Sunday, May 06, 2007

LOOK ME IN THE EYE GOT ME IN THE HEART

WHAT DO SAILORS AND AUTHORS HAVE IN COMMON?
Read today's blog for the answer.
A photo taken from the deck of ORION anchoring out at Makua with three of our friends: Exotica, Tere Hau Nui, and Excaliper.

6:30 pm and 81 degrees. I just got finished reading the most amazing book.
LOOK ME IN THE EYE
You can order his book now right...
HERE
Blogging gives you the opportunity to meet so many different people. John Elder Robison and I have struck up a cyberspace freindship. We noticed the commonalities of our books: Mine a novel about being different and John's a memoir about being different.
Amazon paired up our two books.
So...
We traded ARCs. I read his and he read mine.
I was blown away. It was funny. Poignant. Smart. Gripping. I could not stop reading. When I finished I just had to write a blurb.
Blurb is "author-speak" for quotes about a book. You commonly see them on covers or on the first few pages of a book.

This is the one I wrote for LOOK ME IN THE EYE:
"John Elder Robison has written a compelling memoir that you won't be able to put down. You will be right beside him in his struggles and his triumphs and you will gain an amazing understanding of what it means to be different. What it means to be "Aspergian." He made me laugh and then he would bring a tear to my eye. When I finished his book I felt I had just met someone who I wanted to get to know better. LOOK ME IN THE EYE got me right in the heart." --Patricia Wood Author
of LOTTERY

This is his blurb for LOTTERY:

"Lottery is a compelling and beautifully written story that will show you how it's possible to have a low score on an intelligence test and still be a genius at understanding other people's feelings and motivations. And you'll learn that having above-average intelligence may mean less than finding happiness with yourself, and the people around you. Lottery is a novel, but it reads like it really happened, right next door to you." - John Elder Robison, author of Look Me in the Eye, a memoir of my life with Asperger's.

Compelling.
We found each other's books compelling.
I was so honored to read his and I was doubly honored to have him tell me Perry's voice is authentic.
I will tell everyone to buy his book. It is the real deal. The true story.
Mine could be true.
Different sides of the same coin.
So the answer to my question?
Sailors and authors?
How are they similar?
We listen to each other's stories. We hold a line. Lend a hand.
If I have a part you can use...it's yours.
If I know how to do a repair, we trade.
It's a big ocean out there.
We got to stick together.
Like John and I.
Thank you John.
And aloha.

Check out my first online interview May 8.DASEF CENTRAL
She calls me an "about-to-be-famous-author!
Does that mean I have to start making and selling cookies?
Mia! HELP!

22 comments:

Holly Kennedy said...

Can you believe THIS?!
I get to be the first commenter on both Pat and John's blogs today.

Nuff said. I'm smiling! :)

Mia King said...

Help is on the way, whenever you need it, Pat! And of course you are an about-to-be-famour author (Mia rolls eyes) - how could you think otherwise?

Oh, I love both blurbs. How very wonderful and very cool. In my mind, all roads lead to Pat, and that's a very "good thing."

I am off to hopefully be the second commentor on John's blog after Holly ...

Kim Rossi Stagliano said...

Matchmaker matchmaker make me a match! Find me a catch! Your books are MEANT to be sold/read together. Two sides of one priceless coin. Mazel tov!

Kim Ayres said...

Thanks for taking the time to visit and comment on my blog. Your book sounds interesting and I hope it goes really well for you :)

Bernita said...

One may have almost twice Perry's IQ but still be able to sympathize, empathize and relate with/to him.
That's the genius of Lottery.

Aprilynne Pike said...

That is one of the books I am looking forward to as much as yours. I am so glad to hear you liked it. How fun to get to exchange ARCs:)

Kimber Li said...

Gee, I thought you were already famous...at least on eBay! Yes, you should make cookies. That's what I've read. Always bring cookies for the readers at your book signings and pizza for the bookstore employees. Or, at least, Hersheys Kisses.
;)

Mindy Tarquini said...

I'm really looking forward to John's book. I think it's great Amazon linked you two.

Anissa said...

I love the blurbs. Love to see authors come together. Stick together. Just love it.

You're one awesome gal, Pat!

David L. McAfee said...

About to be famous? Aren't you already famous? ;) You certainly have fans, already.

I have one, too. It's hanging from the ceiling in my bedroom, but that's a different kind of fan and this was a corny joke, so I'm going to quit while I'm ahead... or before I get too far behind...or ...something.

Lisa R said...

All right, I had to go order John's book, you made it sound so good! I can't wait to read it. I can't wait to read Lottery either but I have to be patient. Sigh. I love the blurbs, truly different sides of the same coin. This is why Amazon is so great, I love the way they link books.

John Robison said...

I like the fact that our books are both basically nice stories about human nature.

That seems to be rare nowadays.

It's neat how Amazon put them together on the basis of customer choices.

Dawn said...

Writers and sailors are alike, or at least in a perfect world they would be. I love your take on people helping each other and hope that I can do it with the generosity of spirit that you do, Pat. Can I be your apprentice!

Strike that! After looking at that photo again, can I be your deckhand!

Kanani said...

Yup, John is cool. His bro is cool. His book is cool. Let's just say the man exudes cool even when underneath a Land Rover.

I just wanted to tell you to have a good trip, Pat.
We'll catch up with you when you come back.

Adrienne said...

You are so right Pat. Writers are the most helpful of artists out there. I don't know why they are so, possibly because in the end each book is different and unique, and there is less of a competitive edge (though there is still a sense of competition, I would be rather naive to deny that). I dunno. But I really love the writing world, the support and the camaraderie.

Go writers!

ORION said...

Yeah you're right john. We have 2 touching stories that have really unique elements.
You go Kim! Matchmaker indeed!
People don't go into the bookstore for just one book and they don't just read one book in their lifetimes.
It's all good.

Gay said...

OK... I'm ordering John's book now. Wish I'd waited so I could have gotten the deal. Oh well. Sighing.

Maybe if I wait a bit longer, they'll link him with someone else, too... a chain will form, ever longer, linking more authors and more authors, and my TBR stack will grow and grow, and... I think I'd better stop now.

By the way, Pat, will you forgive me if I tag you? I think it would be fun for all of us to get to know more about you. Visit my blog to find out the details.

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

Two books on the top of my list! Yours and his!

Sailors and authors--here's another thing in common--you both need to "hook" something--a fish, or an agent/editor.

Ha, so funny I am today.

Check out my blog where I will blurb the wonderul Allison Winn Scotch as her debut novel, The Department of Lost and Found, reveals itself to the world tomorrow!!!

We think the world is so big, yet when it comes to writing, it's so very nice to pop onto blogs and see/read from people you know cyberarily... (trademarked word I just invented--okay, it's not trademarked, but I think I invented it.

I'm out... (Of my mind).

Anonymous said...

Gonna put both Lottery and Look Me In The Eye on my To-Read list! :)

Lisa said...

OK, I've preordered the pair...you guys are too cool. Lounging around in Hawaii, Googling yourself repeatedly and shamelessly blurbing right in front of the entire world! Authors are soooo decadent! :-)

writtenwyrdd said...

Beautiful photo, and kudos for even more great response to Lottery. I just know you'll be on NYT's list soon! :)

Maddy said...

Is John's book already out? I didn't think it was going to be in the shops until September?
cheers