Publishing Round-Up for 2019

The year is coming to a close, and it has been a busy one. With the publication of I Tried completing the Through Eyes Like Mine Trilogy, I'm ready to shift my focus to other writing projects. This is where my words found homes over the past year:

On the other end of our UTLA strike, Cultural Weekly published "Lessons from the Picket Lines" about my experience as a teacher and mother during our work stoppage and demand for the schools our communities deserve.

I attended AWP this winter. I'd avoided this conference for writers and writing programs ever since my MFA, but I wrote about my first AWP experience in "Attending the AWP You Want to Create" for Breathe and Push at Women Who Submit.

I was honored to have my essay, "Threatened Abortion" selected for the Santa Fe Writers Project's Abortion Ban Special Issue. I encourage you to check out this essay, but also the other important stories in this issue. This essay was first published for Breathe and Push at Women Who Submit.

My first fiction found it's way into the world this year. These two shorts from Rice Paper Superheroes appeared in *82 Review and What Are Birds journal respectively: "Andy's Alliance" "A Family Photo"

Other essays published this year were part of the Breathe and Push column for Women Who Submit:

"Tsuru for Solidarity" describes the activism occurring in the Japanese American community this year to protest family separation and injustice in camps at the border.

"Stay Cool and Keep Writing" provides resources for writers in resistance during another difficult summer of injustice.

"When Just Breathing is Enough" is about breathing during stressful times.

"Taking Attendance" captures a Women Who Submit workshop with Rocio Carlos and Rachel McLeod.

"5 Ways for Writers to Celebrate" finished off the year for Breathe and Push.

*edited for accuracy*

Folks, I left a couple of essays off! Two more essays for Breathe and Push made their way into the world for Women Who Submit. Jeesh. How could I forget writing about SAD and the end of the strike?

"Writing Through the Storm" captures the post-strike exhaustion teachers in LA felt this past winter.

"Getting Through Winter" describes my own struggles with seasonal affective disorder.


Despite lots of poetry submissions, no poetry publications this year :(, but there's always 2020.

Support An Independent Author (Me)

The release of the final book in the Through Eyes Like Mine series is a few weeks away. Edits are complete; proof copies have been combed through, tweaked and edited. I'm so close to the end of this project, so why am I still battling my decision to publish these books independently?

It might have been a conversation I had this weekend, and the implication that publishing my books on my own is a decision I made lightly; that I'm doing this with a sense of resignation.

How many agents have you queried?
How many presses?
How many rejections?
How many times have you been told no in regard to these books?

My answer: I've accumulated about thirty passes over a decade. Some think this is nothing. There are authors who finally get published after their 50th or 100th or 200th query. There are also authors who query agents, land with an agent, and their books still don't sell. There are books that get picked up by small presses and make a run of a few hundred copies. Some presses don't do much to promote a book, and their books quietly fade into obscurity. Some presses produce beautiful books, and some books have typos and ugly covers. There are small presses that print a small number of copies, and the authors never see a cent of the profit.

So, my decision to publish on my own makes sense to me, but I had to write this in order to remind myself.

I want people to be able to read my books. I want to see the books, to hold them in my hands, to read from them, and gift them to friends, and I want to receive royalty payments. I want to complete this series, and move on to other projects, and I'm willing to do the work to make it happen.

I hope you'll support indie authors. I hope you'll support me. Buy the books. Read the books. Talk about the books. If you are interested in the process of independent publishing, ask. I am working outside traditional publishing and it's scary, and I don't always know what I'm doing, but I know it's right for me, and it's right for these books.

As I wait on the release of I Tried, I'm still convinced independent is the way I want to go.

Vying for Mom's Blessing

Nine years ago, I sat in a coffee shop and wrestled words into their final form in Through Eyes Like Mine. I believed in the work. It’s a non-traditional memoir. It exists even though I’m not famous and haven’t survived a cult or unspeakable tragedy. I’m not a recovering addict or childhood star. It is a quiet book, a child’s story, told by a not-so-old writer. I shared it with my mom and the rest of my family, and with a few corrections and clarifications, they all stood behind it.

