Sunday Reads: I Worked Hard and I Deserve This

Plus, a book cover reveal!

Four years ago, this week, I published my first book. God Land was a result of years of research and reporting that happened as my life was falling apart.

The week the book was published, I bought a house, got a new job, and began reporting on the Iowa caucuses.

For years, as I slogged my way through writing jobs, reporting on the Hiawatha city council, writing for the Daily Dot, writing for Mom.com, writing tweets for pet food companies, writing marketing copy, ghostwriting op-eds, writing blogs for YourTango, writing web copy for a now defunct jewelry seller, writing advertorials, and more, I would always tell people that my dream was to publish one book. Just one book.

I wanted more, but just didn’t feel possible to dream bigger than one book. I had gotten my MFA in 2011, and I had written two books (three actually, but that one will never be thought of again) and no agent wanted them. I was just a mother in the Midwest, with two small kids. I hadn’t gone to journalism school, I hadn’t worked for Gawker, I hadn’t gone to the Writer’s Workshop (rejected so many times, I say 4 times, but maybe more). I was not the student that won awards. Only two teachers in my life had ever told me that I was good at writing. (Thank you Mr. Olsen at Eden Prairie High School and Becky Fremo at Gustavus Adolphus College.)

I felt like I was lost in my own life.

In February, I will publish my third book! MY THIRD BOOK! That’s right, This American Ex Wife is coming out in February and OPE. Here is the cover!

You can of course, pre-order now, but if you wait, I’ll be doing a big pre-order campaign this fall with some giveaways. And I hear rumors there will be merch.