I am so delighted to share that Single at Heart: The Power, Freedom, and Heart-Filling Joy of Single Life has been getting lots of love. Most recently, it was awarded a gold medal by the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Here is how the award is described:

“Whether you’re a librarian, a bookseller, or just a general lover of books, you know that independent presses and authors are publishing some of the most innovative, creative, and beautiful books. To honor the very best of indie publishing each year, we’re pleased to host the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards!

Thousands of books are entered each year, and over 100 librarians and booksellers take part in the judging process, narrowing down a group of finalists . . . that truly represent the best in independent publishing.”

Single at Heart was a real work of passion for me. I am so grateful that it has been singled out for recognition.

It has been doing well in other ways, too; I’ll describe them below. Because I will be sharing lots of successes, it seems only fair to fess up to the failures too.

The Failure Experiences

The proposal for this book was rejected nearly 60 times before Apollo Publishing offered a contract. The main reason seemed to be that my previous book, How We Live Now: Redefining Home and Family in the 21st Century, did not sell well (by industry standards), so I think I was considered damaged goods.

Oh, and another thing. I was very eager to participate in the Virginia Festival of the Book, in part because I would get to see many of my friends in Charlottesville, where I lived for two decades. However, I got rejected.

Some Successes

  • The day before Single at Heart was published, my essay about my own single at heart life went viral.
  • Excerpts from Single at Hearthave been published online in Time magazine, Goop, and Next Avenue.
  • The month that it was published, December 2023, Single at Heart was named a top book by AARP and Ms. Magazine
  • Single at Heart has been translated into Spanish, and is being translated into Portuguese, Korean, and Albanian.
  • Single at Heart is available in many countries, including Canada, Australia, the UK and other European countries, and India, and it will be available in New Zealand and more widely in Australia by the fall of 2024.
  • Single at Heart will be available as an audio book by August 27, 2024.
  • Book tour stops have included Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara, with more to come.
  • Single at Heart has been featured in the media in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Spain, the UK, and of course the US
  • I’ve been interviewed on dozens of radio shows and podcasts
  • I’ve been on several TV shows, including PBS, NBC (twice), and The Social (like The View, only nicer because they are Canadians)
  • You can find all of my media appearances for Single at Heart here.

Still to Come

A number of articles, podcasts, and other media are in the works. I am most excited about my hour-long debate, “Married or Single”, for Open for Debate, moderated by John Donvan. It has already been recorded and will air on many NPR stations, probably in July 2024.

Thank You

Thanks to everyone who shared their stories in Single at Heart, and everyone who has been encouraging along the way. I hope you love the book!

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