Christmas: 1981

When Overdue Apologies came out two years later, I tried to hold my middle school memoir to the same standard, but it is a different book. It is about a time most people would rather forget. I teach middle school, so I know it’s cringy because adolescence is cringe-worthy. My family laughed awkwardly throughout Overdue Apologies, but along with my middle school friends, they helped shape the work. My mom wondered what she was up to during my middle school adventure, but she supported its release. It came out just as I was about to have a baby, so I didn’t give it the launch it deserved. I was expecting, but I also wasn’t sure the world wanted a middle school memoir.

Now, as I ready I Tried for publication, the process feels the same but different. I am still pouring over the words, attempting to make it as perfect as possible. I have to steal time, just like before, but now there are two kids vying for my attention. The world is a different place with widening gaps between the haves and have nots, rural and urban, white and other, but these differences make these books feel more important. I shared the manuscript with family and friends who again influenced it, but the biggest difference this time is my mom isn’t here.

Summer: 1991

My mom was my first reader. She was my first ask about memory accuracy. She helped clarify my recollections. She framed the events in my early books, but with I Tried, I couldn’t ask what she remembered about my sixteenth birthday or Dad’s fall off the roof. She would have hated reading about the limits of white feminism, but I still think she would support this book. She would correct a few facts, tell me which parts were hard for her to read; which ones made her laugh or cry. She would love the snapshots of our family from the porch in Bend, and question the choices she made along the way.

I hope Mom can help me find a few last typos. I hope she will fact check my memory like she always has. I hope in some dream tonight or in the nights to come, she will look up from the rushing white water of the Deschutes and forgive the white feminist she was and the flawed feminist I am. I hope she will somehow give this last book her blessing and know: I tried.

10 years of blogging later...

Ten years ago, I started this blog. August, 10, 2009. Well, clearly I missed that anniversary.

Back then, I had the idea that maybe a publisher would stumble upon my blog, want to publish my book or at least my thoughts, and I hoped a blog could help me build a readership. It's been ten years, and not a single publisher has come knocking on my door, but I have found readers. Thanks for tagging along.

In that first year, I wrote about visiting China, fertility, the Dodgers, and then excerpted a bunch of a novel in progress, New LA Life, that still isn't done. I started a second blog, Throwing Cookies, for writing about sports, and I wrote a lot about food and education.

Nine years and 250 blog posts later, so much has changed since 2010. Back then, I was five years post MFA. I was teaching, eating at LA food trucks, and playing lots of beach volleyball. David and I were working hard to get pregnant, but we were not getting pregnant. The country was living in President Obama's first term.

In 2010, I wrote about my decision to self-publish Through Eyes Like Mine and included a mixtape. In 2012, I wrote about my middle school memoir, Overdue Apologies. Then, Kiara arrived, and although I tried to keep reading and writing and reclaiming my brain, it was hard. When Gabe showed up, it was even harder. But now, nine years later, I'm finally ready to complete the coming of age Through Eyes Like Mine series.

I Tried: Tales from an Emerging High School Feminist explores what it means to be a young woman of color growing up in rural America. In the final installation of the Through Eyes Like Mine series, Nori teeters on the edges of adulthood and navigates shifting expectations of her community, her family, and herself. I Tried examines the challenges and isolation a multiracial girl faces in small-town America.

Stay tuned. More in the next couple of weeks.

She said she would publish the books herself.

It's been almost nine years and two kids since the release of Through Eyes Like Mine, my early childhood memoir. My decision to publish this book on my own came after the manuscript sat with an agent for about a year, then made its way through publishing houses where editors complimented the writing but found it too quiet, so I resolved to launch the book myself. I planned readings in Oregon with family and friends, and I was happy to place the book in the hands of receptive readers.

It's been over seven years since Overdue Apologies, my middle school memoir quietly made it's way into the world. Motherhood was right around the corner, and I knew my life was about to change making the work of finding a home for this manuscript even more challenging. I never properly launched the book or made time for readings, but it has also made it's way into readers' hands and found fans with middle school audiences.

