The First Time…
There are all sorts of firsts in life – first kiss, first car,
first love… With all due respect to my first kiss and my first love (and no,
they’re not the same) the first I remember most clearly is riding down the
sidewalk in front of my childhood home without my father holding onto my bike.
first love… With all due respect to my first kiss and my first love (and no,
they’re not the same) the first I remember most clearly is riding down the
sidewalk in front of my childhood home without my father holding onto my bike.
He’d let go before and I’d crashed. Spectacularly. I had the
skinned knees and scraped fingers to prove it. I told him I couldn’t do it. He told me I could. Lord knows, I
wanted to ride that bike. It was pink with a white banana seat, white handles
and hot pink streamers. I wanted it so badly I could taste it, so I tried
again.
skinned knees and scraped fingers to prove it. I told him I couldn’t do it. He told me I could. Lord knows, I
wanted to ride that bike. It was pink with a white banana seat, white handles
and hot pink streamers. I wanted it so badly I could taste it, so I tried
again.
The next time, I stayed upright. I flew. The bumps that, on
previous trips, had sent me careening into the neighbors’ lawns were just…bumps.
Behind me, my father cheered. Ahead of me, the world opened up like a new Nancy
Drew, with me as the heroine and untold adventures hiding around every corner.
previous trips, had sent me careening into the neighbors’ lawns were just…bumps.
Behind me, my father cheered. Ahead of me, the world opened up like a new Nancy
Drew, with me as the heroine and untold adventures hiding around every corner.
On Tuesday, February 17th, I will experience
another first. The Deep End, will release.
I wish my father could hold onto the back of my banana seat
and whisper advice – Don’t obsess over
rankings, honey. Don’t drive your children crazy checking reviews on Goodreads.
Remember, not everyone will like it. He’d be right – about all of it.
and whisper advice – Don’t obsess over
rankings, honey. Don’t drive your children crazy checking reviews on Goodreads.
Remember, not everyone will like it. He’d be right – about all of it.
He’d also be right if he told me to look out for adventures hiding around every corner.
Great analogy Julie! So excited for your release week and to read my own copy of THE DEEP END.
Thanks, Amy! And may I just say that I adore your new cover?
My daddy wasn't one to run, gardening was more his speed, and listening to baseball on a lawn chair under a big tree. His approach to bike riding was to have us start at the top of the small hill of our back yard and coast down. If we fell, it was on grass. Once we could manage the length of the driveway, he added a lesson in turning safely, and then we were off to see the world. Ah, the confidence to master challenges and head out. I'm not sure how parents stand the suspense as their chicks go out into the unknown. Congratulations on a brave and wonderful adventure!