A Survivor of Child Sexual Abuse Speaks Out: Being Silenced Again



2016 has been an incredible year. I have witnessed many achievements as they were realized, and I have experienced many losses. Juxtaposed on either end of this continuum of achievements attained in 2016 are the publication of my debut YA novel, The Packing House, on 1/18/16, and the closing of my publisher, Booktrope, on 5/31/16, when my book goes out of print and the voice that took nearly 40 years to find goes silent once more.

Achievements:

• Published my first book
• Earned my first book award, "Indie Reader Approved" and a 4 Star review from Indie Reader
• Inducted into Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society for Counseling
• Attended first Weekend of Recovery (Male Survivor)
• Signed a contract to publish a poem and interview in an upcoming anthology to benefit www.RAINN.org, Things We Haven't Said, tentatively scheduled for January 2017 publication
• Received high rate of 4 and 5 star reviews on The Packing House
• Worked full time while attending grad school for counseling while maintaining a 3.9 GPA

Losses:

• First book goes unpublished as of 5/31/16 due to publisher closing
• Demands of work and grad school schedule limit how much time I have to devote to writing additional books to recover losses
• Despite many positive aspect of publication, poor marketing has negatively impacted book sales and reader awareness the book even exists
• A 5 month window of being published is too narrow a window to reach the full extent of potential readers
• Commitment to donate 20% of every book sold is limited by the length of time The Packing House has been in print, and by the poor marketing efforts which led my publisher to close.
• Financial burden after investing in the promotion and marketing of The Packing House does not yield increased book sales
• Despite finding my voice as a survivor of child sexual abuse through this book's publication, going out of print essentially silences my voice once more

 

 

Response:

 

How will I respond to my voice being silenced? I was four when I first experienced the silencing effect that shame has on a survivor of child sexual abuse. At such a young age, I found it very difficult to speak up about my abuse. It took me decades to climb out of the aftermath, the rubble, and find a way to speak about what had happened.

 

When I first started writing about my abuse in the form of poetry in high school, I knew I had much more to say, but had no idea how to bring the words to the surface in a way that would speak out over so many years of silence and darkness. Despite a poor attempt to begin a short story entitled, "The Packing House," it wouldn't be until years later that I would attempt to convert what was a spark of an idea in high school, into a novel. Told from the perspective of the older brother, rather than his mother, The Packing House took 3 months to write the first draft, more than 20 cover to cover rewrites, 1,000s of edits and revisions, and a full five years devoted to querying. I was offered a contract from a small press, but felt it was not the best choice. I was very grateful for the acknowledgment, but passed on that offer.

 

During those five years of querying, I received 8 requests for partial manuscripts from various agents, 5 requests for full manuscripts, and one revise and resubmit request. Several times, I went to the point of receiving an offer of representation, only to be passed on for a variety of reasons. At one point, another publisher closed while my book was under consideration with their Head Editor. Finally, I decided it was time to shelve the book, and begin a master's degree program when the contract offer of publication came from Booktrope. The process to take the MS and revise it to the point of publication took two full passes with three layers of edits by my amazing editor, Jessica West, and another month of work with my proof reader, the incredible Kathryn Galan, to get The Packing House to its final, published form.

 

Yet all of this goes back to a four year old boy who was sexually abused and silenced for what was done to him. I had a promise that I would gain back what was taken from me, and I believe there was some interest owing on that promise. I mean to get every cent back. I am not talking about money. I am talking about something worth far more than that: lives changed. Survivors who are heard, validated, and who can find a way to heal from the aftermath of their abuse. That is what I am after.

 

So, I am out on query now, seeking representation from an agent who is willing to risk re-publishing a book about abuse and a boy and a girl in love. I plan to finish writing book two of this planned duology, and begin one of several new series.

 

I have a MG series on dragons and shadows I plan to begin this summer with my two oldest boys, and a YA fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast in a steampunk world with a gender swap of the characters. In  my world, the Beast is the girl, and the Beauty is the boy. I've also got a YA Prom-themed murder mystery series, and a YA dystopian series about twins and multiples and a world where there is no disease, at the expense of one half of these sets of twins being held prisoner by the government.

