i’ve been to new york a few times over the past several months for a variety of reasons. and a few weeks ago i was back in the city.
as some of you guessed, and some of you didn’t, i was meeting with publishers.
yeah.
i’m gonna write a book.
over the course of the last year or so i’ve been approached by publishers, editors and agents about writing one.
i didn’t know what to think about this at first.
but i thought long and hard about it and i finally decided in january that i wanted to do it.
what pushed me in this direction? many things, but the biggest one was the belief that this book will be an incredible gift for madeline.
and my monument to
liz.
so…
over the past couple of months i…
*signed with a literary agency.
*worked on a book proposal.
*my agents submitted it to some publishers.
*and during the week that i was in nyc, i met with a few of them.
*upon my return to los angeles the book went to auction.
*less than a week later i had chosen a publisher.
my book will be published by grand central publishing, which is part of the hachette book group usa.
(these folks also own little brown and company, the publishers of the twilight series. squeee!).
here is the announcement from this week’s issue of publisher’s weekly:
Maddy & Me
Pitched as The Last Lecture meets Marley & Me, Matt Logelin’s Adventures with Maddy: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Extraordinary Community That Healed Us, went at auction to Amanda Englander at Grand Central. Rachel Sussman and Eve Bridburg of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth brokered the deal for North American rights. In the book, Logelin, who started a blog and founded the Liz Logelin Foundation after his wife died 72 [sic] hours following the birth of their daughter, offers advice on, and his own experiences, dealing with grief and loss. Per Grand Central, the auction was “heated,” with seven publishers vying for the book.
so now what?
i figure there will be a lot of questions about this and i plan to make my writing process as interactive as possible, so fire away.
ask anything…
ask about the book, the (tentative) title, the blog, my future plans, etc.
you can go ahead and pose your questions in the comments section, and i’ll answer as many as possible in a future post. if your question has already been posed, please ask anyway. i’ll get an idea of what i should answer if i see the same question over and over again.
i can’t begin to tell you how excited i am to get started, and ultimately, deliver a book that you all will love.
(oh…and thanks for your patience with my teasing over the last few months…just needed to make sure everything was in place before announcing this).
Yay!!! Congratulations!! I was sure you were going to say “Maddy and I will be starring in our own reality show” but this is SO much better. As soon as you said “Little Brown” I thought “Twilight”! – - cause I’m a nerd and know that sort of thing!! Awesome!!!! Question: is this going to secure you and Maddy so much that you can quit your day job and pay for her college and her post graduate degree (s)?? I know it’s rude to ask about money but that is the only question I have. And of course you don’t have to answer!! You guys deserve so much abundance that is coming your way. Blessings to you and your little family always.
Is the book going to be in your style of writing? (I mean with the line breaks every few words). On a side note, your blog inspired me to write a school project in that style and I did very well on it!
I think you should write it in the same style you write your blog, you crack me up all the time! And you should put in lots of swearing, don’t edit any of it. Oh, and lots of pictures of that beautiful baby of course. So basically your blog in book form. I’m also relieved its NOT a reality show.
Will you be touring for this book? If so, please come to the DC area!!!
Do you have a projected release date? (I need to know whether this goes on next year’s birthday or christmas wish list for the husband…)
Will this book be written about experiences pre-baby? Or will it start from Madeline’s birth? How much back story will you include?
Will you write this book the same way you write your blog?
Will you continue your blog with a book in the future? Will your blog entries be in the book? Will the book be a collection of blog entries? Or will you write new material and somehow intertwine some of your blog entries into this?
In other words, I’m really excited for you. Congratulations! And also, for myself….this book is going to be awesome!
Congratulations . . . I am so very happy for you for you and Mads.
I still follow how things are going and think about you guys often.
Take care
Elizabeth in Ottawa
Hi Matt!
I read your blog often, but don’t usually comment…
Congratulations on the book. I can’t wait to read it
Many have asked this already but hear goes….will your book be written in prose style or more traditional style?
I hope some of your photographs (they are amazing) will be included as well!
Tracie
Hey Matt,
Been reading for a few months now and never commented. Congratulations on the book and good luck with the writing. Found your site when I was in the midst of a breakdown of sorts – your story and words helped me get through it. So don’t forget that it’s not just single moms and dads, widows and widowers, or people that have lost a loved one that you’re affecting. Anyone can learn from your story and get something out it. Good luck and hugs to Maddy – she’s lucky have such a fun and determined Dad.
