Spring — and the hope of renewal.

Mar 12, 2024

I whole heartedly love spring. The emergence from a dark winter. The full-throated birdsong before dawn. The bud on the tips of branches that bloom into flowers. The hope of renewal. I love all of it. It feels like nature’s way of saying — “hello, you, I’m just here to remind you that all is well, all is well, and all manner of things shall be well (as Julian of Norwich tells us). Even when it seems it is not, even when there are tough times, even when the heart breaks.

Easier said than realized, I know, but spring is that kind of reminder.

I’ve been editing my new book and watching it emerge from the fog of overwriting. Doing this spurred an essay I have HERE in my Substack and HERE in Career Authors about the process of finding a story when I am lost.

Speaking of being lost in a story: in two weeks, I’ll be traveling to the Lake District of England to finish the final touches of research, and you can follow along with me on Instagram, where I’ll finally be telling you about my book of 2025. I’ve spent years on this story, including an entire draft that I discarded. More on that in another letter.

For now, just as spring bursts onto the scene, in early April I’ll be venturing out on the road for a full week, meeting readers and talking all about the paperback edition of The Secret Book of Flora Lea (in stores April 2). Read on for details on my book tour below.

INSPIRATION

As always, here is what is inspiring me in my creative life right now!

SUBSTACK: The Book Tide. This month they are celebrating the words “Tell me a story,” which Pat Conroy famously said were the four most powerful words in the English language. They are interviewing Sandra Conroy (Pat’s beautiful widow and writer in her own right), and I have a guest post that you can read HERE!

INSTAGRAM: Moon and Rock/Atone Beauty. Yes, Meagan is my daughter, and her view of the world from her perch in Hawaii is inspiring and down to earth (literally). Even as I miss her like mad, I am so proud of this creative and organic life she shares with us.

BOOK: Wonderworks: Literary Invention and the Science of Stories by Angus Fletcher. For anyone who loves stories and why they matter.

MUSIC: Billy Joel, The Stranger. I know I know, it’s from 1977 and that’s a really long time ago. But my son and I are choosing our mother-son dance for his wedding and somehow fell down the Billy Joel rabbit hole. He is the soundtrack of my teen years and I have loved revisiting all his music (especially Vienna which I seem to be playing on repeat). He is an inspiration for the creative life: writing, singing, and playing all his own songs. He’s a GOAT.

NEWS

TOUR: Here’s a reminder that we are just three weeks out from the paperback release of The Secret Book of Flora. Lea! I’ll be on the road in April and I’d really love to see you! HERE is my schedule.

ARKANSAS STATEWIDE READ: The Secret Book of Flora Lea was chosen as the selection for 2024’s “If All Arkansas Read the Same Book” annual, statewide reading program. This program is designed to encourage the enjoyment of reading and promote book discussion in libraries of all types across Arkansas. I’m honored that they chose my book and look forward to traveling through the state of Arkansas in July to talk with readers all about it! Read all about it HERE.

FRIENDS & FICTION

We’ve been busy spring bees over at Friends and Fiction!

Join us tomorrow—Wed., March 13th—LIVE at 7pm ET to watch this week’s episode of The Friends & Fiction Show with all four the show’s hosts and founders — me, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Kay Andrews & Kristin Harmel — interviewing our Featured Author of the Month, Chris Bohjalian, to hear all about his new book, our F&F Pick for March, The Princess of Las Vegas. Watch the video broadcast as it airs LIVE on Wed 3/13 at 7pm ET on F&F’s Facebook & YouTube, and catch it on our podcast Fri 3/15.

Have you ever wondered if being idle and dreamy counts as creative work? Well we, the four authors at Friends and Fiction, think it matters in so many ways. Writing is not just about putting your nose to the grindstone, or your butt in the chair. It’s also about your subconscious and all it has to offer (dark and light). You can read about that HERE in our latest roundtable discussion on idleness and creativity!

That’s it for now!

Loads of Love,
PCH

ABOUT PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY

New York Times Bestselling Author and Podcast Host

Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of seventeen novels and a podcast host. She is the recipient of The Christy Award—A 2019 Winner "Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year for 2020; and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for 2019.

Patti is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly web show, podcast, and online community, Friends & Fiction.

A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama, with her husband, Pat Henry. Her newest novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, is set outside Oxford in the hamlet of Binsey and was released on May 2nd, 2023, by Atria (Simon & Schuster).

Be sure to follow Patti on social media and visit my website for the latest updates and announcements!