 

 

 

This is your very last chance to decide to purchase your own first edition copy of The Packing House before they are no longer available and out of print. They are currently scheduled to end availability on 5/31/16. However, they could go out of print sooner, if the provider has to take them down to meet the deadline of 5/31/16. Currently you can purchase a Kindle version or Paperback at Amazon. Barnes and Noble has already removed both the Nook and Paperback version, other than a 3rd party seller who thinks you'll pay $47. Other sellers are linked in the upper right side bar.

Following this date, my rights revert to me (I already have the documentation on this) as of June 1st, and I wait to hear back from a few select agents.

I will close by saying thank you to all my readers and followers. Thank you for reading The Packing House, for reviewing and sharing your experience with others, and for recommending it to others. Without you, gaining my voice would not have mattered as much as it has. Thank you.

THE PACKING HOUSE is now IndieReader Approved!

So, this just happened at the end of last week: my debut received its first cover sticker, thanks to the Indie Reader Discovery Awards. THE PACKING HOUSE is officially, "Indie Reader Approved," having received a 4 star review as part of the judging process. Time will tell if THE PACKING HOUSE progresses in the IRDA, but I was also treated to a lovely blurb from the IndieReader reviewer:

"THE PACKING HOUSE is an enthralling and important piece of fiction that tastefully and honestly addresses the topic of sexual abuse of minors."
~IndieReader

Check out the cover with the "Indie Reader Approved" sticker:

 

You should also know that THE PACKING HOUSE is currently on sale at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so now is the perfect time to grab your copy before they go back up to full price. Links are in the side bar to the right. Just click the corresponding book cover to go to your online bookstore of choice. Happy Reading!

Preview of my Dear Teen Me Letter and Blog Tour 1/18/16 to 1/31/16

 

 

The Packing House Book Tour officially launches today. Click the banner above to check out the full schedule and make sure you stay up to date on all things blog tour leading right up to the book launch party on Facebook on 1/31/16.

 

Since it's a party, of course there's goodie bags and prizes. I hope you'll enter the Rafflecopter below, and check out each stop on the tour over the next two weeks to continue to enter for your chance to win a slew of books and other prizes.

 

For those who like to win things, the book tour will include a chance to win a signed copy of The Packing House and a signed chapbook companion titled, Fish Out of Water:

 

 

Specific to the Book Blog Tour, you can also win your pick of the following paperback books referenced in The Packing House:

 

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Now for a peek at my upcoming DEAR TEEN ME letter, which is scheduled to post on May 4, 2016 at www.dearteenme.com

 

 





G. Donald Cribbs on graduation day in 1991 from Loudoun County High School

 



 

 

www.dearteenme.com

 

 

 G. Donald Cribbs on a graduation trip to the beach in 1991.

_________________________________________________________________________

 

 

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW TO WIN!!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Follow the tour for more chances to win!

THE PACKING HOUSE is now available in Paperback!

I can't believe this moment is finally here! You guys, you can now buy my paperback, THE PACKING HOUSE, on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/Packing-House-G-Donald-Cribbs/dp/1513705598/ref=la_B019LD7B7G_1_1_twi_pap_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452683171&sr=1-1

Goodreads Giveaway for The Packing House

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Packing House

by G. Donald Cribbs

Giveaway ends January 31, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Happy New Year!

To officially kick off 2016, I'm offering 3 signed copies of my book (and swag) to three readers. Open to Canada, UK, and Australia as well as USA. International coming soon.

Enter now to win 1 of 3 signed paperback copies of The Packing House, my Young Adult (YA) debut from Booktrope Editions, publishing 1/18/16. Giveaway ends 1/31/16 to coincide with book launch.

If you'd rather not wait to get a copy, use the link on the sidebar to the right to order your copy today. Paperbacks are available everywhere books are sold as of 1/18/16. The final page count is 286 pages, and the print cost will be $16.95. The eBook will remain $3.99.
Good Luck!

Happy Reading.

You Bought My Book? May I Gift You Another, Please?

So, this happened: my debut YA novel, THE PACKING HOUSE, has officially gone live for pre-order on Amazon. This is an exciting moment for me, and I'm thrilled to share the results with you.

 

 

 

You may have noticed from the picture above that the publication date is January 18, 2016, which is also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Civil Rights Day. What an honor to share this book with you on such an important day from our history, and one that directly connects with the book. In addition, January 18, 2016 is also the first day of the week long event, Anti Name-Calling, or Anti-Bullying Week. I will be posting about these events as we get closer to book launch.