Since then, stealing time for writing has become harder. Teaching and parenting make time management even more important. Early mornings are still key, and in November, the words come during National Novel Writing Month, and in April, for National Poetry Month, I've written a poem a day ever since Kima Jones spent her time as a PEN fellow visiting poet in my classroom. My writing partner, Hazel Kight Witham, and I have continued to meet weekly to focus our writing and teaching practices. We have also escaped to writing residencies at Wellstone Center in the Redwoods. These spaces mean that the final book in the Through Eyes Like Mine trilogy is finally ready for the world.

I've also spent time over the past few years building to emerging as a writer with Women Who Submit, an organization empowering women and non-binary writers to submit their work for publication. As part of this submitting work, Through Eyes Like Mine was chosen as a finalist for the inaugural 2040 book prize. Excerpts from Overdue Apologies appeared in Spector and Sky Island Journal. As my publishing credits grew, I decided to try find a traditional publisher for the high school memoir. Again, I queried agents, submitted to small presses, and excerpts from this work appeared in Compose, Lady Liberty Lit, and East Jasmine Review.

Senior portrait of the author.

Then, after the 2016 election, with conversations about the divide between rural and urban America intensifying, my high school memoir and all of the books in the Through Eyes Like Mine trilogy gained significance. Books like Hillbilly Elegy and White Trash became best sellers, but the perspective of a young girl of color coming of age in rural America was missing. This book is what's missing. The books in this trilogy are the missing books, and now the third book is ready.

In the next few weeks, I'll be re-releasing Through Eyes Like Mine and Overdue Apologies with updated covers and forewords by my sister, Laura Yukiko Nakada Flennaugh and my brother, Chet Nakada. Like with the first two books, I will launch playlists and excerpts and this go around signed, personally bound copies of the trilogy will be available as I Tried: Tales of an Emerging High School Feminist will FINALLY be here! Whoooo hooo!

On the Occasion of My 100th Rejection

Yes, that is me and poet, Terrance Hayes.
I was so young, newly mfa'd and ready to be the writer. 

This past week, I finally received my 100th pass as a writer. It is a milestone I am celebrating, because if I'm not getting my work out there, I am not establishing myself as an emerging writer. As Los Angeles poet Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo of Women Who Submit helped me realize in her article,  "Building up to Emerging," getting my work published is part of building my career as a writer.

This journey started many years ago. After completing my mfa in writing, I set out to find an agent. I wrote a query for Through Eyes Like Mine, researched agents and agencies and sent out a dozen queries. I landed with Judy Heiblum at Brick House Literary Agents in 2006. She believed in my book, sent me wonderful edits, and then, just before sending my manuscript out, she moved to Sterling Lord Literistic, a big New York agency. My book was passed on by lots of editors at big houses. But the book didn't move, and Judy didn't see my next book, Overdue Apologies, as different enough that it would get picked up. My manuscripts quietly gathered digital dust on various computer hard drives.

I spent a couple of years teaching, started blogging, and spent the next few years of my post-mfa-life teaching and trying to start a family. In 2009, I finished up NaNoWriMo and was walking my students through the self-publishing process. That was when I realized, I could do this. It wasn't all that hard to put a book together and get it out into the world. I enjoyed designing covers, working with writer-friends who are great editors, and let my agent know I was going to self-publish Through Eyes Like Mine in 2010. She wished me luck, and I launched the book in Bend and Portland with readings and signings. It felt like a wonderful way to get my book in people's hands and onto shelves. It opened up readings at museums and in classrooms and at book clubs, but it was a lot of work.

Three years later, in 2012, just before Kiara was born, when I knew motherhood could put writing on pause for a while, I quickly and quietly self-published Overdue Apologies. I didn't schedule a book launch or readings or signings. I didn't have the time or energy as a new mother. But the book was out there and done.

