Exciting News!
It's sort of crazy how things come full circle. Two years ago at BlissDom (incidentally, where I'm headed off to shortly), I had several people tell me I should write a book -- a huge compliment. And at that conference, I actually thought of a book idea -- I was so excited about the idea that I drafted an outline on the plane ride home. But then I couldn't quite take the idea forward. It was a busy year -- I was traveling a lot, I got distracted by another book idea later that year (again, I outlined the concept during the ride home). And then I unexpectedly got pregnant. Which meant another busy year followed.
But then this past fall, one of the cofounders of Bibliomotion -- a Boston-based publishing house -- approached me after Pivot (apparently my co-host Whitney Johnson told Jill Friedlander to come talk to me). Jill and I had a very friendly chat but I honestly didn't think much of it -- that night I was truly in pure help-other-people-connect-to-one-another mode, not advance-my-own-agenda mode. Until Jill emailed me a week later asking to talk on the phone. We chatted about my book ideas and I was tasked with deciding which book I wanted to formally propose. After some mulling, I felt very much that I wanted to start with the book idea I had hatched first (at BlissDom 2010), but I wanted a co-pilot on the adventure. And as I prepared to depart for Camp Mighty in November, I realized that I had the utterly perfect potential partner in my brilliant friend Asha Dornfest, and I was thrilled that during our time together at Camp Mighty, she agreed to be my co-author. I returned home, dusted off my nearly two year old book outline, and within a mind-numbingly short amount of time, Asha and I edited and submitted the proposal, received an offer, signed with an amazing agent (OMG I feel like such a grownup...I have a literary agent!), and as of this morning, our book deal is official. I almost cannot believe this is really and truly happening!
But it is. And I am beyond excited. To collaborate with an amazing friend (incidentally, one of the very first bloggers I "met" on the internet) on a topic about which we feel immense collective passion. To be represented by a wonderful agent. To work with a fantastic, forward thinking publishing house. To be on my way to fulfilling a life list item. I'm so very grateful.
Asha and I will be sharing more about the book soon, but in a nutshell, the tentative title is Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More By Doing Less and we are viewing it as a "MacGyver's guide for modern parents" -- including advice to help overwhelmed and guilt-ridden parents shed the pressure to constantly "do" and instead make more mindful choices for their family time and resources. Incidentally, the title of my talk tomorrow at BlissDom is DO LESS as a Life Strategy. Clearly, I think about this stuff pretty much all the time.
Asha and I have some ideas about how we hope to integrate the community into the process. I hope you will come along for the ride!
Image credit: vintage typewriter illustration by Bear & Robot via Etsy
Comments
Many congratulations Christine! (and Asha!) So very excited for you both and can't wait to see your book!
Posted by: Fairly Odd Mother | February 23, 2012 10:22 AM | Reply to this comment
Wonderful news Christine!
Posted by: Danielle | February 23, 2012 10:24 AM | Reply to this comment
Wow! That is really exciting news. You and Asha will completely rock this. Congratulations!!
Posted by: Sheri | February 23, 2012 10:31 AM | Reply to this comment
Congrats! How wonderful! Would love to review it when the time comes.
Posted by: Angie at Baby Cheapskate | February 23, 2012 10:34 AM | Reply to this comment
YAY!!! Congratulations - I cannot wait to read your book. xox
Posted by: Lindsey | February 23, 2012 10:38 AM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations! We live minimalist so I can't wait to see what you guys come up with! Awesome!
Posted by: Brittany | February 23, 2012 10:55 AM | Reply to this comment
Oh man, if Oprah could see you now...;-). So happy for you, my dear friend!
Posted by: Paige | February 23, 2012 11:13 AM | Reply to this comment
So excited for you guys! And I love the title and concept - can't wait to read it.
Posted by: kristen howerton | February 23, 2012 11:29 AM | Reply to this comment
Hooray - CONGRATS!
Posted by: Karianna | February 23, 2012 11:44 AM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations, Christine! I'm very much looking forward to the book!
Posted by: Diane | February 23, 2012 11:46 AM | Reply to this comment
Awesome! I will read every word and follow it!
Posted by: RookieMom Whitney | February 23, 2012 11:55 AM | Reply to this comment
I can't wait to read it!
Posted by: A Facebook User | February 23, 2012 11:58 AM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations! So excited and happy for you both! Keep us posted along the ride!
Posted by: Julie | February 23, 2012 12:06 PM | Reply to this comment
Am I the luckiest, or what? This is going to be an incredible adventure, C. Incredible!
Posted by: Asha Dornfest {Parent Hacks} | February 23, 2012 12:16 PM | Reply to this comment
Oh. M. Gee. So excited for you both! Going to be an AMAZING book, no doubt, with the two of you mastermamas behind it. xx M
Posted by: Melissa | February 23, 2012 12:31 PM | Reply to this comment
Such exciting news, Christine! Congratulations!
Posted by: Melanie @ Mel, A Dramatic Mommy | February 23, 2012 12:42 PM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations Christine!!
Posted by: Salina Gonzales Frazier | February 23, 2012 2:28 PM | Reply to this comment
Congrats sweet lady!!!
Posted by: Renee | February 23, 2012 2:44 PM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations! That is amazing. And I love the topic...can't wait til it comes out!
Posted by: Erin Lane | February 23, 2012 2:46 PM | Reply to this comment
Well, that is some very awesome news indeed -- congrats!!!
Posted by: Liz | February 23, 2012 2:54 PM | Reply to this comment
Congrats - did you see the G section of the Boston Globe today? Very timely topic!!
Posted by: LaraChick | February 23, 2012 3:11 PM | Reply to this comment
Yayyyyyy!!!! So exciting!!!! I can't wait to read it! Congratulations :)
Posted by: Kim | February 23, 2012 3:48 PM | Reply to this comment
Congrats! LOVE the title and the idea behind it.
Posted by: Emily @ Random Recycling | February 23, 2012 10:17 PM | Reply to this comment
CONGRATULATIONS!! That is wonderful and I cannot wait to check it out...
Posted by: lynn @ Maven of Savin' | February 24, 2012 7:05 AM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations, fellow Wheatie! Can I reserve a copy now??? :)
Posted by: Maria replied to comment from Paige | February 24, 2012 8:06 PM | Reply to this comment
Yay!! That's so freakin' awesome and totally exciting. Many congrats :)
Posted by: Coasting anon | February 25, 2012 4:30 PM | Reply to this comment
Blerg...the internets keep losing my comment...last try:
Yay!!! So excited for you...that must feel awesome and I, for one, am excited to read it someday
Posted by: Coasting anon | February 25, 2012 4:34 PM | Reply to this comment
FANTASTIC!!It was only a matter of time before you wrote a book!!
Posted by: Jennifer | February 25, 2012 7:44 PM | Reply to this comment
Love this book title. Excited to see it come to fruition!
Posted by: Nicole Maniez | February 27, 2012 7:20 AM | Reply to this comment
Congratulations! So excited for you.
Posted by: Susan Getgood | March 10, 2012 9:08 AM | Reply to this comment