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LOOK WHAT WAS BORN YESTERDAY!

Dear Ones —

Yesterday the first actual hardcover copies of my new book "The Signature of All Things" arrived in the world. (Or, at least, they arrived in MY world, delivered by overnight express.)

I've been writing since I was about four years old. I've been trying to write serious fiction since I was about fourteen years old. I've been writing professionally since I was about twenty-four years old. This is my sixth book, people. I'm a middle-aged woman by now. YOU'D THINK I WOULD BE USED TO THE EXCITEMENT OF THIS MOMENT BY NOW.

But I'm not.

I almost cried when I opened the package and saw the book — the real book. The one I worked on for almost four solid years. Dreams made material, just like that.

Guys, it's so pretty, I can't even tell you. From the beautiful cover (which so many of you helped to choose!), to the font of the type (Renaissance-inpired minion; I'm a font geek), to the thick, rough-cut, old-fashioned pages, to the 19th century botanical prints that illustrate each of the five parts of the novel, to the endpapers (separate photo to follow of the amazing endpapers!)…well, all-in-all, this is a REALLY PRETTY BOOK, which feels true to the era (18th and 19th century) of its prose.

An act of love, to be sure.

I haz happy.

October 1, everyone…OCTOBER FIRST!

Onward,
Liz

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

BE LOVE…

I adore this story, from Jennifer Pastiloff. Wonderful.

xo
Liz

Timeline Photos
I just came to the library to write. I see this man standing and looking at some books. He has a sign on his chest that says "Be Love." I ask him if I can take a picture and he happily obliges. I turn around to get some money in my wallet (he's homeless, that much is evident. There are a lot of homeless that hang out at the Santa Monica library.) I turn back around and he's taken the sign off. "Pictures free" he says "but you have to wear this for 2 hours. I'm David, what's your name?" I ask him to tie it around my neck. He says if anyone asks me what it's about to tell them "It's a demand." I gave him a hug and two bucks and went up the stairs to write. The smiles I got as I walked to my little table by the window. Be love, be love, be love. Part of my book talks about the messengers in our lives. David was one such messenger indeed. Be love. Pass it on.
With love, from the @[44620562625:274:Santa Monica Public Library]
jennifer
ps, he'd also never taken a pic with an iPhone before and the pic of me was his first one ever. Pretty pretty good.

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Laura's Van Gogh-inspired HAPPINESS JAR!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
My Happiness Jar. I kept putting it off because I didn't yet have the perfect idea- then after reading your post this morning I decided to just DO IT. It occurred to me that my favorite artist of all time is Vincent van Gogh, who was a deeply unhappy man that still managed to appreciate and celebrate the beauty in the world around him. I started to paint it, got frustrated and put it aside- figuring I would come back to it later. Because I'm a bonehead. My daughter asked me what it was and I started to explain it. A little voice inside my head said, "So you're going to hold off on celebrating the blessings in your life that make you happy because the outside of something isn't perfect yet?" And so it's done. Thanks, Liz. xo

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Jennie's self-named "AUTISM MOMMY HAPPINESS JAR", to help her focus on good things, through the particular challenges of raising her two autistic children. Good bless you, Jennie!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
Here's the Autism Mommy Happiness Jar. Thanks so much for this idea Liz. Namaste from Miami, Florida!

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Torie's JAR OF GRATITUDE…wonderful!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
I keep this "Jar of Gratitude" on the bookshelf above my desk at work & have filled it twice in the past year & a half! Thanks for blessing us all with this Wonderful idea Liz. I get so excited when I add to it! 🙂

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall