Today is the Day!
My New Book, Mixed Feelings is Officially in the World
Today is The Day!
A little note for those who have Amazon Prime and want to get the book fast (and no shipping) on the book: Click on “other Used + New” and you’ll get the Prime option. Or get it instantly on Kindle.
All my mixed feelings
I could not have more Mixed Feelings about so.many.things. right now including promoting my book. But I am a strong believer in making things and in children’s books, and the importance of saying our feelings out loud, even if it’s just to ourselves.
I wrote Mixed Feelings to try to get to the bottom of the things I felt strongly when I was young and couldn’t put into words—the world going dark in nursery school when my stuffed animal was taken away and put in the coat closet; the desire to act like a dog at the same nursery school (was I afraid of being a kid among kids? Was I being funny? I think both?); and, most importantly, the fear of balloons and the noises they could potentially make.
As a kid, I didn’t always see my feelings reflected in the other kids around me, or feel understood by adults, so feelings became something I assumed couldn’t be spoken about, just strongly felt in metaphor: need to hide, need to be silly, etc. I learned to examine and talk about them much later.
This book is an attempt to piece apart the wordless feelings I felt as a kid, and the wordless feelings I saw/see other kids feeling, especially my three-year-old son, who is different from me in a lot of ways (he loves balloons, especially popping them!), but has just as many strong, unspoken feelings.
The book is also an admission that we never stop not knowing what our feelings mean. As we enter the big unknown, I think it will be useful to understand what’s going on inside us, as well as in the country and world.
Despite the swirling events happening around us, I still feel excited to be putting something out into the world that feels good and will hopefully help someone feel their feelings.
A little celebratory print
To celebrate launch day, I've issued a limited edition letterpress, signed-by-me, print of hand-drawn emoticons inspired by the book.
There are only 100 available, but if you want one and you buy the book, you'll get a nice discount on the print. Just email me your receipt to me at lianafinck@gmail.com and I'll send you a discount code.
If you have time/inclination:
Help get books into the hands of readers in an increasingly competitive and fractured market by giving one of these links a little click:.
Fuse8
Fuse8, by the esteemed librarian who I admire so much Betsy Bird, featured Mixed Feelings in an exclusive spread.
Book Events
Both of my book events in Brooklyn are already filled to capacity, but there will be more coming soon and I'll let you know (and if you want to squeeze in tonight, you’ll be allowed to). Books are Magic Smith Street tonight. Lofty Pigeon Saturday morning.
Reading my book with my son
You can catch me reading a few pages of my book with my son here. Look at his sweet tiny hands.
Dear Pepper
Advice from a dog in The New Yorker.
How are you coping? in The New Yorker
Whew.
Tired but invigorated. That's a Mixed Feeling right there.
With feeling feeling FEELING,
x
Liana
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Places to order or buy Mixed Feelings:
Amazon (for Prime click on all buying options)
Order the emoticon print here. Email me your book purchase receipt lianafinck@gmail.com and get a $20 off code.
Congratulations, Liana! I can’t wait to read your book to my great grandson Max! He’s too young to understand much now, but EVERY kid understands sitting with a bigger, loving person and looking at books and listening to stories. I hope your book exceeds all your hopes.
Congratulations Liana!