It wasn't for another four years that I would connect with Women Who Submit, a group of LA writers who encourage submitting work to counter underrepresentation of women in literary spaces. That's when I started submitting. Since July of 2016, I've submitted to 106 journals, contests, presses, residencies, and agents. I've published or have forthcoming 16 pieces (poems, essays, excerpts) since then, was shortlisted for the 2040 Prize, and a request for a book proposal for Dispatches from a High School Feminist: Rising Up from Rural Oregon. For now, I'm trying to go traditional with this next book, but if things don't move, I'm not afraid to give it another go on my own.

Thanks to all of you for following this journey, for reading my books blogs. I know it doesn't seem like it's still the beginning, but as a writer, I'm working on building to emerging.

A Few Through Eyes Like Mine Big Pimpin' Shout Outs

In November I wrote this blog post about pimping my memoir and since then I've been working to get Through Eyes Like Mine into people's hands. I've participated in readings in Bend, Portland and Los Angeles. I've spoken with book clubs, received my first fan mail and had wonderful conversations with people about the book. It hasn't been easy and I haven't done it alone. The support I've gotten from family and friends has been phenomenal. There are so many great people out there getting the word out on the book and I want to honor some of them because it's hard out there for a pimp.

Everyone who reviewed the book on Amazon, Goodreads and Powells and the many others who sent me messages about the book.

Hazel Witham, who wakes up early every school day to write with me, who edits and provides feedback AND generously pimped my book to her many family and friends for the holidays.

Friends in Bend and Portland who supported my first readings at Old St. Francis School and Everyday Wine.

Leah Mackenzie who interviewed me an article in the Examiner. 

Emerson Middle School colleagues who continue to share Through Eyes Like Mine online, (thanks Diane and Caren) who showed up for our book club some of you twice, (thanks Meghan) and Michele and Heather who chose the book for their book club so they've discussed the book ad nauseum.

My Webster Middle School peeps who invited me to their book club (thanks, Alma) and even hung around during their conference periods to talk memoir.

The Rhapsodomancy Reading series, who hosted me at The Good Luck Bar (Thanks, Wendy) and all the Angelenos who came out to the event. 

Jeff who invited me to talk on CSDHTV with his students and is including TELM on his syllabus.

Hippocampus and Specter who published excerpts of my work in their literary magazines.

Jordan, who paired my book with a tasty Pinot Noir on her blog, This Girl Walks Into a Bar.

Katrina at KJP Creations who is making upcoming readings in Portland happen.

My parents: big pimpin'.

My extended family, Ron and Ruth for spreading the word among the Nakadas, and Aunt Bev on the Barry side.

Yukiko, my big sister who is responsible for my wide international following (so many people in China have read my book, and there are a lot of people in China).

Chet, and Mitch for continuing to support the book with friends and family. 

My husband, David who has put up with me working two jobs, handles all shipments and event sales, and has made many teachers at Brentwood Science Magnet buy my book. 

But the biggest pimps of TELM are definitely my parents. They not only allowed me to write all about how they raised me, but then they encouraged people to buy the book! Thanks, Mom and Dad! You are the top pimps! Congrats!

So, how are your book sales going?

Today at the end of a long day at my second job (teaching), one of my colleagues asked about my first job (writing). "So, how's your book selling?"

I told him things were going okay, but that it was hard to know. This is what I've thought about since then:  well, I haven't cracked any best-seller's lists, after toying with sales rankings in the thousands on Amazon in December I've fallen to the hundreds of thousands in February. But my dad, he's practically sold 100 copies on his own. You can now find my book in real life places (Between the Covers in Bend, the Nikkei Legacy Center in Portland) and buy it or order is from bookstores like Powell's. So I don't really know how sales are going. I wish there was a magic formula to stimulate the book, some tipping point when sales would accelerate and I wouldn't know every person who has read or ordered the book. As of right now though, my goal of 10,000 copies seems impossible, but maybe I won't feel that way in another three months. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

So, I've arranged a bunch or words in a particular order and put it between two covers. Any takers?

Adieu to 2010

Kogi's Blackjack Quesadilla and Spicy Pork Tacos.