Of course, I would not be here without the amazing team I've worked together with over the past six months: working through final edits with my amazing editor, Jessica West, and equally stunning work with my proof reader, Kathryn Galan, and the exquisite cover art, from artist extraordinaire, Greg Simanson. Each of us have more than delivered to make this a debut worthy of your time to read, and I hope to enjoy.

Buzz has already been growing for this novel, and I couldn't be more pleased with the many 5/5 star reviews readers have given to THE PACKING HOUSE. You can add it on GoodReads here:

Since I was given the opportunity to post a pre-order, I wanted to give you, my readers, something extra special as a thank you for buying and reading my book. I met with my book manager, April Gerard, and we came up with a companion book to go along with THE PACKING HOUSE. I mean, really: what goes better with a book than another book?

In THE PACKING HOUSE, there are 12 poems introduced between some of the chapters, as they fit into the story. The poems tell their own story, growing progressively more and more specific, and directed at what is causing Joel, my main character, nightmares he can't seem to avoid.

I cannot even believe how gorgeous this companion book of poetry, a poetry chapbook called FISH OUT OF WATER, has turned out. I was thrilled to work with Michelle Fairbanks, who took these poems and made the most stunning 2-page spreads you've ever seen. It's really a special piece of art way beyond what I thought I could put together to thank you, so I hope you'll consider buying the book, since that is the only way to get one of the limited edtion chapbooks. Here's a peek at what you'll get when you pre-order the Kindle or purchase the paperback:

If you'd like to peek at more of these pages, check them out here, here, here, here, and here.

I know buying a book from a debut author is a risk. You have no idea if what I wrote is any good. Well, I've got a few options to help you resolve that problem, and take a chance on this much needed book.

Click the tab at the top of this blog, THE PACKING HOUSE Excerpt, or go to my website and sign up via email to receive occasional newsletters to stay updated on events, giveaways, signings and more. For signing up, as a thank you from me, you'll receive a chapter 1-3 preview of THE PACKING HOUSE, before you can even buy the book!

Lastly, allow me to explain the two offers available to you now to receive a limited edition poetry chapbook companion, FISH OUT OF WATER, from me as a thank you for purchasing my debut:

1. Pre-order the Kindle Version (only available for the first 50 who pre-order) and receive the PDF of the entire FISH OUT OF WATER chapbook, delivered to the email of your choice.

2. Buy the paperback of THE PACKING HOUSE on 1/18/16 or beyond (only available to the first 50 who purchase a paperback copy), and let me know what address I can mail your free autographed, numbered, limited-edition chapbook, FISH OUT OF WATER.

In order to qualify, please take a screen capture (control + alt + print screen) to copy the picture of your receipt to your clipboard, and then use Paint to paste a copy and save it as a .jpeg. Email this to me at: gdcribbs@gmail.com and let me know what email address I am sending your PDF (for Kinde Pre-orders only), or your mailing address (for paperback purchases only). Both of these offers are first come, first serve, and limited to the first fifty purchases for each format.

Again, thank you very much for your interest in my book, and watch for the GoodReads Giveaway everyone is welcome to enter (posting soon!). Good Luck! I hope to hear from you with your receipt purchases, and I cannot wait to hear how you experienced THE PACKING HOUSE and FISH OUT OF WATER.

Cover Reveal for The Packing House

Announcing the Cover Reveal of my YA debut, The Packing House, coming Fall 2015 from Booktrope. Find out more at my website: www.gdonaldcribbs.com

THE PACKING HOUSE Excerpt

Logline: The Packing House is about a teen who must choose between protecting his dignity and exposing the person responsible for his debilitating nightmares.

1 | Monster

At the bell, I head to study hall, my last class. There's a substitute today. Cell phones come out. Someone has their iPod up way too high. In a way, I feel sorry for the sub; as a job, it has to be right up there with garbage collector. I prop a book between me and my backpack then close my eyes, which have been slamming shut all day.

The next thing I know, the substitute is standing over me, his hand on my shoulder, shaking me awake. Someone sniggers nearby.

“Wake up, young man. There's no sleeping in study hall.”

Pushing my glasses back into place, I look up and try to get my eyes to adjust and stay open; I blink a few times and look around wildly. What an idiot. I even forgot where I was for a moment. A flush of warmth starts at my ears and neck before sliding across my cheeks.

