The Nicholberry Dispatch
A confession.
Well everyone, this is the last Nicholberry Dispatch before Puppy Brain launches. By the time I send you next week’s newsletter, it will officially be out there in the world. I cannot believe it.
I’ve been wrestling with whether to say this out loud or not, and I decided that I should just say it. Perhaps there are writers who set out to write a book and hold no hope of it finding its way on to the New York Times Bestseller list. That person is not me.
From the outset, I figured that Puppy Brain simply wasn’t the kind of book that could achieve such a thing. But then all of you floored all of us (including Celadon, my publisher) with your preorders, and suddenly, the impossible seemed possible.
That elusive list is a mystery. No one quite knows how a book finds its way there - some enigmatic combination of the number of books sold mixed with the retailers from which it’s purchased and the timeframe in which purchases are made. In what has been a Cinderella experience, seeing Puppy Brain on that list would be a glass slipper moment.
And yet. I’m also reminded of Seth Godin’s advice on producing work for the smallest viable audience. In that quest, we produce work that people connect to and are changed by. For me, that includes changing the lives of the dogs who are the beneficiaries of changed humans.
So as “Pub Day” approaches, I’ll probably have a foot in both worlds. But I know in my bones that while there would be something tremendously satisfying about seeing Puppy Brain on that coveted list, it will pale in comparison to hearing back from all of you about the way it changes your relationship with your dogs. If I had to choose one, I choose the latter.
May it be an agent of change.
EVENT RECAP
April 29th Carmel, CA - SOLD OUT
May 2nd Santa Monica, CA Zibby’s Bookshop - SOLD OUT
May 4th La Jolla, CA Signing and FRTD Fundraiser
May 15th Boston, MA Hummingbird Books
May 21st Dallas, TX Interabang Books
May 28th Bay Area Dinner, Conversation, and Signing at a private residence (email me for details)
SOMETHING TO READ
If you’ve never heard of Seth Godin and his discussions about SVA, this blog post is a good primer. He’s been a mentor from afar, as I played his podcast with Tim Ferris on a loop while writing Puppy Brain. Unwittingly, I have always done what I do for the SVA, finding the magic in getting better rather than in scale.
SOMETHING TO LEARN
Playing with Dogs Helps People Concentrate and Relax, Brain Studies Show
If you are owned by a dog, this is something you already know! But still fun to read about the science.
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”— Zora Neale Hurston
SOMETHING TO LOVE
Eve shooting the cover …
I’m so excited for you and for the anticipated arrival of Puppy Brain!! Congratulations!!
As a long time dog owner and lover, I have learned so much since following you on Instagram. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and love of dogs. God Bless You Kerry!
Congratulations to a kind, talented... in so many ways.. person. I and thousands of people are lucky to know you. Enjoy the moments. Love, Sandee, Cheryl, Cooper, and Jackson (who is a wannabe Nicholberry Golden)