Raphi's boats
Shhhhh...

Shine, baby, shine

I'm going to go ahead here and give you another glimpse into what a sad, little person I am. I'm okay with that, because admitting it is sort of my penance, and by doing so, I get to give you a present of sorts, and you deserve it. Yes, you. You DO.

Remember a few years back, when I was lucky enough to tag along with some very talented women on the blog Five Full Plates? It started out as a weight loss contest, then morphed into a carnival of fail series of different challenges. Then we all wandered off, exhausted and distracted as usual. Heh. 

Anyhow, one of the participants there was Lydia Netzer. I've still never met Lydia face to face, but got to know her somewhat through the blog. We're Face Book friends, lest you think it's not a real relationship. And some news I heard on ye olde Face Book was that Lydia sold her novel. THE novel. The one she'd been writing for a decade!

Well, The Novel just came out. Shine, Shine, Shine. And I responded to this news with a lovely bouquet of emotions that I will now show you. There was some, "oh jeez, I'm going to have to say something nice about this, even though it's about robots or something. SO do not care about robots." And a dash of, "I kind of hate her for being so amazing." (In case you don't know, Lydia is also a homeschooler. Who sings in a rock band. And recently took an amazing trip to France. And oh yeah, NOVEL.) Wrap all that up in a lovely ribbon of self-centered pouting, and you have a pretty good idea of my small, sad little person self. 

 I know, it just makes you proud, doesn't it?

Well, despite my small self (I would like to point out that I referred to my self as "small" three times now without making a self-deprecating remark about my weight. Score one for my wizened soul), I went ahead and ordered the audio book version of her book, because it's read by Joshilyn Jackson, and I thought that sounded like fun, listening to her read.

Oh. Oh. You guys. This book? It. Is. So. Good.

It's beautiful and complex and wise and funny. I got severely annoyed with myself for buying the audio book, rather than a book book, because I got obsessed with the story and the characters, and I wanted to gulp it down, rather than listening at a measured pace. I was so invested in the characters that when it was over, and I listened to the interview Joshilyn did with Lydia, I got cranky at both of them for talking about how the book evolved, because I didn't like them talking about Sunny like that. 

I loved it so much, that I'm going to have to go ahead an buy a print copy, because owning the audio file doesn't feel secure enough. 

So here's my gift to you: go buy this book. Go. Now. If you're my brother, go buy it, and then write inside, "To Josh, from Kira - YOU'RE WELCOME." Trust me, you'll thank me. (I know that as gifts go, this one is sort of...lame, but I already told you how pitiful I am, and still, YOU WILL THANK ME.)

And Lydia? Thanks for writing it. You truly are a rock star.

Comments

Lydia

Awwww, thank you for this. You are so spectacular. :) And dear.

Thumper

I saw the book pop up on Amazon and almost bought it...now I know I should. So I will. And since I love audiobooks while I walk and I love Joshilyn's reading style, I'll probably pop for the audio version as well. So...thank you!

:::wandering off to Amazon:::

CarolM

I am about 30% into it, and loving it!

Julie in Colorado (was Austin)

I just started listening yesterday and am really enjoying it. I'm kinda looking forward to housework today since it means I can listen some more. Thanks Kira and Lydia!

Midj

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED listening to Joshilyn Jackson reading her _A Grown Up Kind of Pretty_ so will have to listen to this one also. Thanks for the gift! And thanks to Mir for introducing me to you all on Five Full Plates...

Jill W.

I got the ebook version and I LOVED it. So different and so beautiful. Brilliant.

And now you have me missing FFP...

Tenessa

I LURVED this book as read by the Great Joshilyn Jackson. I would like to thank Mrs. Jackson for introducing me to Mir, Kira and Lydia cause all your blogs ROCK! Sincerely, Me.

SillyMe

Ha! It took me a couple of seconds to figure out why it was such a lame gift if it was such a good book. Good books are awesome gifts! Then I realized that you made him go out and buy it for himself and then also write the gift note to himself. Hmmm. I wonder who writes the thank you note. I'll have to ask Miss Manners...

Karin Carter

KIRA! Cut it out! You are beautiful, and you make people--who've never seen your face or heard your voice--laugh and cry.

You are beautiful.

And thank you!

Aimee

I gulped this book down in two days. It was SO good. I have not bought the audio version YET, but I get paid tomorrow and then? I shall buy it!

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