“All right, I'm up.”

Whispers erupt in various places around me as I sit up and rub my eyes. Someone laughs. My desk is askew. Something smells bad. Sulfur. Odd… the realization hits me hard.

A female voice remarks, “If I were him, I'd be totally embarrassed!”

“What's your name?” the substitute asks quietly.

“Joel Scrivener.”

The substitute leans down. “Joel? You might want to speak with a counselor about those dreams.”

“What do you mean?”

He leans closer, lowers his voice. “You kept saying, ‘get off me, stop touching me, get off me,' over and over.”

He gives me what he must think is a reassuring smile. Then he leaves.

The only thing worse than getting caught asleep in study hall: getting caught asleep and crying out from a bad dream in study hall.

There's more whispering, but this time it crackles nearby. A recording—presumably of me—replays the sound of me jerking around in my chair, desk legs scraping against the floor, then “Get OFF me!” and “Stop TOUCHING meeee!”

The bell rings.

Down the hallway, students gather in odd clumps, skittering away from me like I'm the monster. A cacophony of whispers follows a chorus of aborted cackles; I hear my voice playing over and over, like my life jammed on repeat. I'm too stunned to reply, even when Shampoo Girl, who rides my bus, tries to stop me. I'm not good with names. We move too much for them to matter. This girl is heavyset, plain, with nice hair. I like how it smells if I sit behind her on the bus. Shampoo Girl. She's one of the few I've caught glaring at my attackers when I'm dropped into the lunchroom trashcan or tripped with an armful of books between classes. She hasn't said anything to my attackers, like that punk from Algebra II, but her quiet defiance is at least reassuring. Not that I've thanked her or acknowledged her for that.

“Joel? Joel, are you okay?” I definitely don't deserve her sympathy; instead, I look back down the hall.

My own brother Jonathan is with his swim team posse and says, “I can't believe you dudes got this,” before he sees me.

“Izzat rilly yer bro, man?” asks a blond-haired skater-punk friend of Jonathan's, pointing at his cellphone. They must be watching the video of me from study hall just like everyone else. Man, that traveled fast. On the far end, cackling like a fiend, my brother Jonathan laughs at his best friend Elias’ reaction, who is doubled over and turning purple. Skaterdude is on this end, sputtering and waving his arms like he’s imitating me from the video. Between the other two is Elias. God, I hate him sometimes. Why does he stick his nose where it doesn't belong?

“You still owe me a fiver for the Terror Bet,” Jonathan says, slapping the back of his hand on Skaterdude's chest. He should've kept our energy drink bet private, between the two of us, but instead I imagine he thought he'd impress his posse and make a few bucks. So he bet off me, did he? Jonathan looks up and sees me staring right at him. He tosses up two fingers after bouncing them off his chest like a salute to his homies, although I'm clearly not one of them. I'm just his loser brother.

It doesn't matter.

He's right. Jonathan must think of me as another one of his casualties just like him. I'm a cast-off, like Terror Man, my mother's latest boyfriend. To Jonathan, Terror Man and I are just accessories on his social status climb. Even after our most recent beating for touching the shrine of Terrors, Jonathan dared me to try to steal one without getting caught. I thought he was just looking out for me since I haven’t been sleeping much, but I guess I was wrong. If I can't tell the difference between someone being nice or using me, I wonder how I will ever fix things with Amber Walker, the only girl I've ever wished was more than friends.

No turning back now. My social life is officially over. I wonder how long it will take until everyone hears, and probably sees, a cell phone clip of my nightmare.

Only I can't wake up from this one.

***

I don't plan to collapse on my frameless mattress late that night. By the time I'm fully out.., I'm already drifting down a vaguely familiar set of stone stairs, before I realize the déjà vu—at first a cold tingle then a white-hot shudder that seeps down my spine. As it dissipates, I continue down, despite the thrumming in my ears.

Firelight dapples across shadowed walls near the bottom. Cold air gusts past, chills me until my teeth rattle, and almost blows out the torches. The room opens to the right, but I can't see around the corner.

As I step into the guttering light, I'm knocked on my face so fast I barely get my hands out to break my fall. I gasp for breath beneath this tremendous weight. There's no getting away. Sharp pain bursts along my ribs.

