni--I really, really feel happy every time somebody says it made them laugh. And it's great to know that maybe some of the people who work in rehab facilities get to hear an unvarnished account of what it's like to be us.

Today my favorite local bookstore owner (who has read it) said to me, "Kate, everybody's going to read this!" as he ordered 3 more copies. I sure hope he's right.

[catlady]

I really want to get your book... but lulu ships UPS and I've had horrible experiences with UPS charging exorbitant "brokerage fees" for stuff going to canada... any idea if you book will be available for download? or have any of you other canucks out there managed to get the book without getting charged 50$ extra? Seriously, I've been charged 15$ on a 2$ item before,not from the customs but from UPS itself. Otherwise I'll have to wait till I'm traveling in the States to get a copy!
Thanks!

[firewheels]

I really want to get your book... but lulu ships UPS and I've had horrible experiences with UPS charging exorbitant "brokerage fees" for stuff going to canada... any idea if you book will be available for download?

Shipping to Canada from Lulu is indeed a problem. I hope these suggestions don't lead anyone astray or create extra work:
- If the boojk is in distribution it will be available soon from Barnes Noble, etc. Their shipping to CA is cheaper than Lulu's.
- If Kate wants to go to the trouble, she can have a few books on hand to ship to Canada via regular postal mail. A note to this effect, with the shipping charge and an email address, can be put on her Lulu storefront. - fw

[kate]

thanks firewheels!

we'll look into how to do that . . . in the meantime, I'd be glad to ship from here to anybody who wants to PM me their address.

[Karen'sMom]

I received Kate's book in December (BC, Canada) and I don't remember any large fees with it. I don't remember now if they charged me shipping fees when I ordered it. Anyway, it's a great book Kate, and I just need to find time to finish it. I found that when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down, so I made myself put it away. I think I can take it out again now though!

I'm so glad you got to publish your book, and I just love it so far. It brings back a lot of memories though! ......... a lot of things I had completely forgotten about!

Darlene
www.karenbrain.ca

[Birdy]

I really really really want to order your book, but im having trouble ordering if off lulu- just keeps saying theres an error when i go to proceed with order, maybe its cos im in England? Anyone fancy sending me a copy over the pond!!