Under the Same Moon Book Signing
July 14th
Guess what friends — after working on my first novel for more than EIGHT YEARS, it is going to see the light of publishing day!
The book will be listed on Amazon and other web-based sellers by the end of August. I’ll be certain to post the details as soon as they come to light. However, for Phoenicians, there is a certain dream coming true on August 24th that I’d love for you to be a part of. Changing Hands Bookstore is a fixture for literary folk in the Valley. It’s one of the few remaining independent bookstores. The owners are community-minded folk who regularly invite international and local authors alike to speak about their varied passions and literary craft. I’ve listened to Barbara Kingsolver, Elizabeth Gilbert and many others thanks to Changing Hands.
In truth, it was my mother who gave me a love of reading — specifically a love for Nancy Drew. I would save my allowance and beg for a trip to this bookstore, for time to sit among the dusty old marigold yellow copies of the mystery maven, trying to find those few copies missing from our vintage collection.
I grew up in this bookstore never guessing I’d one day be there presenting my own book. The day has arrived and you are invited:
7 pm, Tuesday, August 24th
Changing Hands Bookstore
Tempe, AZ
In the meantime, if you’d like a glimpse at what “Under the Same Moon” is about:
Abena Udate, a 15-year-old girl, is kidnapped from an open-air market in rural Mozambique by a wandering American businessman. Smuggled into a suburban Phoenix community, Abena must learn a new language, culture and way of life previously unimaginable. She tries desperately not to become accustomed to the luxuries she’s never previously known – bubble baths, libraries and a caretaker who keeps a keen eye on her new charge. The girl patient determines the motives of her captors and why they want a blue-black addition to their creamy family portrait.
Kupela, her young brother, will stop at nothing to find his sister and the muzungu who has stolen her. When he falls gravely ill with malaria, an American expat uses every resource to keep him alive and unravel the mystery of his missing sister. Burdened with the worries of flooding in Mozambique and the well-being of the brother she adores, Abena wonders if she’ll ever be able to escape the comfortable Arizonan stucco house for the mud hut in rural Beira she calls home.
And finally, this wouldn’t be my blog or style if I didn’t end on a note of sincere and complete gratitude. To Amanda, who spent countless hours editing and took my cover photo. To Colleen, who designed the most gorgeous cover in the history of novels. Really. To my friends, family and to all of you who have asked countless times about the status of this dream — my forever thanks.
~kmd
Novelist (!!)
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This is very exciting news, congratulations! I can’t wait to read the book.
Kelli,
Congrats, congrats! I can’t wait to buy it on amazon….so excited for you.
this is amazing Kelly! congrats!!!
Kelli, Kelli, Kelli, this is wonderful!!! Can’t wait to get my hands on that book…muchísimas felicidades y mucho éxito!
Very cool, Kelli. I’d like to share this with my readers, given the Moz connection. I’m looking forward to reading, and to seeing how you escape stereotypes in the storyline.
Wow! Congratulations Kelli!
Very exciting. Looking forward to reading your book Kelli.
Yay!! Congratulations to you! That is so awesome & exciting. I wish I coils be there for your booksigning. I’ll be there in spirit! Congrats again! Can’t wait to read it!
Congrats! Looks like an awesome read! Lylah
Thanks so much for the kind words, Kelli. Looking forward to having you. Here’s a link to your event page on our website: http://www.changinghands.com/event/donley See you soon!
So incredibly happy for you Kelli! I’ll be thinking about you during your signing! Congratulations!