Ron Tanner: There is Real Suspense in this Brave Book

Author Ron Tanner (Kiss me Stranger, A Bed of Nails, From Animal House to Our House) recently read Womb: a novel in utero. His thoughts?

"You may gape in disbelief as you realize that the narrator of Eric D. Goodman’s novel, Womb, is a fetus, talking to us from his mother’s womb. But the proto-boy has a lot to say. And, determined to save—somehow—his parents’ marriage, he has a lot to accomplish. There is real suspense in this brave book and more than one surprise. So, suspend your disbelief and let the lad talk." 

-- Ron Tanner, author of Missile Paradise

Learn more about Ron, and his latest book, Missile Paradise, at his blog for readers and writers: www.RonTanner.com.

Gregg Wilhelm on Womb: Complete with its anxiety, joy

I met Gregg Wilhelm at the Baltimore Book Festival about a decade ago, when he was just starting what would become a cornerstone of the regional literary arts scene: CityLit Project. 

CityLit Project programs acclimated me to the local literary scene, coached me as I sought to better my writing and get it published, and later featured me and my fellow writers at such venues as the Baltimore Book Festival and CityLit Festival. So, to borrow his words, it was with a bit of “anxiety” and “joy” that I received his thoughts on my latest novel, Womb.

“The precocious prenatal narrator of Eric D. Goodman's novel, Womb, examines one of humanity's most common experiences — the nine-month drama of expecting parents—complete with its anxiety, joy, and adjustments. When a secret threatens to tear apart Jack and Penny, the arrival of this imaginative novel's in utero sage might be the ultimate solution.”

-- Gregg Wilhelm
Founder Emeritus, CityLit Project

Learn more about Gregg at www.greggwilhelm.com.

Pregnancy Journal Author Finds Womb "Amazing"

Katherine Cottle's published books include I Remain Yours, My Father's Speech, and Halfway: A Journal through Pregnancy. What does the author of a journal through pregnancy have to say about a novel looking at pregnancy from the inside out?

"It is amazing, what awaits in Eric D. Goodman's latest full-length fiction. Womb, an inventive and eye-opening novel-in-utero, is a cocktail of all human emotion, presented through the impressions and knowledge of the most internally omniscient and instinctual of narrators.  Goodman bravely stakes out uncharted routes in his endearing and enduring account of life, both before and after birth. Fear, love, pain, desire, and longing drive the human minds and voices of this literary crossroads, and their unstoppable drive toward and from each other."

--Katherine Cottle,
author of Halfway: A Journal through Pregnancy

Evolution of a Cover (Part Two)

 Recently I wrote about my experience working alongside my publisher and designer in selecting the right cover for a novel. 

When Atticus Books hired Jamie Keenan to design the cover for Tracks: A Novel in Stories, I came eye-to-eye with the fact that, despite the adage, people can and do judge books by their covers. A good cover can draw a reader to or away from a book on display. A good cover that conveys the feel of the book is important.

When Merge Publishing hired Leslie Taylor of Buffalo Creative Group to design the cover for Womb: a novel in utero, I was pleased with the results. That said, not all of the results fit. Together, with input from me and my publisher, Leslie designed the perfect cover.

Here’s an early cover concept that, although very creative, just didn’t seem to capture the mood of the book. We were afraid it may look just a little too much like a What to Expect When You’re Expecting sort of book.

Here’s an early version of the cover, closer to the one we ended up with.

Finally, here is the cover that we went with. We all felt that it conveyed just the right look and feel for Womb: a novel in utero. Soft, slightly rounded lettering, a warm, fluid, womb-like feel without going clinical or to literal, and just the right spark of awareness to it.

Yes, you can judge a book by its cover.

Learn more about Leslie Taylor, Creative Buffalo Group, and some of their covers at http://buffalocreativegroup.com/

Womb Book Signing at Greetings and Readings (And CityLit Fest and Lit & Art Coming Up)

This Saturday, April 22 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. I'll be doing a book signing at Greetings & Readings. Stop by to get your autographed copy of Womb: a novel in utero, and support your local bookstore!

Learn more about the event, the bookstore, and the book at https://www.greetingsandreadings.com/events/womb-a-novel-in-utero-book-signing

Then, be sure to join me and lots of other writers for the CityLit Festival on the following Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!
http://www.citylitproject.org/index.cfm?page=news&newsid=179


And, don't forget that the next two events in the Lit and Art Reading Series are coming up, back to back!

The next Lit and Art event takes place at The Ivy's Bird in Hand location on Sunday, April 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. and features Virginia Crawford, Toby Devens, Christopher T. George, Tom Glenn, Michael Hughes, and Ron Tanner with art by Manzar and music by Adam Trice of Red Sammy.

The following Lit and Art event takes place at The Historic York Inn / Smyser Bair House as part of York First Friday on Friday, May 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. and features Sid Gold, Barbara DeCeasar, Sam Schmidt, and Laura Shovan with art by Manzar and music by Adam Trice of Red Sammy. And Margaritas! 

More information will be at the Lit and Art Facebook page soon. Check it out at https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitAndArt. 

In the meantime, see you at Greetings & Readings this Saturday!

https://www.greetingsandreadings.com/events/womb-a-novel-in-utero-book-signing

Extreme Book Promotion Gone Wild!

For writers (and artists and musicians), promoting your work is important. If you write it they will read sounds nice, but it’s only the case with your core circle, or your tribe. These days, extreme book promotion is how to bring new audiences to your work. Go extreme, get their attention, and maybe you’ll find new readers that wouldn’t pay attention if you just put your words in front of them.

Halloween seemed a perfect time to go extreme with the book promotion. And April Fool's Day seems the only possibly appropriate day to go live with it.

But how far is too far? Maybe this is: dressing up as a pregnant woman for our Halloween party, to promote Womb: a novel in utero. Several times throughout the night, I went into false labor, only little advertising cards leaking out. Then, it happened: I gave birth to my labor of love—the advance reading copy of Womb.

Watch the Gif at the link below. Did it, or the picture above, get your attention? Is it a little too much? I’ll let you decide. If nothing else, it was a fun Halloween party!

https://goo.gl/photos/3Mk75UURwRuArGTg7