When I set out to learn about my mother's bridge club, the Jewish octogenarians behind the matching outfits and accessories, I never expected to fall in love with them. This is the story of the ladies, their game, their gen, and the ragged path that led me back to my mother.Donna Everhart, you minx. Well, now that you’ve hinted at my big news, I’ll come clean. All this time I’ve been in my office gnawing at my limbs, splitting my hairs, scouring my face like the surface of Mars. In other words, I’ve been writing. Remember when we did thirty minutes for thirty days of writing. Well, that tapped something in me and by the next month I was writing for an hour, then two, then five until my fingers cramped up. I think part of the experience was the newfound freedom of fiction. After all the non-fiction I was free to make shit up, no more quadruple fact checking, reading abstracts over and over to comprehend one thing. Interviewing people for hours to get one nugget. I was having…fun. The voice came to me first and then the story. My greatest joy: making similes, which I rank because all similes are not created equal (not for today). Anyway, I finished the fucker and am so proud and delighted and humbled to have the book accepted by Grove Press with one of the world’s best fiction editors.
Filed under: Uncategorized |
Betsy Lerner 
A hearty Mazel tov Betsy! I’m excited to read it.
Fantastic news, Betsy! Congratulations!
Congrats! I write fiction too. Is there anything more enjoyable?
Maybe selling and being paid. Hope I can share such news with you some time.
Congratulations. Someone of your talent and intelligence should have the widest audience.
Haha – but see, that hint could have been ANYTHING.🤷♀️ I mean, one of your authors might have signed a seven figure deal. Got a movie deal. Got the Booker prize, etc. You have been a wealth of good news lately what with NYT lists, et al.
Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to read it! 🥳👏🏻
This is glorious!! Huge congrats Madame. I love a great sister tale. Now the wait begins…
Sweet! Can’t wait to read it!!! Well done, well deserved!
Congratulations! That’s great!
Holy crap! Best news ever! When can we pre-order?!
Awesome awesome awesome. Just awesome!!
…and oh boy, do I love a good simile…
“After all the non-fiction I was free to make shit up.”
My eyes are bubbling over because of your making-shit-up- joy. After forty-years of non-fiction I understand, in almost a heartbreaking way, exactly how you feel.
Enjoy feeling proud.
Savoir your delight.
Fuck humble. You deserve this.
So happy for you, congrats.
best news of the year! xoxox
I cannot wait to read it!
Congratulations! Wowee, you pulled that out of you fast, fast, fast–that 30-minute exercise wasn’t that long ago. Brava
Congratulations, Betsy!
Congratulations!!!!!
This is wonderful! Congratulations, Betsy!
I am beyond excited for you!!! Congratulations!
Congrats congrats congrats!
Betsy!!!
What wonderful news. Meh, just sitting in my office spewing fiction out, you know, a Monday. Love this and congratulations!!
-Lyra
Wonderful news, you write so well, the world deserves your novel. Good for you !