First the happy news, from commentor BGinCHI:
I have been keeping this close to the vest for a year since I sold it, but my debut novel comes out today… It is also, by very happy coincidence, Juneteenth!
The end of slavery is no guarantee of freedom. When Clayton McGhee journeys north with his parents and grandparents in search of a new life, they must build a homestead with their own labour and defend their right to own land from powerful vested interests and deep rooted prejudice. Thirty years later, Clayton is still forced to defend his livelihood and his family’s safety from racism and greed. But life is more complex now, as the men of influence in this increasingly mixed community find to their cost. When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed is a riveting adventure story about fathers and sons and the difficult moral choices which resound down the generations as America moves slowly towards freedom and equality after the death of Lincoln.
Here is a link to the publisher and the book at their site, in separate links.
It comes out today simultaneously in the UK, Ireland, the US and Canada (despite the date on Amazon which is incorrect). It is available as a paperback and an e-book.
Next, on the “All knowledge is contained in fandom blogdom” principle, commentor Muddy has a literature question:
I read this story as a kid, and as it took place in the South Seas or such, I thought that maybe it was Robert Louis Stevenson. But I can’t find this story from him.
It was a short story about a British (or similar) guy, living a totally drunk life on some island. One night he is kidnapped by some local tribesman, and taken to sea. He goes though terrible travails sobering up of course, is really sick and etc. Wants the native to just kill him. I forget the details except that there was a lot of suffering.
But finally he comes through it, and he is back to himself. He doesn’t know why this guy has done it, but he’s saved his life! Turns out the native tribesman wanted him to get his soul back before killing and eating him, as it would not be a good sacrifice else.
I have searched high and low for this, but my internet finding skills are not the best. I wondered if you could ask this in an open thread to see if anyone from Balloon Juice knows the story, if you don’t know it yourself?
I’ve looked for this in a desultory way previously, but I really need to find it now because my Russian Blue tuxedo cat Ailill is suddenly gone, and it immediately made me think of this, it reminded me of him.
Finally, via a number of commentors, Jim Henley at High Clearing could badly use some financial assistance:
As part of my GoFundMe campaign (note: recent updates to summary and dollar goal) to underwrite exploring and now undergoing treatment at the University of Chicago for my recurrent tongue cancer, I offered blogging-to-specification as one of the rewards: donor picks the topic; I pick the opinion. So far many more people donated at that generous level than have redeemed the claim, which makes me worry that people no longer care what I think about things. But then, who’s fault is that?…
dmsilev
Today in “a fool and his money are soon parted”, I give you this: http://washboard.co/
“Wearing dirty underwear? We provide 2-day shipping on every shipment of quarters.”
For $14.99, they’ll send you $10 in quarters.
Lyrebird
Massive congrats to BGinChi, WOOO HOOO!!!
and to those laundry-desperate folks… anyone here tried a “breathing washer” before?
scav
Huzzah for Book Generator in Chicago!!
Iowa Old Lady
Congrats to BGinCHI! The book looks compelling. I love the cover.
EriktheRed
The story in question is similar to one I read in school called The Price of the Head. In it a drunk on an island is kidnapped by a native and made to sober up because the native wants his head, which is bearded and as such will bestow status on him among his people when he brings it to show them.
Summer
Congratulations to one of my favorite commenters! And I love the cover too! May it sell and sell and sell!
Higgs Boson's Mate
BGinCHI, congratulations! Looking forward to the day that I can say, “I knew him when he was just a commenter on Balloon Juice.”
Anoniminous
Congratulations BGinCHI!
PhoenixRising
Congrats! Looks good.
Quick question: Do I need to pre-read before the kid gets her mitts on it? 14 yr old is a historical fiction fan, and I’m jammed right now with (shh) pitching essays that meet with my own publisher’s specs for “marketing”. (Which is a horror and don’t do it.) But…is there graphic violence depicted?
SoupCatcher
@EriktheRed:
Looks like that story is in the public domain and online through Project Gutenberg:
The Price of the Head
Higgs Boson's Mate
@SoupCatcher:
Damn, you guys are good.
ranchandsyrup
Congrats BGinCHI! Will check it out.
Wife has been out of town for a week but coming back tonight. Much respect for single parents. We have been having fun though.
Funny read on pittsburgh And going to a terry Bradshaw concert. Typos and poor grammar are part of the author’s act.
srv
2liberal
congrats to BGinCHI – I have been looking to finally expand my read list past schlocky sci-fi and took a flyer on this book -why not? Good luck with your sales.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
Well, you said pretty much exactly what I was going to say about Whitman and Hindemith. I am incredibly excited for (and proud of, I’m not sure why, I had nothing to do with it) BGinCHI. What an incredibly talented bunch we have here at Balloon Juice. (Even the trolls tend to be semi-literate, if annoying as hell.)
TaMara (BHF)
Congratulations BGinCHI! Awesome news.
ETA: Repeat what others have said – love the title and the cover art. Did someone local do it?
gogol's wife
Congratulations, BGinCHI. I’ll check it out.
I’m sorry about your cat, muddy.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
Congrats to BG! I ordered a copy at Amazon. I sent a little to Jim as well. Fingers crossed for a successful treatment.
Cheers,
Scott.
