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Photo by Jerry Waters.
Coming in October, 2013 from HarperCollins–Chickens in the Road: An Adventure in Ordinary Splendor, the wild and juicy memoir of my life at Stringtown Rising Farm. (Cows, cookies, high water, and love!)
My publisher asked for a couple of paragraphs from me about why I wrote my book, for marketing purposes. I was surprised to discover that it was actually a hard question! The book is so organic to my life and what I’ve been writing about for years that it wasn’t as if it was some sudden decision–I’m going to write a book! I have, in fact, been writing a book for years, right here. So many readers have emailed me over the years telling me how they found my site and went back to the beginning to read every post through to the present, to get the whole story. That’s a hard way to go about it, of course, and involves people spending hours at the computer clicking through post after post, some of which don’t really contribute much to the real story. Some posts are just random events or photos, stories that may be cute or funny but don’t complete the picture.
When I sat down to put the book together, I did what so many readers have done–went back to the beginning and did the crazy task of sorting out the story from the morass of posts. (There are THOUSANDS of posts, five years’ worth.) It was hard to see the forest for the trees. My wonderful editor at HarperCollins helped me find the final vision for the story, as did my agent earlier in the process. Sometimes it’s easier for an outsider to see what is important.
Once I understood the arc of the story, and that it WAS a story with a beginning, middle, and end like any good story, it was easy to choose the pieces that contributed in important ways to building that story in all its facets, from the animals to the people to the farm itself, along with the personal journey that I was on within all of that. There were significant pieces missing from the story I’ve told here, of course, and those pieces were in my private life. That was the most difficult thing for me to do, to complete the picture I’ve written about in public with the private life I was living at the same time. But it was also necessary to tell those personal stories in order to bring this journey to life with depth and emotion. I went through revision after revision, like peeling back layers of an onion, bringing myself to give up those pieces of my private life that were relevant to the story. Those stories were always there, woven invisibly into the fabric of the public story–and now was the time to tell them.
I wrote this book for the same reasons I write this website. I live on a farm–so you don’t have to. (Ha. Favorite line from a video I made a couple of years ago.) This website is my journey into the simple life in rural America, a life that has largely vanished in today’s world. The only ones living it today are those who seek it out and choose it, because there are so many other easier choices available. I write to inspire you, entertain you, teach you, and most of all, to encourage you to have fun. I want to make you laugh, even though sometimes I make you cry. I believe life should be LIVED, which means joy and pain. I believe in taking risks–and going on adventures. I wrote this book because I experienced a big adventure at Stringtown Rising, not all of which I wrote about at the time, but I was ready to write about it now. And every big adventure comes with big lessons, and joy and pain.
In the same way, I’m on a new adventure now, and it’s shaping up to be a big one. Maybe someday I’ll write the adventure of Sassafras Farm and tell the personal stories I’m living here that I keep private today. It’s a journey to independence–that sometimes, ironically, works against me. Lately, a lot of it has been wildly romantic–and that is only because I was willing to take a risk again and go on another adventure. There’s been joy, and there’s been pain, and there’s been kissing in the fencing aisle at Tractor Supply. It’s all worth it. I’m living.
And if anything I write encourages you to do the same, oh yeah, that is why I write.
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on February 21, 2013
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You gave me the courage to pursue a life that I missed but had enjoyed during my childhood at my grandparents. I feel such a connection to what my view as an authentic life is again. Being around like minded ladies was such an inspiration. I can’t wait to read your book. Thank you!
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Can’t wait.
Thank you!
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I can’t help but feel that your life and mine have run parallel in so many ways, both public and private (from what little I know about your private life). I can’t wait to read your book! I don’t have an ounce of creative talent, so I would never be able to write my own, so reading yours should end up being a bit like a memoir, if I’m right about how your life and mine are similar.
Why is it that us ‘strong’ women tend to make such poor choices when it comes to relationships? Seems like it takes more than one frog before we find our prince. Savor the romance, and enjoy the excitement of new love. I wish you and your mystery man all the best! Just remember, you, your writing, your passions, and your farm, come first! It took me much too long to figure out that was where I was going wrong all along.
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Meanwhile, ‘kissing in the fencing aisle’? DO TELL.
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Way to go!!!
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I feel like I found a real sister in farming when I found your blog through the “Cheese Queen”.
Keep kissing, don’t let him get away with anything..I used to have a girl friend that said she told him she NEVER paid for anything on her back. I’ve learned my lesson!!!!!
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Wonderful news the book and the adventure. New love is a wonderful thing.I have laughed and cried with you over the years. I am looking forward to the book.
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Cannot wait for the book!
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Once I read an author I like and whose storyline is ongoing I am off and running. I have currently started at the beginning of John Sanderson’s Lucas Davenport series and have read three and have 6 more ordered! Like I said, I am waiting.
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Suzanne, kissing in the aisle of Tractor Supply??? Has Morgan had the ‘talk’ with you? LOL Just kidding- I’m so happy for you- you deserve to share your life with someone who is worthy of you.
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http://www.amazon.com/Chickens-Road-Adventure-Ordinary-Splendor/dp/0062223704/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361574299&sr=8-1&keywords=Chickens+in+the+Road%3A+An+Adventure+in+Ordinary+Splendor
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