Happy Thanksgiving from the Cool, Misty Pacific Northwest

And just like that, the holidays are upon us…

Dear readers, 

Like many of you, I am in that season of list-making. Food, drink, gifts, cards.  Every year I swear I am going to cut back, do less, enjoy more, and then it comes time to actually change, and I find that I love the traditions. I am more likely to expand my Thanksgiving menu than to reduce it. Everyone has one favorite dish, right? 

However, I am also of an age where I am fine to delegate. It doesn’t all have to be me or my recipes. The more the merrier, and I let everyone help. So, for me, this year it’s the turkey, the gravy, the mashed potatoes, the stuffing and the rolls. Pies, cranberries, sweet potatoes, green beans and appetizers will be brought by friends and family. What a relief! I promise to have some pictures soon. 

My dad with me in Alaska

As many of you know, I lost my father last year, and this is the first holiday without him. His empty chair at the table will be difficult for all of us, but he would be the first to raise a glass and remind us that love is what remains and what we remember. We know how important friends and family can be in our lives; sometimes even strangers can make a lasting impact on who we are and who we will become.

These were my thoughts as we gathered in Alaska to celebrate his remarkable life. There were four generations represented, and we shared wonderful stories. We laughed, we hugged, we cried, we drank one last tequila straight shot in his honor. It was a grand tribute and a fitting goodbye, but it was another kind of goodbye for me as well. Alaska has become, in so many ways, the heart of our family, our spiritual homeland. It has touched each of us in some essential way, and with the sale of Great Alaska Adventure Lodge and Bear Camp, we arrive at the end of an era. But that’s always a beginning, too, right? 

That’s what I’m thinking about this holiday season. The goodbyes I’ve had to say this year, the heartbreaks and the losses, but I also remember the good times and the joy. I am pretty sure that sense of optimism is layered throughout my books. I hope you feel it as strongly as I do. This seems to be a moment where it behooves us all to cherish and reflect on the things that bring us together. 

Thanks to you...

In this season of giving thanks, I want to thank you all for the love you showed to The Women by buying a copy, reading it, or listening to Julia Whelan’s amazing audio narration. In the three years I worked on this book, I believed more and more with each draft that it could be a special story, that it had something important to say about America in the very tumultuous 1960s and ’70s, about women during that time period, about nurses and Vietnam veterans. But I never imagined it would catch and hold the public imagination so boldly and for so long.

The novel has spent 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list (and as I write this, it is #2!) and garnered over 800,000 Goodreads ratings. It’s stunning. But I am even more proud of the conversations it has started and the light it has put on the forgotten men and women who served in the war. I am hearing from female and male veterans and their families and their friends every day. It is truly humbling to discover that a novel of mine can bring people together in such a profound way.

It meant so much for me to see this photo of a wrapped copy of The Women left at the Vietnam Women's Memorial on Veteran's Day!

Best Of Lists

This is the time of year when “Best Of” lists start coming out. I am happy to share that so far The Women has been recognized as a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, Indigo and The Washington Post. And Libro.fm and Audible have named the audiobook One of the Best of the Year.  There are some amazing books on these lists. Check them out for your book clubs!

It's Your Turn to Vote!

I am a huge fan of the Goodreads Choice Awards. Every year I look forward to seeing what readers really, really loved. I use it as a reading list for books I might have missed. The opening round of finalists has been announced, and I am THRILLED to say that The Women is up for Best Historical Fiction and also for Best Audiobook, as narrated by the brilliant Julia Whelan. What an honor. Please take a moment to vote for your favorites. Authors really appreciate this!

Paris is always a good idea…

I have said for years — ever since writing The Nightingale — that I am French in my own mind. This means that I want to believe that I am chic and can pull off red lipstick and a beret and drink champagne at lunch.

None of this is in fact true, but I do know that Paris is one of my favorite places in the world. I was lucky enough to go there to celebrate my birthday this year with some friends. What a trip! Good food, good friends, beautiful scenery. The Seine at night. The Dior museum. Rue Cler. Shopping in Place Vendôme. And champagne. If you haven’t yet watched “The New Look” on Apple TV+, I recommend it highly. Here are a few of my favorite “looks” from the museum and a picture of me on the Seine on our last night.

A Special 10th Anniversary Edition
of The Nightingale

Speaking of Paris and The Nightingale, a special 10th anniversary edition is being published on February 18th. It is a limited-edition hardcover jacket with foil and embossing, gorgeously designed edges, a ribbon bookmark, exclusive four-color endpapers, and a decorative, gold foil stamp on the front case. I cannot wait to hold it in my hands. 

Movie News

The wheels of progress move slowly in Hollywood, but I can tell you that Warner Bros. is on FIRE for The Women as a feature film, and we are out trying to find the perfect writer and/or director. Wish us luck. I’ll keep you all up to date. Promise!

There may also be some cool news on an older book as a limited series coming soon. Stay tuned!

A Summer Lunch with Author Friends 

For more than 25 years, my Seattle area writer friends and I have gathered in the summer to celebrate friendship, books and talk shop. I’m so grateful for my tribe. Here I am at my house with (from right to left) Christina Dodd, Megan Chance, Susan Anderson, Stella Cameron, Jayne Ann Krentz, Katherine Stone and Kimberly Fisk.

More About The Women 

I'll be back to you soon...

I’ll be back with more news in a week or two — once I’m past the craziness of Thanksgiving. I’ll bring photos of the family gathering with me. 😊  Until then, I wish you all peace and good cheer. Here’s to kindness, gratitude, good books, family and friends. 

Until next time, please follow me on Instagram and join me on Facebook.