A Humble Lurker
Congrats! You should have suggested it for book club and then gone ‘oh by the way, I wrote this’ after every one was done. We have a few authors here, somebody should try that at some point.
JGabriel
Coingratulations, BGinCHI! That’s awesome. Kudos!
gman
Could the story be Melville’s short novel Typee?
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@gogol’s wife: Ditto on the condolences to muddy. :-( Hang in there.
Cheers,
Scott.
Loneoak
Congrats BG! I’ve been meaning to write to you for awhile now—been a crazy year and a half since we met and I never have time to comment on BJ. Gonna read your book and drop you a line soon I hope!
Hal
Yeesh. I was just reading some story on Independent Journal Review about the Redskins patent decision, and some of the comments attached, and apparently President Obama himself has personally rescinded the team patent. I’m not surprised that so many people in this country are clueless about Government processes, and I realize Obama is responsible for everything in the universe, but conservatives are damn scary people when it comes to just basic facts. They are, however, masters at straw man arguments and non sequiturs.
scav
@Hal: I’m telling you, Obama personally steals random socks from their dryers.
skwerlhugger
@gman: not Typee, as I recall the protagonist never figured out why the natives kept him captive, and he wasn’t a drunk. In public domain, or at least available for free.
lamh36
Watching I Love the 2000s on VH1…2004.
Real Talk, I’ve never seen The Notebook. Was it really that good?
Also too, never seen a episode of Entourage…was it really that good?
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
Congrats, BGinCHI. Well done.
Hal
@efgoldman: Doh! I missed the window to edit, too. Maybe the team can invent something and patent it, then Obama can personally order the immediate expiration of that patent! Benghazi!!
Also,
I just have to repost Bradshaw’s quote to demonstrate his master class level grasp of Benghazi:
Violet
Congrats, BGinCHI! How very exciting. Love the title and the cover.
Jordan Rules
Cheers to BGinCHI! Wishing you much validation for this offering. Looking forward to reading it.
Svensker
Awesome. Yay you!
Condolences to Muddy.
NotMax
Teeth set on edge at anyone seeking pay for prose who cannot properly differentiate usage of whose and who’s.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@NotMax: I blame the parent’s.
;-)
Cheers,
Scott.
RSA
Congratulations, BGinCHI! Looks like a great publisher. I hope the book takes off.
SiubhanDuinne
BGinCHI’s book is in my Kindle, and I have also pre-ordered the paperback format for whenever it comes out (Amazon says August 28th, BG says that’s wrong). Really looking forward to reading it, and I love the Juneteenth synchronicity!
rikyrah
@lamh36:
I love The Notebook
jurassicpork
Congrats, Ann. I’ll be looking for it. I have a third novel coming out soon (hopefully this year, if Create Space gets its act together).
Twenty Bucks, Same as in Town is back. Featured today: The Rude Pundit, D r i f t g l a s s, Charles Pierce and more.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Congratulations BGinCHI ! That’s very exciting.
Jewish Steel
Well done, BGinCHI!
How long before your story is Hollywood options your story? You’re gonna be rich! Can I consult on the soundtrack?
satby
Muddy, sorry about Ailill.
BGinChi, I’m buying it tomorrow! Can’t wait to read it.
Shortstop
Beege! How fabulous! Warmest congratulations!
Mnemosyne
Congratulations!
TheMightyTrowel
BGinChi congratulations! I’ve purchased it! Book depository seems to think the paperback will ship to australia in 48 hours.
woo!
ETA: BG you should be intrigued to know that the bookdepository “other books in this category” list of things like your book that someone might want to purchase include Cloud Atlas, the Luminaries and Wolf Hall. Sounds like a pretty big endorsement to me.
SectionH
BGinCHI: Congratulations!
oaguabonita
@ Muddy. Plotline sounds at least vaguely similar to obscure, offbeat film “How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman”
xane
Congrats, BGinCHI!! and Namaste! ✨
Genine
Congrats, BGinCHI! This news inspires me to keep plugging away at my own work. Woo hoo!
Susan K of the tech support
Congratulations, BGinCHI!
Valdivia
Super congrats BGinChi!!!!!
Patricia Kayden
Wonderful to hear good news about BGinCHI’s debut novel. Hope it does well. BJ seems to have attracted a lot of accomplished folks.
BGinCHI
For anyone checking back, thanks for all the nice comments and good wishes. We are in London now, heading up to Scotland tomorrow to do some publicity events. Not much time to get here and comment right now due to the sightseeing I mean drinking I mean exploring I mean work, but I’ll try.
If anyone has questions about the book or anything related, drop into a thread and ask. Anne Laurie has my email address too if you want it.
I know there is an issue with iBooks right now but that should be resolved very shortly. As far as getting a physical copy from Amazon, there might be a slight delay. That should come right soon as well.
Drunken hausfrau
This post, these comments — THIS is why I am a BJ addict!
Paul in KY
Way to go, BGinCHI. Wonderful accomplishment!
WaterGirl
@BGinCHI: Congratulations! I’ll bet that year of waiting for the book to come out seemed to last forever.
For all the BJ writers out there, I can only imagine the thrill of holding your (!) published book in your hands for the first time.
feebog
Congrats BG. Going to order the Kindle version today.
Roxy
Congrats BGinCHI! Such great news