From its grip, I get a twinge in my spine, sharp stings that shoot up my back and spread out across both shoulder blades. Whatever is behind me is huge. Its hulking mass presses me down into the ground. I sure as hell don't dare move.

“C'mere, Joel!” the deep voice snarls against my ear.

***

I wake up.

Sometimes I wake screaming. How does it know my name? My mother has found me a few times that way; about as comforting as getting caught jerking off under blankets.

When she finds me like that, I roll toward the wall and mumble about a bad dream. I'll be fine. Go back to bed. Please don't ask any more. I'll never live this down if my mother holds my hand and chases away some boogeyman. I've got to figure this out. Better to man-up than be labeled a loser. At least Jonathan's still asleep. I don't need him betraying me any further.

If I could, I'd squeeze my eyes shut and will myself back to sleep. What if that thing is there? The stone stairs. The horrible, personal things it says. The sweat-rot stench of sulfur. I'd rather stare at the blurry ceiling all night. Besides, questions begin to swirl, threatening to keep me awake indefinitely. There's at least three hours until it's time to get up for school. I might have a test. Better not think too much.

Next thing I know, it's light; the roof of my mouth is sandpapery, I've got rank morning breath, and, if I don't get to the bathroom right now, I'm going to have a waterbed for sure.

I have to limp my way there, momentarily forgetting about our lecture at the hands of Terror Man last night. I don’t like him. He’s always in our faces. Always trying to prove what a man he is when he slams us against the wall or some shit.

He’s nice enough when he’s not railing on Jonathan and me for drinking his Terrors.

As I find relief in the bathroom, I start to wonder about this latest nightmare. Then I grab a shower, wincing when the tender spots in my back come under the flow. Maybe I should've let Jonathan take the brunt of it all, since he made the bet, but I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't intervened. I thought he was gonna kill Jonathan this time. What a nightmare. Which reminds me: I've got too many memory gaps to make sense of it all. I need to figure out their source. The root cause.

It's not for lack of trying.

I've scoured every book on nightmares I can find. One said the mind is a strange muscle that remembers every ache. Nightmares are a way we revisit each painful experience, circling back to make sense of what happened. That still doesn't explain how the creature knows me well enough to snarl my name. Is it someone I know? I glance at the clock. No time to dwell; the bus'll be here any minute. Time to get dressed and head downstairs.

My mother is at work, and Jonathan went in on the early bus for swim team. I grab breakfast and ibuprofen and then head for the street corner. My hand lands on the last two cans in my backpack. I'd forgotten all about the Terrors. Jonathan. I'd toss them back in the fridge if I weren't already at the bus stop.

Might as well. Chugging the first one down, I collect weird looks as I let the burp rip. Jonathan still got pretty roughed up; after all, he dared swipe from the shrine of Terrors on the top shelf of the fridge. Terror Man left no visible marks on me, only bruises, but I doubt Jonathan made it out unscathed. I wonder what Coach said to him this morning.

Was Jonathan trying to set me up? Guarantee a win for his second round of Terror Bets, so he could up the ante? It's never enough with him. Jonathan can't seem to leave well enough alone. Like he has to poke the bear or something. Everyone knows you let a sleeping bear lie. Not him.

The last stragglers come out as the bus pulls up. I'm the new guy. Technically, it's Redhead-Dude-With-Braces-And-Acne's stop.

I must space out the whole ride to school because it feels like only moments later when the bus pulls into the drop-off circle by the Broad Run High School, Home of the Panthers sign. Cheerleaders brush past in uniform, and the football team is sporting jersey hard-ons, strutting as we all press toward the door.

School's a bust. I doze through most of my classes, but at least I overhear that the history test has been moved to next week. Now I just have to make it through English class (easy for me), study hall, and I'm out.

We're reading this book Fahrenheit 451, where Guy Montag is an anti-fireman who burns books for a living. If I could talk some sense into him, maybe he'd lay off the bonfires and help me sort through all the bizarre shit in my brain. Yeah, it's a crazy thought, just like the ones about Amber.

I get flustered when I think of her.

Maybe Montag and I aren't as different from each other as I first thought. We both have problems we're running from. Beatty hunts him down when they catch Montag hoarding books in his air vent. I knew he was a reader. His own wife turns him in. Betrayed by someone that close. Man.

That's what set him off running.

