A bit different column this week, but it turns out that when you write a column that posts every two weeks, a lot can change in the world from one column to the next.
In the past couple of weeks the number of cases of COVID-19 has exploded, and most of us around the world are part of a government-imposed lockdown or socially isolating pursuant to expert and local authorities’ suggestion. As a writer and an introvert, I’m used to being hidden away in my cave, but that doesn’t mean it’s a cakewalk, and it’s definitely not easy for so, so many people (like my sixteen year old, who desperately wants to hang with her friends).
She gets it, though. And I’m so proud of her for understanding that social isolation helps protect everyone.
One thing that is particular hard to deal with is the feeling of not being able to do anything. And on March 15 four award winning and bestselling author friends and I decided to put together a book bundle with the goal of giving readers something comforting — guaranteed HEAs!—to snuggle up with while socially isolating.
So me, Darcy Burke, Dee Davis, Rachel Grant, and Elisabeth Naughton all included a full-length novel in the bundle.
In a frenzy of text messaging, we came up with the title—Love in the Time of Coronavirus—and decided on a beneficiary for the sales. All proceeds for the 99c bundle go to ProLiteracy. (Click for information on ProLiteracy).
Of course, we had to have a publisher name, and while Five Healthy Friends (Two of whom think they may have have coronavirus and one who is trapped in Spain) Press was raised as a possibility, we ended up with Vanquish Virus Press. Which we thought seemed like a solid choice.
Sidenote: I’d traveled thirteen days before getting horribly sick. Being immunocompromised with almost all the symptoms, I was able to get tested, and, thankfully, it was negative. Another in the group had also traveled and felt like crap. She, also, has turned out fine. Dee truly was stuck in Spain and managed to get back in the country right as the borders were closing; she’s now in the midst of the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. It would still have been a fun name for a press, but we decided it was a bit too long for the various vendors’ “Publisher” line.
So curl up with wine or coffee or your favorite beverage and escape into five guaranteed happily ever afters!
Sending all of you my very best wishes.
