Introducing the Christmas Lake Communiqué
A lot has been happening over the last six months at Christmas Lake Creative, and in this new, biweekly (once every two weeks) update, we’ll be sharing our goings-on with you. To keep it snappy, we’ve come up with five topics: What we’re working on—a summary of projects in process; What we’re looking for—calls for submissions; What we’re reading—from our nightstand to yours; What we’re listening to—the audiobooks filling the space between our ears; and What we’re cooking up—new programs and packages we’re planning to offer. We’ll still be using the Christmas Lake Chronicle to post news of new releases, author reviews, events, and excerpts we hope you’ll enjoy. As we work to spread the word, we’d appreciate your doing the same by recommending us to a friend.
What we’re working on…
Two exciting new debut novels are in our editing queue. The first is a touching, bittersweet story of life in a long-term care facility, told mostly through the eyes of 98-year-old Edith Sharp, who has an opinion on everything—and everyone—and a lifetime of memories that are slowly slipping away. The book takes us through the first year of Edith’s “confinement” in River’s Edge, the place on the hill where no one wants to be. But despite her (and our collective) dread of the darkness within, brightness breaks through at every turn. The book is structured around the holidays (and their familiar decorations) that residents use to mark time, and as Edith settles in and reluctantly makes friends, she begins to feel more and more at home. Written by a woman who works in the field, this book shatters stereotypes and preconceived notions about the proverbial “old folks home” as we meet the forever young-at-heart folks who enliven River’s Edge.
The second book is a modern, coming-of-age story with echoes of The Catcher in the Rye; Bright Lights, Big City; and Hillbilly Elegy. The protagonist is an anti-hero extraordinaire: brilliant yet woefully uneducated; the star of his college baseball team (when he’s not benched with self-inflicted injuries); a magnet for women and a horrible boyfriend; part dreamer, part stunning realist; and his own worst enemy. We follow him from freshman year through his approaching graduation, and the saying “never a dull moment” does not do this story justice. The book leaves you breathless.
What we’re looking for…
Good stories. It’s that simple. Whether fiction, non-fiction, or memoir, we are committed to publishing books that educate, entertain, enlighten, and inspire. We work intensively with our authors not only to help them put their best book forward, but also to help them grow as artists and professionals.
While we are always open to new work in our areas of focus, we are currently interested in non-formulaic novels that cover new ground and memoirs that center on personal and spiritual growth.
Writers can use our convenient submission form or send us an email at info@christmaslakecreative.com for more information.
What we’re reading…
Besides the books we’re editing, we’re about to start Rainer Maria Rilke’s The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge for a dive into the mysteries of the artist’s psyche. At some point this year, we’ll take a busman’s holiday and reread Stephen King’s indispensable classic, On Writing, and finish James Wood’s equally illuminating How Fiction Works.
Let us know what you’re reading—because inquiring minds want to know.
What we’re listening to…
We’re great lovers of audiobooks here and often have a few going at the same time. Our current listen is Maggie Shipstead’s Great Circle, a spectacular blend of the historical and the inventive. Up next (or as a break from fiction) is Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. He was a guest on Krista Tippett’s amazing podcast, On Being, a soul-soothing, soul-sparking forum that never disappoints.
What we’re cooking up…
Besides continuing with our coaching and creative collaboration programs, we’re looking to start up some virtual classes and potentially our own podcast later this year. We’ve also set up as a vendor on B&N Press, enabling us to create editions of our books for sale through Barnes & Noble’s platform, and we’ve joined the Independent Book Publishers Association so we can stay in the loop and take advantage of specialized marketing opportunities for our authors.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next edition. As always, we are grateful to our authors, clients, friends, and supporters. Here’s to doing fantastic things in 2022!
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