Hello from The Greenbrier! This is your friendly Cranky Publicist checking in to assure you all that Nora is alive and well — just finishing a book.
Last summer I noticed moving the “big” book (i.e., Come Sundown, Shelter in Place) from spring to summer meant instead of finishing before summer travel, Nora’s fitting in the finish while traveling. (Remember, she likes to be a year ahead of a release date.)
So what’s new? Well it was my birthday last week. And I’m having cataract surgery next month…
What’s that? You want to know about Nora?
Fine.
The theme of Nora’s summer is Stop then Go.
After the Kayla’s trip to NYC, Nora had about a week of work before heading off on the annual family trip to the spa. One highlight was group painting night. Fascinating to see how everyone interpreted the picture, isn’t it?
Post-spa, Nora had four days of work before her and BW’s annual summer barbeque. I drove up the day before to serve as line cook and pot washer. I shelled 3 dozen hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs, while Kayla made the trifle.
Nora? Oh she was there too.
Last week, Nora put in another solid four days on the book before she had to break to pack for our week at Greenbrier. Normally it’s an easy pack but she spent one day of the week shooting video for St. Martin’s Press, so she had to come up with wardrobe for Nora and for JD. She sacrificed a work day because the weekend was devoted to the Turn the Page Anniversary signing.
In another nod to classic writing at the TTP anniversary signing, Barbara Delinskey and Linda Howard visited the store and many happy readers.
You’ll see my reaction to Linda here: [KGVID]http://fallintothestory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20180721_104227.mp4[/KGVID]
We met sisters and cousins and moms thrilled to be together. Groups of sisters of the heart traveled to Maryland, including this Drink Therapy group from Chicago.
Despite rain setting in halfway through, the energy remained upbeat and excited for the entire 4 hours.
The next day was the Fall Into the Story brunch at Vesta. Nora picked five readers to sit at her table from the bag of raffle tickets then everyone else filled in spaces. I stopped at all the tables to chat, then came back with Nora for more chat and photos.
[KGVID]http://fallintothestory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20180722_140538.mp4[/KGVID]
The brunch culminates in a raffle of baskets from Nora, Turn the Page, Gifts Inn BoonsBoro and Inn BoonsBoro. This year, the raffle raised over $1300 for Set The Stage – a non profit chosen by the Nora Roberts Foundation.
And then we came to The Greenbrier.
Yesterday’s shoot went very smoothly. I can’t show much but these are snaps I put on Instagram.
After Nora finished, we did a quick Facebook Live, then meandered out to watch the Houston Texans arrive for training camp. Nora could not care less about football, but she came along for the walk. Then we paused for a selfie in front of the cameras set up for a press conference with the Texans GM, and the NFL Networks James Palmer joined the snap.
The rest of the week, Nora will go through the final draft of the July 2019 book in the mornings, I’ll catch up with my own work and then we’re off to hang out with our friends.
Once back and after Kayla’s Sweet 16 party, Nora has a solid week of work before she, Bruce, Jason and Kat set off for Montana. Travelogues will again be the order of the day for a couple of weeks next month. Though as I mentioned above and on Facebook Live, I’m having cataract surgery on both eyes, a week apart in August. There may be a delay or two because of recovery, but I plan to keep things moving smoothly while Nora’s in Montana.
And that’s all the Nora updates fit to print.
One last order of business: Five lucky readers will win an advance reader copy of Leverage in Death at the end of St. Martin’s Press new sweepstakes. All the details here: Leverage in Death ARC sweepstakes.
The abbreviated rules of the contest: No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. who are age 18 or older and of the legal age of majority. Entry period begins at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 16, 2018 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on July 29, 2018. Void where prohibited. For full Official Rules, visit https://read.macmillan.c
Laura
I just walked into work from having a root canal and was delighted to see this e-mail. I took the time to read it all, while my face was still numb. Sounds like you have all been busy. Excited for for the travelogues. Laura – certainly hope all goes well with your eye surgery.
Heal well, Laura. Have a wonderful vacation, Nora!
Laura – You are a delight! Happy Belated Birthday and sending you healing Reiki for your upcoming surgery.
Thanks for today’s smile!
Susan
So glad to see this post. Nora has us spoiled with her frequent blogs and it seemed like it had been awhile.
Looking forward to the travel blog.
Cataract surgery is a breeze, you will do just great, Laura!
Good luck with your surgery, Laura! Happy travels Nora- can’t wait for your travel adventures- and the books to come. I can’t believe how grown up Ksyla is- and she is just beautiful. Soon you’ll have another grand baby to spoil. Blessed Be to all! Enjoy the rest of Summer. I can’t wait for Autumn!
Love the color of Nora’s hair. You all look so good. Love the painted pictures. As an aside, Laura I had the same surgery. Piece of cake. Just make sure you use the drops supplied.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Laura, you are the best. I want to be you. Please know you are so appreciated by all of Nora’s readers, and – while we miss hearing about all things NR/JDR – we miss you as well when the frequency of the blog posts slows down.
Take good care, before and after surgery, and have a blast at the Greenbrier. Hugs to you, and to your “boss”.
PS – Can I be you with Nora’s hair color?
This is so true, we certainly appreciate Laura.
I had a filling done this morning at 8:30 am CDT. It is now 1:33 pm CDT and my lip and chin are just now getting over feeling funky. I hope your numbness wore off easily.
