The book cover isn’t done yet, but I hope to share it with you in the next few weeks. Meanwhile,
in my last newsletter, I mentioned my press gave me a PDF of the manuscript and that it was time to gather endorsements for my book. Jacqueline Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean) had written one, but I had a list of 30 authors to ask. “Basically, please read my book and write an endorsement.” (AKA a ‘blurb’.) Many were gracious enough to say they wished they could, but sadly, didn’t have the time. But several said yes and ………..
I was bowled over by the responses I received. It was hard to believe what I was reading. I experienced a bit of imposter syndrome. Here’s a sample!
“A beautifully honest memoir of motherhood, The Shape of Normal is a powerful testament to how our children challenge us to accept them for who they are.”
“Praise for Cathy Shields The Shape of Normal:
Raw, compelling, and brutally honest, this page-turner is a tender exploration of the nuances of raising a child with cerebral palsy that focuses on the often-overlooked emotions of the love, fear, guilt, and loneliness caregivers struggle with as they navigate a life they never imagined. Filled with beauty and insight, The Shape of Normal is impossible to put down.”
“Catherine Shields provides a beautifully crafted and unvarnished portrayal of parenting a child with a disability and the effects it has on relationships within the family dynamic. It is a deeply personal voyage of self-discovery that offers a roadmap for every parent who is struggling with feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy to move beyond the conventional definition of normal by learning how to accept differences and embrace the diversity of the human experience.”
Now I’d like to ask for volunteers to help me launch this book
If everyone who receives this newsletter could share this with friends, or anyone interested in my book, that would be a BIG help!
Help me grow my audience by encouraging friends and colleagues to join. If possible, connect me with any influencers/celebrities/authority figures you might know who might be willing to help promote The Shape of Normal
And follow me on social media & share / react to my posts about The Shape of Normal
Here are my links to the website, social media, and newsletter:
https://www.cathyshieldswriter.com
https://substack.com/@cathyshieldswriter
https://www.instagram.com/cathyshieldswriter
https://www.facebook.com/cathy.p.shields.3
Thank you to those volunteers who have offered to help me. I will be in touch soon.
Is anyone interested in helping me organize or help with launch events or podcasts, review the book on their or their friends’ blogs, etc? Email me.
Finally, I want to share more news. I was invited to speak about my upcoming book on this podcast with Janeice Garrard. Please give a listen!
We discussed the challenges of raising a child with different abilities.
Here’s the link:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/janeice-garrard/episodes/The-Shape-of-Normal-Guest-Catherine-Shields-e2609gc
Second, thanks to Hope Clark @ hope@fundsforwriters.com, I gained a couple of followers. She republished an essay I wrote for Brevity. In case you want to read the essay, here’s an excerpt
Two weeks later, I received the revised manuscript. The sculpting almost made me cry. The opening scene disappeared; the one everyone told me had to remain for my hook, the one where the doctor labels my child profoundly retarded.
In her editorial notes, she wrote: Don’t give the whole story away in the first chapter.
She moved scenes and pointed out where I needed to build scenes or add dialogue, but she hadn’t twisted my voice into her own words. What she had done was fiddle with structure. That’s when I finally understood the power of a good editor. Monica was the surgeon, I, the intern. She taught me what to cut away to repair and restructure.
You can read the whole essay here
The Power of the Editor | BREVITY's Nonfiction Blog (wordpress.com)