2010 was the year of (in alphabetical order)

Beach Volleyball
Chipotle
Ed "reform"
Fertility/Infertility
Food trucks
Furlough days
LA summer that wasn't a summer
Oregon football
P90X

Buttermilk's Chicken & Waffles,
Brick, and Red Velvet Pancakes.

Pole Peddle Paddle
Self-publishing
Untagging myself on David's FB
Weddings and engagements
YA Literature (The Hunger Games & The Book Thief)


A tasty delicious year it was!

Dogtown Dogs' Spicy Angeleno, Morning
Commute and Trailer Trash with tots.

2011... let's do this.

Pimp My Memoir: Through Eyes Like Mine for sale

For much of the past year, I've spent hours upon hours editing, revising, designing and redesigning Through Eyes Like Mine.  Much of that work has been done in the early morning hours.  Most of the process has been solitary.  It's what writers do and I'm a writer.  So although it's taken a whole lot of time and energy, I've loved doing it.

Now that the book is out, the marketing has begun. In this process, I'm much less comfortable.  I have to talk to people, email them, follow up with phone calls, and email or call again. I have to ask people to buy the book and that goes against all my socialist tendencies.  But if any of the editors from Penguin, Nan Talese, Tin House, Vintage, MacAdam/Cage, St. Martin's, Holt, HarperCollins, Graywolf, Picador, who passed on my book, had decided to publish it, they would have marketed the memoir so now it's up to me.

I decided to self-publish. I owe it to myself to pimp my memoir, so I'm asking for your help.

First off, to all of you who have already bought the book, thank you so very, very much.  If you read the book, please consider posting a review on Amazon, or as a comment on my website.  I would love to hear what you think, good or bad and to get people talking about the book.  Tell your friends and neighbors.  Write about it on your blogs.  Any press is good press, right?

If you haven't bought it, don't like to read, don't plan on reading it, I should have put this paragraph earlier because you probably aren't still reading, but just in case you are, you can help too!  Please share this post throughout the world of social media.  Even if you aren't so into books, please share with your friends.  Maybe they like books.  Maybe they will read it.  You too can pimp my memoir.

Or you can just chuckle about that little Noriko, (isn't she silly about all of this self-publishing nonsense) go about your day, and I'll simply carry on quietly, oh wait, I'm not supposed to do this quietly. Whatever.  This capitalism thing is hard for me, but I'll be out pimping my memoir, one book at a time.

My Decision to Self-Publish and Why I'm Sticking With It

After finishing my MFA I had a pretty solid manuscript in hand. It felt done. It felt different and real and I didn't cringe (too much) as I read over the draft months later. So I shopped it, landed an agent and thought, there it is! My book, written, sitting with an agent and she will make publishing happen!

Of course things didn't quite work out that way. My agent was great. She got the book to editors at big houses who read it and although they thought the book was beautifully written, it was a little too quiet or not quite what they were looking for.

That's okay. I didn't write it for any of them anyway! I wrote it for me, but I also wanted Oprah to pick my book for her show and now she's almost done with her show and won't be able to promote it.

Bummer.

But from what I hear, the publishing world is all sort of wacky turvy right now. E-books and e-readers and Snookie getting a book deal. Snookie. And it's so easy to self-publish. And so affordable. I can do it on my own.

Except then I have to do it all on my own.

So, I read and reread my book. I edited, revised, proof-read, read again, reread, reread and still, STILL there were mistakes. I made more changes. I printed proof copies. I shared it with my circle of talented friends who write and read. I heard from them and I made more changes, read, reread, revised, proof-read, added, deleted read again and again and again and again.

I designed a cover. I thought I liked it. I didn't. I changed it. I liked it again.

I'm waiting on what I hope will be the last proof copy. I'm really excited. I'm ready to send it out into the world. I hope to move 10,000 units. That's not so much. Wait, that's a ton.  

I hope you might want to read it.  

It's coming.  It's coming soon. 

Through Eyes Like Mine.  A book.  My book.  By Noriko Nakada.