My English teacher makes us write on the salamander or fire lizard. Is it a tattoo or just a uniform logo? I consider writing a story or a poem. According to legend, they're not lizards, which are reptiles. Salamanders are amphibians and have an affinity for fire. They can also regenerate lost limbs and tails. Remind me of an Escher tessellation. Patterns that transform from one thing to another. I should go for extra credit.

Speaking of extra credit, my grades have been nothing but toilet water, they're so flushed. Up until now, I've held tight at honor roll. But, just like that time in the closet with Amber, it, too, was a test I knew I was doomed to fail. Now I can't shake these nightmares. Neither could Montag.

If I don't do something soon, I'll have to repeat my sophomore year. Then I'd be in the same grade as Jonathan. That's reason enough to invoke my previous plan.

Want more chapters right now? Sign up for the newsletter at www.gdonaldcribbs.com with your email address and receive the first three chapters as a .pdf for free.

Read a prelude to THE PACKING HOUSE HERE.

Read the QUERY for THE PACKING HOUSE HERE.

Add THE PACKING HOUSE on GoodReads:

Want to read THE PACKING HOUSE for FREE on Inkitt? Click HERE.

Ready to grab your own copy? You can buy THE PACKING HOUSE here:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/1513705598 

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-packing-house-g-donald-cribbs/1123237767?ean=2940158049422

Five Years in the Making: A Writer's Journey to Publication

 

 

It's been five years in the making. Five years of writing. Five years of editing. Five years of combing through draft after draft and revision after revison to find the right tone, voice, plot structure, pacing, and so on...you get the idea.

It's been five glorious years. And I mean glorious.

Not every writer gets to take their time with their debut. Not every writer starts with their "heart book." For those of you who have written a book from the heart, like me, you know how much of your soul goes into each line, chapter, and revision.

And soon it will all be over. It will be published and out there in the world for you to read, to see, and to know every detail. Then, it will be yours and no longer mine. It will be yours to share, to experience, to critique, and to review (hopefully!).

No matter what you think, I'll still be here, and I'll still be your friend. But, please, be kind. Remember those bits of heart and soul I just mentioned above? Yeah, they're in it, and they're pretty tender. Say whatever you wish, just remember there's a person who lived much of what's between these covers, and then some, and you're not just critiquing an entirely fabricated or made up story.

The first rule of writing is to write what you know, to write the truth, to the best of your ability, as honestly as you can manage. I may not have done so perfectly, and I'm totally fine with taking my lumps for that. Writing this book isn't without its cost. I didn't go through the process without being scathed, triggered, and wounded all over again. I did so by choice, of my own will, in order to get at some harsh truths I hope will empower the reader, to know they are not alone, and to join me in what it's like to live with abuse, and the healing journey of surviving it, despite how much it hurts.

 

Remember when I said it's been five years in the making?

Yeah, it's also been five years of processing the raw wounds, the soul bruises, and each and every trigger as I have written, rewritten, revised, and edited this novel to its current state. One of the best parts of this whole process is, I didn't have to do it all alone. Many fellow writers have joined with me in this task, and have given of themselves to help me see things I've been too close to the details to step back and view it objectively. If I have not thanked each of you enough, please know that every word, sentence, and so on you've given me has been a gift of your friendship and support that has meant so much to me while on this journey. Had it not been for your support, encouragement, and belief in me to see this through to the end, I might have given up, trunked the manuscript, and moved on with my life. In fact, many times, I thought long and hard about doing exactly that.

Does the world really want to read and experience what I've written?

The Packing House isn't your run-of-the-mill Young Adult contemporary romance story. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy spends a decade working up the courage to pursue girl, only to have his heart crushed before it's all said and done. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Yes, there is a romance within these pages, but it isn't as cut and dry and cute and safe as you might think. There's also a dark stairwell, a living nightmare, a relentless taunting of an unidentified (at first) and unknown (well, those memories were pushed way down there for a reason...) abuser, and when he shows up, will Joel even be ready to face him?

I didn't stop there. After all, there's more to the story than what's on the surface.

I challenged myself to find a way to write Joel's story that lets you in on his secret right from the start, and then, if you choose to do so, bravely join him and walk along with him on his journey as he tries to figure out who's after him, how's he going to face it when all he wants to do is run away from it, and how he messes up along the way. If nothing else, Joel is vulnerable. That pretty much sums up his greatest weakness, and his greatest strength, all rolled together in a boy who doesn't have it all, but dreams about a world where he might actually deserve to be happy and hopeful again.

