That stack of paper is my book. Or more accurately, it is the final page proofs for what will become my book. Recently I went page by page with a red pen to make final edits, which made me feel like a very professional writer. Like Ann M. Martin. (So chilly.)
You might be wondering what this book is about. I spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect words to describe it:
Now, this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down.
Oh no, wait. That’s not me. That’s the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
This is my story.
This is a story about when everything was fearfully fragile. My one and a half pound daughter, my marriage, and my tenuous grasp on faith.
This is a story about the way it all broke. My body, which failed to bear her. Her body, from her bones to her heart all stitched together with tiny tape and sutures and prayers. The bank account. All those things that I threw in my desolation and then wept over as I swept up what had shattered.
This is a story about uncovering beauty in the ashes.
Yesterday we celebrated the fourth anniversary of the day we brought our only child home from the NICU. It was 156 days after she was born, when she was birthed into the bitter chill of winter and I found my homecoming alongside hers as the earth turned new in the spring.
This is a story about hope, about finding it in the unexpected moments, about the way it anchors us.
It is incredibly special for me to be able to share it with you, who encouraged me to tell this story, the one that started in the darkness and then unexpectedly became my benediction.
I am so honored to reveal the cover today and introduce you to my other labor of love, Anchored: Finding Hope In The Unexpected
Here is what Amazon says about the book:
Both poignant and humorous, Anchored recounts Kayla’s gripping story of learning to navigate her newfound motherhood in the most unexpected of ways, from holidays in the hospital and middle-of-the-night phone calls to the joy of coming home. With vulnerability and plenty of wit, Kayla lays bare her struggle to redefine her faith, her marriage, and herself within the context of a tragedy she never saw coming. For anyone who has felt their faith in God falter, Anchored extends a gentle invitation to join her as she uncovers a hope that holds.
And look! This is what my books look like on Barnes & Noble!
And because I could not even believe it, this is what I looked like when I first saw it:
(It’s always a good time to use a Princess Diaries gif, in my opinion.)
I hope you love it. I hope you find it heartfelt and humorous and full of hope. I used the word hope a whole lot right then.
Anchored releases on July 1, so between now and then I’ll be sharing some more behind-the-scenes details as well as some excerpts from the book that were cut for brevity. You’ll be able to pick it up at LifeWay, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and other major retailers as well as one of my favorite independent bookstores, FoxTale! (eeps!)
If you’d like to be a part of the book launch team (with a first look at the book, some special freebies, and a fun private facebook group) please drop your email address here and we’ll let you know how to join! (You don’t have to have a blog to be a part of it, you’re all welcome!)
(And if you’re on Goodreads, I’d love for you to add the book to your to-read shelf!)