Laura, I had cataract surgery in April. Such wonderful results! I went from wearing glasses 24/7 to only needing reading glasses for small print. I don’t have to wear glasses to see the dashboard in my car or see my phone, etc. Kaiser offers the option of having both eyes done at once and that made it so much easier to manage eye drops etc. Hope your experience is as positive as mine was!
Thanks for the updates, Laura. I just finished reading” Shelter in Place” from the library and can’t wait to own my own copy as I think it’s one of Nora’s Best Books Ever! I then had to reread “Come Sundown” on my Kindle. 🙂
Good luck with your cataract surgery, Laura. Heal well and quickly. Happy Belated Birthday!
Wow,! Busy, busy. Are you old enough for cataract surgery? In any case, best of luck – doctors work miracles on eyes these days. Looking forward to the new books and to Nora’s next travelogue.
Bless your heart (non sarcadtically!). I’m very, very near sighted and despite wearing sunglasses for decades I do have cataracts. I just couldn’t really notice them since I can’t see in the first place.
Laura
One of the things I enjoyed in Shelter in Place was the need for “downtime”, silence that one felt so needed to recover or just be. And how comfortable everyone seemed with it against all one witnesses in dailylife. So, you’re entitled to “go away”. Still it’s good to receive the “lmreeth just posted” notification on Insta 😉
Nora has a BEAUTIFUL family. They all look like from one series Nora could write about but intead chose to create and enjoy in full.
Laura,
Do take care! It’s not brain surgery but it isn’t a walk in the park and to be honest the sight is my most treasured sense so I’ll pray for a speedy and great recovery. Be Well 🙂
Enjoy Summer! We have like hundreds of books to entertain us until you both get back to “normal” life ❤️
May you all have a happy and fun filled Summer, Nora bunch ???
Good luck with Surgery! Have a great vacation Nora.
Thanks for updates and pics.
Happy Birthday, Laura. I have one piece of advise re cataract surgery. My husband had both eyes done, 4 weeks apart, a few years ago. Doc didn’t tell him, to cut out baby aspirin or fish oil pills ( a few days before surgery ) which are blood thinners. After the first eye was done, he was all black under his eye. Doc said as soon as i cut, i realized u must be on aspirin etc. Second eye, we were smarter, & he came away w/no bruizing at all.
This is really amusing, but I too had a root canal today, after going w/o for years. Coming home, It’s a treat to read your post, & i’m really looking forward to the travelogues.
Thanks for the updates. I had both eyes done three years ago. On the way home from the first one, I was completely amazed at everything I had been missing! You’ll really like seeing sharp and clear.
Happy Birthday, Laura! Mine was on the 9th. Decades ago, when my grandmother had cataract surgery, she had to lie in a dark room for what seemed like weeks after. She didn’t mind it, because she was going blind and cataract surgery was so new. It was a gift. How wonderful that the surgery – and the recovery – is so much better now. Mind the doctor and the next pictures we see of you ought to be glasses-free! Kayla’s trifle upped my blood sugar, just looking at the picture! I did about twice that many deviled eggs for a family reunion and it took me years before I could face making them again – lol. Hope you have a wonderful Montana adventure, Nora, though missing out on the dude ranch means missing some truly comedic moments, I’d think – lol. Happy summer, all!
Happy Belated Birthday.
And will be thinking positive thoughts towards your surgery. (Got to watch my mom’s cataract surgery and it was really neat and amazing to see- cloudy grey blue eye became a light blue and all of a sudden my dingy brown sweater in progress became a beautiful plum color… )
Thanks for the Nora update. I have been missing her blog.
Lovely to see Kayla transforming into an adult! humbling as well,
Barbara
Take care. Laura!! I hope all goes well and your recovery time is quick. Please update us as to your progress when you can.
Thanks for the update! I love that the “big book” will go back to a July release date, it gives me something to look forward to for a great summer read
So busy ! And you both look great.
Cataract surgery was something I dreaded and put off, until I couldn’t any longer. Best results ever! I only need glasses for driving. Can read even the tiniest print. So happy with results. I’m sure you will be too.
Can’t wait for the vacation travelogue.
Really, how many days of the year does Nora have at home with her honey and/or family?
Honestly, most of them. They have planned breaks throughout the year and the long vacation with family is the summer tradition.
Laura
That’s wonderful, considering how many books she writes a year plus all the activities. Thanks for responding. ?
My message is for you, Sweet Laura! I just finished having Cataract surgery and it could not have been quicker nor easier than 1-2-3, Less than an hour and and I was off to enjoy my time off work for the surgery. Not much pain and very quick to heal. I was back at work 48 hours later. Had my left eye done and then, a month later, my right eye. I use to wear glasses 24/7 but not any more. I have to use readers but that’s it! Please don’t sweat it. Get well soon as well love and miss you too!
Thank you so much Amy!
Left eye is today, right is in a week. I’m extremely nearsighted and haven’t seen the world without glasses or contacts since 1971 so I’m very curious!
Laura
I’m behind on reading this blog. Happy to hear from you both. Happy Belated Birthday Laura, and I hope your recovery goes smoothly (not just so that we can get more blog posts ? lol).
I’m not a big fan of summer as I agree with you Laura about the heat….yuck. However I completely enjoy the more frequent blogs and tails of adventures! Thanks as always for sharing! I’m excited for the Montana blogs and #RandomKatness. As they always fall closer to my birthday, I like to think of them as my birthday gift ?!