Launch of a new American Classic

Well, the big party this weekend was a smash. Chandler Reach Winery was a fantastic location, Meghan a kind and gracious host, and Cristy and Claire were lovely and efficient wine pourers. Thank you all so much for helping make this day a success.

All set up at Chandler Reach Winery in Woodinville on Sunday 6/24.

Part of preparing for this weekend was refining how I tell people what the story is about. I’ve been doing a lot of summarizing the action when I talk about it without really expressing what I feel about the book and why I wrote it. That’s even evident in the book blurb.

Gee Evars stumbles into Rosebud Falls just in time to rescue a toddler from the raging torrent of the Rose River. And to lose his memory.

When I started for Seattle on Friday, the road seemed to stretch out before me like it did before Gee.

Okay. Those are the facts, but that was never really what the book was about.

I’ve read novels and watched movies featuring people with amnesia. Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity, Sheldon’s Memories of Midnight, Follett’s Code to Zero, Ondaatje’s The English Patient, Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, Morgan’s Altered Carbon, Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Segal’s 50 First Dates. The list of mostly excellent memory loss stories goes on. In every instance, though, the key to the story is the importance of or struggle to remember.

The canola fields near Freeman, WA add a splash of color to the Palouse.

What I asked myself in City Limits was if it was really that important. Here is the new blurb I’ve come up with.

* * *

Who am I, really? It’s a common question. It’s part of being self-aware. “Know thyself,” is an ancient aphorism inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. But is it important? Are we really nothing more than our accumulated lifetime of memories? Or is there something inside that makes us inherently who we are?

Stripped of his memories and identity, Gee Evars must come to grips with who he is as he attempts to make a home among strangers by simply doing the right thing. He must draw on his inner resources to determine what that is, often acting before he has fully thought a situation through.

The right thing, it turns out, is not always the popular thing, nor is it perceived the same by all observers. In becoming a hero and the City Champion, Gee also becomes a threat to those who see their power eroding and will go to any extreme to preserve it. He becomes the unwitting catalyst for a revolution that will change the way Rosebud Falls sees itself and the Forest at its heart.

City Limits is the story of Gee’s loss of memory and the life and love he gains.

It was great to see old friends and new acquaintances at the launch party. And to sell some books!

So, after nine months of working on this story, I finally have a summary I’m pleased with. I might have to redo the back-cover blurb!

I came back across Washington State Monday morning along a route I haven’t used in five years. US Hwy 2. It’s pretty, but I warn you, there is nothing there. From Wenatchee to Spokane, the drive is across a million miles of open range. It’s ten miles longer than following I-90 but with construction around Snoqualmie Pass and on toward Ellensburg, the total time was only an hour different. Lower speed limits and a few slow-moving vehicles with nowhere to pass. There simply aren’t as many places to stop and rest along the way. Even the restaurant I planned to stop at in Coulee City was closed. There was a park with restrooms, fortunately.

NO DOGS? No kidding! The beach at Coulee City was fully occupied by geese. At least there was a restroom!

A single diner in Wilbur Washington should have a big sign outside that says “Only place to eat in a hundred miles!” And the burger and fries there were terrific!

I’ve always wondered what on earth this building was in Rockford, WA. Every time I pass, I think, “There was an old woman who lived  in a shoe.”

Next is Walla Walla. I’ll leave early Saturday morning for the 150-mile drive and plan to be at the Book and Game Company on Main Street by 11:00 for a signing. Stop in and join me! Seriously, just come by and talk for a while. I could get lonely there. See the details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/313904725810092/

I’ll be greeting sun worshipers at the Skin to the Wind Festival at Sun Meadow Resort on July 14. I’ll keep you posted on that as the time draws nearer.

See all my upcoming events at http://www.nathaneverett.com/events.html

One of the best parts of the weekend was spending time with my daughter. Love you, baby!

I’m available. If you have a club, organization, or upcoming party, I can be your entertainment. In addition to talking about City Limits—which I could do all day—I have entertaining slides from my travels and insights into the writing process and the book industry today. Besides which, I’m a fun guy just to have hang around and talk to. Some of my best book events were organized as private parties in people’s homes. It makes you look so literary to have an author reception in your home. Here’s your opportunity!

Drop me a line at nathan@nathaneverett.com.