So, I share this post (after dusting all the cobwebs off this blog) for several reasons:

1. I've been sorely absent for months (Actually, I've been completing final edits, round one, thanks to the patience and fabulous editing skills of my editor, Jessica West).

2. Grad school is hard work, and I need to practice good self-care, and my writing is one of my outlets, thus I wrote a blog post (I hope you know you're so much more than my therapy).

3. I've had a peek at a rough copy of the cover, and *insert gasp and religious epithet* it's stunning and vulnerable, and gorgeous, and textured, and I've only seen a rough up so far! Soon, you will join me in all the gloriousness that is my amazing cover designer, Greg Simanson. Man, do you have mad skills! But all good things come in due time, so you'll have to wait just a bit longer.

4. I'm currently working on second pass edits (I've finished parts 1 and 2, and am working on part 3 now), and will soon deliver final edits to my proof reader, who will hack and slash her way through THE PACKING HOUSE (publishing Fall 2015 from Booktrope) until every sentence is flawless, and the book is fully formatted for publishing. This also means I get to write my acknowledgements (one of my favorite parts!).

5. I'm working on updating my website: www.gdonaldcribbs.com to expand from a one page holder to a fully functioning author website, including clickable things, goodies, and more.

You might be surprised to know I'm going to be posting here with more frequency and giving you all the details of the publication progress along the way. I might (definitely will) host some giveaways, because who doesn't like winning free books and such? To thank you for joining me in this process, I'll reward all of you first. So, exciting things are coming soon.

One of my other frequent places to post all about book news, quotes, inspiration, and lots more is found at my Facebook Author Page (click the link and don't forget to tap that "Like Page" button so you can find your way back later).

Writing is such a privilege, and a gift. I haven't failed to learn from each step along the way, and I expect I'll learn more once I get to share it with all of you. I know you don't take it for granted, and neither will I. I hope you'll share this news with all your friends and loved ones. Keep reading.

Until next time!

 

Final Edits are Underway

I'm blessed to have a very thorough editor. I've got three levels of edits to work through, and I've got them all printed out so I can highlight and make edits on paper (this is important because it changes up what could easily be missed on the screen/keyboard), then transfer those to my electronic document. As I go through, I'm checking off each edit note to make sure I don't miss anything, and if I have something come up that I need to discuss with my editor, I make a note and check in with her.

While I've only just begun this process, it's going well so far, and I'm pleased with the results. I've got a few bigger bumps along the road coming up (cutting a whole chapter, half of another), and some character arcs needs some retooling as well, but I'm ready for the challenge. Once I'm through final edits (round one), my editor wants to do a quick once over just to be sure she didn't miss anything (did I mention how awesome my editor is?), and then it's off to the proofreader. My proofreader will go through for formatting and grammar to ensure a new set of eyes searches and destroys any remaining typos, grammar errors, or formatting glitches.

Then, we're go for submitting for layout and cover design. Meanwhile, I'll shift gears and get all the marketing aspects ready. I've got some really cool things planned, so stay tuned. Speaking of, have you seen my new dot com? Yes, I've got one of those:

http://gdonaldcribbs.com/

Check it out. It's like a newborn baby for now, but soon I'll have tabbed sections and you'll be able to find out what's happening both here and there. I will be updating more frequently, I swear. I know I've been seriously absent here for awhile. My last two grad school classes were seriously kicking my butt, however,  I just finished and somehow managed to maintain my 4.0! Woot. I'm starting one more class for early summer, but I went ahead and dropped the other one (I've got space later on to take that class), so I had more time to get my book edited and ready to go.

What are your summer plans? My family and I are going to a local campground with a cabin that works for my son's walker. It has a nice pool, walking paths, and other things our boys love to do. We'll probably go to the beach as well at some point.

If all goes well, and according to schedule, we should have ebook and print copies of THE PACKING HOUSE ready for September/October. Once we're closer to the final date, I'll let you know. Somewhere between now and then, we'll have a cover reveal and updates on blog tour, giveaways, and other plans.

Thank you for sharing this news with friends and coming back despite my lack of updates. I appreciate each and every one of you, truly.