30 Comments
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candace's avatar

"I wasn’t saying, “If you please,” I was saying, “Is it you?”"

brb tattooing this on my brain ^

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Scott Snyder's avatar

The cool kids suck. The back of the bus, the dark corners of the room, the side streets; that's where the good stuff lives. You got this. (I can't wait to buy - your book.) We don't have to agree on everything. I'm glad that we don't. I will probably never meet you. Doesn't matter. "Is it you?" Yup, it's me. I am your audience, your fan - - - your people.

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LaDonna Witmer's avatar

Thanks, Scott. *fist bump*

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Christine Witkowski's avatar

Parabéns!!! I’m so excited for you and for your forthcoming book. You are definitely wanted and appreciated here. Here you ARE most definitely the best kind of Cool Girl. I was chatting over lunch with another American in Portugal. And I said, there’s this writer in Setúbal who I adore reading…and then we were fan-girling about you.

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LaDonna Witmer's avatar

OMG, I have fangirls? That's amazing! And thank you!

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glen's avatar

and fan boys ;-)

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Steve Rice - The Creative Edge's avatar

Love this! "Go where it's warm!" Love the reframe mid-article. It's a reminder we all need. It's not asking permission, it's enquiring whether they're part of the team.

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Noblepower's avatar

Wonderful news about the agent! Keep us posted so we can snap up a copy of your book as soon as it is available!

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Sandra's avatar

oh boy! One doesn't have to be a writer to relate to this ....Going were one is wanted applies to friendships, lovers, countries and everything in between. I love how you write and your words always find me and reach me. So you are wanted in my reading. Congratulations and hope I get to meet you at your next workshop.

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ingrid's avatar

Congrats! I am so extremely proud of you! From a big fan of yours in sunny South Africa 🥳

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LaDonna Witmer's avatar

Thanks so much Ingrid!! ❤️

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glen's avatar

I am so Effing pleased to hear this news!!! Tell me when to start looking in bookstores ;-)

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Lucia's avatar

Congrats!

I have been following you for awhile. Love hearing your process and truly enjoy your writing style.

My husband and I had planned to move to Portugal but the tax laws changed so we are off to relocating to Crete,Greece in May.

I grew up in the Midwest like you. Small town under the Catholic umbrella of shame.

We are so ready to leave this country and explore a new chapter, any adventure regardless of the level of lesson we may need to learn.

Any advice you can offer about uprooting your life and moving to a foreign country would be taken in with an open mind and heart.

I wish you the best on your book and will look forward to reading it when it published!

I’d love to know about these literary lesbian writers you referred to. Please pass their names on, if you don’t mind.

Chao and best wishes!

Lucia Peyton

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LaDonna Witmer's avatar

Hi Lucia, thanks for reading--and for letting me know that you've been reading for awhile! I think the best advice I can offer about moving to a foreign country is to be patient with yourself, with the process, with your new country, with all of it. Be patient and humble and willing to learn how to do everything all over again. And in the first year, make time for lots of naps because emigrating is exhausting!

The Literary Lesbians are awesome! My top 3 are: Melissa Febos, Carmen Maria Machado, and T Kira Madden. All brilliant writers and lovely humans.

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mindful migrant's avatar

I’m so excited for you and also excited for US that we’ll get to buy a LaDonna first edition. I’ve found life’s lessons to be found not in a spiral, but in a Jeremy Beremy (iykyk)😉

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Whitney Nelson's avatar

So good and so relevant for me personally. I just had a weekend of remembering who I am and this is the perfect way to sum up the work I did to get there. Thank you. And, congrats on the agent!!!

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Elisse Gabriel's avatar

Such wonderful, uplifting news, and much deserved. That agent is lucky you found her too. Congratulations!

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Aiden Zucker's avatar

Love this post. The spiral reminds me of the Egyptian symbol of the Ouroboros.

My writer friend did this fancy residency you might like: https://villacapriart.com/

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LaDonna Witmer's avatar

That's a gorgeous residency! Thanks!

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Molly E's avatar

Made my day!!

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bob peckham's avatar

You go, gal! Parabéns, from those of us who know what you can say, and how to say it. :)

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Susan  Darcy's avatar

Hooray!! I'm truly delighted for you!

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