WOW. Congratulations Matt. I have never commented on your posts in the past but have read just about everyone one of them. Liz would be so proud of you as well as Maddy will be someday. You are amazing man and great father to her. I will be buying your book as well. Best of luck with it Matt.
Congratulations! I’ve never posted before either but I’ve always had some questions – I didn’t read through all 650+ comments, but I did see at least one other person ask something similar…what are your religious beliefs? As an athiest myself, I really love how your blog does not wax on about how Liz is in a better place, how she is looking down on your and Maddie from heaven, how you are not angry with god because this is his will – that one day his plan will make sense you and all the crap that I, as an athiest, roll my eyes at. Since you have never brought it up in your blog posts – I’m just curious as to your views on religion. Are you an athiest or agnostic but afraid to talk about it on your blog because it would alienate some readers? Or you just don’t give a shit about religion and see no point in talking about it?
Also, will the book discuss your future plans with Maddie & life? Do you plan to start dating again one day? Perhaps getting married again? I hope that question is not inappropriate – surely it is not as inappropriate as the post asking if you had to chose between Maddie & Liz (which do not even try to answer btw – what a sick game to play on yourself).
Congrats again on the book! I will definitely be ordering a copy!
Congratulations! I will love to get my hands on a copy of your book! Indeed, this will be a great gift for Maddy! And a nice monument to liz
Oh, I am sooo pleased for you, Maddy and in the memory of Liz – this is awesome!
If I may be direct and say – It seems, Liz made things smooth and safe and comfortable for you – when you were as two together. Then Liz’s death – unexpectedly, 72 hours after the birth of Maddie…and then POW you had to do what you had to do. I am amazed that you did not shrink up into a cocoon of sorts. When it seemed you were the reserved one of you twosome (Liz and you) and she the more expressive one. It really seems you have taken on what you needed to as a father – but also you keep alive Liz’s being – bringing to light all you two would have and could have been together for Maddie. You are remarkable for the choice(s) you have made first and foremost for Maddie, Liz and then yourself. Almost chilvarous – something quite uncommon now-a-days. I may not say this as eloquently as I have felt it. But – I mean it, and I say it as a believer in Christ – who has been afraid to live, afraid to be all I can and should be for my kids — and have to ask WHY! I have learned so much from living vicariously through the wonderful life you are making for Maddie. You are a knight in shining armor
– Liz knew this…knows this. And so do we!
You are all often in my thoughts!
Warmly, eko
Matt, I have been reading your blog since the start but have yet to comment. I love the fact you decided to do a book as you have a great writing style, great pictures and a beautiful subject! I could not imagine being in your shoes but appreciate the fact that you are paying it forward to others in need. One of these days while you are in the MN I hope to attend one of your “get togethers” but always seems to read your blog after you were just here. I am actually in a very Northern suburb near where you made a pit stop on one of your trips up North. Hope to meet up with you soon and BTW..I LOVE your book title.
You and Maddy need to come to Florida on your book tour.
Congratulations, Matt! That is awesome! I am looking forward to reading your book!
Robyn K.
Will there be lots of photos? Not that I do not enjoy reading what you write, but I love your photos too (especially the ones of Liz).
I’m glad that you’ll be able to share your story and Maddy’s story with more people. But mostly I wanted to bump the comment # over 666, it seems inauspicious.
I thought I was the only one who thought that Ryan Gossling and you look VERY similar….and I also think it should be turned into a movie???
For titles, I like the title of your blog (noone would have trouble finding it?) and I also hope that it goes back to when you and Liz were first together, I like reading about your life
Where do you see Madeline in 16 years? 18 years? 25 years? Do you live day to day, or are you projecting? Most of your posts are minute by minute, day by day or week by week…what do see the future holding? I don’t hear you doing a lot of “what does the future look like”?
Hi~ We met a couple months ago at Disneyland (I approached you and apologized for staring, Maddy was sleeping in the stroller). I just wanted to say congrats on this awesome news! I love reading/writing and have always wanted to write a book myself. I really enjoy your blog and following your and Maddy’s many adventures, you continue to amaze me and I am really inspired by you. I can’t wait to read your book!
[...] book I’m dying to read already is Matt’s — it’s going to be a long two [...]
[...] all of the comments, but here is my best attempt at answering some of the questions you posed about about my book. there were a few questions that were asked multiple times, so i chose to focus on [...]
[...] Matt, Liz and Madeline – my absolute favorite… compelling stories, writing, photography, will get me to read a book [...]