(Belated) updates on Political Godmother

And why books make great holiday gifts ;)

Time got weird this year, warped by shelter-in-place boredom, work-from-home busyness and news cycle after news cycle laced with death, injustice and rage. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to believe Political Godmother has been out in the world for more than six months.

There was no book tour, no face-to-face readings and nowhere for me to toast all of the people who helped me through the writing process, although I’m still hoping 2021 will allow for some in-person events. If nothing else, my parents have promised me dinner at a glittery inn up north where, as an oh-so-precocious child attending a family wedding, I announced that, when I wrote a book, I would use the venue for a party. (Yes. I knew I wanted to write books when I was 10. Like I said, precocious as hell.)

Despite the challenges, Political Godmother had a solid first six months. Some highlights:

Reviews and excerpts: The book received national attention with reviews appearing in Kirkus and the Wall Street Journal. And don’t forget the long excerpt that Politico Magazine published back in February! More locally, the Union Leader said Political Godmother was “compelling reading,” and New Hampshire Magazine called it “exhaustively researched and brightly written.”

Podcasts and radio spots: In June, my favorite local public radio station hosted an hour-long discussion about the book. The Journalism History podcast, which is produced by a top-notch academic journal of the same name, featured me in August. And here I am in September talking to the folks at the New Books Network podcast. In November, I chatted about the history of conservative media with my Northeastern colleague Dan Cohen on his podcast, What’s New.

Other love: Earlier this month, I was among the authors featured in the Journalism and Women Symposium’s Books and Browse, a selection of titles curated for the symposium’s annual conference. And, as of this morning, Political Godmother is listed in the catalogs of more than 160 libraries worldwide, including a half dozen in Australia, two in Germany and one in Nigeria.

Book talks: Several local bookstores and community groups hosted me for live events. I’d like to do more of these, so please hit me up with invitations to talk virtually to your class, your library, your book club or your rotary group in the new year.

To keep the momentum going, please consider giving Political Godmother as a gift this holiday season. Books are always fun to receive as presents, but that’s especially true right now as we enter what’s sure to be a dark and lonely winter. Vaccines are coming. Until then, all we have is patience and distractions. I’m reminded of Iceland, a country that values literature enough to bury writers in its national cemetery and decorate hotel rooms with poems. Winters there are long with the sun rising for just a few hours each day. Because of this, the bulk of new books are released in December ahead of Jolabokaflod, or the Christmas Book Flood. People give and receive books on December 24, then spend Christmas Eve hunkered down and reading. (And also probably drinking some of this, which is neither terrible nor enjoyable, imho.) It sounds like a nice way to pass the time.

If you do purchase a copy or two of Political Godmother for gifting, please do so at your favorite local book store or mine.

The support of my family, my friends and everyone else reading this newsletter has meant the world to me these last few months. Thank you!

Look for a new issue of this newsletter in January. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy and try to stay focused on the good stuff.

Meg