{"id":1722,"date":"2013-04-01T19:07:49","date_gmt":"2013-04-01T23:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katrinakenison.com\/?p=1722"},"modified":"2013-04-01T19:07:49","modified_gmt":"2013-04-01T23:07:49","slug":"thank-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/thank-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Thank You!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Magical<\/a>“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” \u00a0\u2013 Meister Eckhart<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Thank you.”\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

Maybe these words really are enough.<\/p>\n

Certainly \u201cThank you\u201d<\/em> is the phrase on my lips today, the emotion in my heart, the words I want to say to you, the prayer of gratitude I offer up to the universe.\u00a0 To every fellow traveler, to everyone who\u2019s read Magical Journey<\/strong><\/a> and shared it with a friend, I offer a huge springtime bouquet of thank you\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we\u2019re creating together:<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *Attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nearly three months after the official publication date, People.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0cites Magical Journey<\/strong><\/a> as a \u201cMemoir We Can\u2019t Put Down.\u201d\u00a0 (I imagine Cheryl Strayed has grown used to such accolades by now, but for me, a shout-out in People is a Really Big Deal.)<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em>, to senior writer Jill Smolowe, who said she randomly pulled my galley out of a pile during a lull at work and found herself \u201clured in,\u201d as she wrote me over the weekend.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *Word of mouth sales.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As of last Friday night, Magical Journey<\/strong><\/a> was #75 on Amazon\u2019s sales rank in the Biography\/Memoir category.\u00a0 Hey, to break through the top-100 ceiling in any category at all is quite a thrill.\u00a0 It means that even in a world crowded with thousands of wonderful books, Magical Journey<\/strong> is quietly but surely finding its way.<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em> to every book buyer and book giver. Book sales are where the rubber hits the road.<\/p>\n

*A Facebook Author page<\/strong> <\/a>that has grown from exactly zero at pub date to over 4,000 followers!<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em> to every FB friend who hit that button and is generously sharing my blog posts with your on-line world.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0*An eNewsletter mailing list<\/a> that is multiplying daily.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I remember writing my first blog post, just three and a half years ago, and wondering how on earth anyone would ever find it and who on earth would even care.<\/p>\n

When the first subscription from a real live reader ping-ed into my email box, I couldn\u2019t have been more stunned:\u00a0 a human being, reaching back through the ether to ME!\u00a0 Well, we\u2019ve learned a lot together since then, become friends here in this space, discovered just how much we have in common as we share the ups and downs of our lives with one another.<\/p>\n

And guess what?\u00a0 My weekly blog post now goes to over 3,000 e-mail boxes.\u00a0 (If you\u2019d like it to land in yours, just click here<\/a>\u00a0and subscribe<\/strong> to join us.\u00a0 Of course, it\u2019s free.)<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em> to all of you who faithful readers, and a special virtual hug to those of you who take the time to comment. \u00a0(While I had to make the tough decision not to respond to all blog comments, much as I wish I had the time to answer each and every one, I DO read them ALL — gratefully, joyfully.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *Reader reviews.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sure, a rave in the New York Times<\/em> would be great.\u00a0 But it means far more to me to know that my book is striking a chord with you<\/i>. What a gift, not only to be read, but to have readers who care enough about this book to craft and post a response online.\u00a0 Your reviews touch me deeply.\u00a0 And although I try not<\/em> to spend my time checking in with Amazon<\/strong><\/a>, my two sons keep tabs on those stars. (You are making them proud.)<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em> for your beautiful words!<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *YouTube views (l<\/em><\/strong>ots<\/em> of them).<\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suddenly, my video for The Gift of an Ordinary Day<\/strong> <\/a>is flying around the internet again. \u00a0I can’t compete with Dancing Nana<\/a>, but at over 1.8 million views and counting, this seems pretty amazing — for a book trailer. \u00a0The video for Magical Journey<\/strong><\/a>, though quieter and more introspective, has been seen by more than 10,000 viewers since January. (Keep sharing!)<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *Letters.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just over two hundred of them since January 8.\u00a0 Each one is unique, heartfelt, appreciated.\u00a0 And taken altogether, what they tell me is this: Sharing the true stories of our lives — the dark, difficult, messy parts right alongside the heartwarming moments and the ah-ha revelations \u2013 is worth it.\u00a0 When one person takes a deep breath and reveals a little bit of the struggle, it clears a space in which someone else can be honest and vulnerable, too.\u00a0 And suddenly fear and isolation and confusion are displaced by empathy and compassion and hope.\u00a0 To say I\u2019m grateful for your letters would be an understatement.\u00a0 They make my day — and the stories you entrust to me confirm that though the road may be bumpy at times, none of us journeys alone; this path is full of fellow travelers. We are all in it together.<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/em> for allowing me these glimpses of your lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can only be said to be alive,\u201d wrote one of my literary heroes, Thornton Wilder, \u201cin those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.\u201d<\/p>\n

On this mild April Monday, I am feeling deeply alive and grateful for what we are creating and sustaining together: a supportive community of readers and thinkers, wanderers and wonderers, seekers and soul mates.<\/p>\n

To express my thanks to you<\/i>, dear readers, who continue to support my work so generously, I\u2019m gift-wrapping four books this week to give away. \u00a0(Mother\u2019s Day gift, perhaps??)<\/p>\n

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\n

My Springtime Gift to You<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

To enter to win one of four copies of Magical Journey<\/em>, personalized as per your instructions, \u00a0wrapped in handmade paper, and mailed with a card to you, or to a special someone in your life, just leave a comment below.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d love to know what you\u2019re feeling grateful for as we round the corner into spring.\u00a0 Or, you can just say, \u201cCount me in.\u201d \u00a0Four winners will be chosen, at random, after midnight on April 9. \u00a0Good luck to all!<\/p>\n

(And, if receiving a signed and gift-wrapped book is something you just don\u2019t want to leave to chance, you can also order signed, wrapped copies through my local bookstore by clicking HERE<\/strong><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

UPDATE: \u00a0Thanks so much for all your comments and lovely support! \u00a0And congratulations to the four winners of gift-wrapped copies of Magical Journey: \u00a0Jennifer Lawson, Lisa Coughlin, Linda Groff, and Linda Warschoff.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” \u00a0\u2013 Meister Eckhart “Thank you.”\u00a0 Maybe these words really are enough. Certainly \u201cThank you\u201d is the phrase on my lips today, the emotion in my heart, the words I want to say to you, the prayer of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15183,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[198,275],"class_list":{"0":"post-1722","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-writing-and-reading","8":"tag-gratitude-2","9":"tag-magical-journey","10":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/600x600.png?fit=600%2C600","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/katrinakenison.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}