2024 Round Up On: The Meaning of Life, Accomplishment, and What I've Learned from Readers & Life about Publishing STAY
Also, A Shameless Boast List Because They're Telling Me To
Dear Readers and Friends,
A few quick thoughts under the wire of 2024.
First of all, THANK YOU to every single one of you who has been with me this year for the launch of my debut book, STAY: A STORY OF FAMILY, LOVE, & OTHER TRAUMAS. In all levels and forms and places, real and virtual and privately and publicly.
2024 has been one of the my most tumultuous, mind-blowing, stressful, exciting, and psychologically challenging years. I guess it's just in my DNA that that's how I would describe the year that I brought to fruition, after eight long years, the publishing of my book.
This is the year that a dream came true in my little world. So many more dreams than I could have imagined. It was the culmination of eight years of work in a little cabin in the woods, on writing retreats with my dear writing sisters, endless, endless hours supported (and tolerated) by my love, David Rudnick. Recognition. Distinction. A steady flow of love and support. An outpouring of texts and notes from many of you.
Heart stopping endorsements (for me) by Anne Lamott, Gretchen Rubin, Kelly Corrigan, and so many other writers I revere.
Reviews and blurbs so consistent in their messages that my father accused me of hiring someone to write them all and so mind-blowingly moving that even The Committee in my head (featured throughout my book) could find little negative to say.
I sit here today, in the last hours of 2024, and I want to tell you this: By far, what I will remember in the end, what has meant by far the most, has been the human interaction between us, between my friends, family, and strangers who have taken the time to share with me the impact of the book, and often a sharing of their own tender experiences. Every single text, every single note, every single sign you have given me that this odyssey was worth it.
Your feedback is what is making this odyssey worth it, where the real meaning to the success of the book lives — far beyond what any public recognition could give.
What is most precious to me, what I will take to the grave, is hearing that STAY and my family’s story and the lessons it tries to convey, has opened people’s eyes to their own lives—the whole Megillah, heartbreak and happiness, to inspire change, conversation, a more authentic life.
And the fact that so many of you have told me that you are laughing out loud through your tears? That’s the best of all. Because THAT is life. Laughter and tears.
I don't know why I ever thought that publishing my book would be different than any other goal accomplished. Namely, that the feeling of high or satisfaction or fulfillment is temporary. The same exact experience of finally losing the 15 pounds and then taking it in such casual stride that you wonder, why did anything fundamental not change? You are still who you are. I am still who I am. I will always be searching for meaning. But it is you, my friends and readers, who have made it what it is.
About The Committee in my head?
During my book tour, I uncovered an astounding thing. Not everyone in the world has a committee living in their head!! WHAT??? At first, I just did not believe them. I mean, what else do you do in your head besides a running blow by blow on what you do say and think?
My dear friend, Marci, told me something so mind blowing that I am still reeling. Instead of a committee of old white men yelling at her, she actually has a cheerleading committee in her head. What??? Now THERE’s something to strive for in 2025.
And the rest of what I’ve learned this year?
Well, I’ve learned that ADHD kicks my ASS all the time and in every way.
It’s something I need to write about in 2025. It has framed every level of experience of this year.
And then there’s living the double life.
Decades ago, that double life consisted of a secret one with my family and brother as he struggled, and we struggled with illness. This year it's been the double life of trying to honor and attend to the journey of my book when the world is so shattered, when my Jewish family worldwide is living with such daily terror and anxiety, when my children and our communities are living with a silent companion of antisemitism all around them— when so much has changed for all of us.
And on that count, I salute and admire Zibby Owens for her singular leadership in the publishing community in fighting antisemitism and ignorance with her tireless work, posts, and beautiful anthology,
.My final thought on 2024?
Life is such a gift. Thank you all for being here and I wish you so much love and happiness in the year ahead!
In conclusion, thank you all for helping me and staying with me through this year. Your love and support has meant everything to me. If you think there are people in your world who will benefit from reading STAY, please let them know about it or get it for them or tell them to choose it for their book club.
Wishing you a happy, healthy 2025, and I look forward to what next year brings for all of us — and what we create.
Below please find a shameless reporting of success of STAY, in part for my own record — so I remember what happened during this year — and in part to help nudge STAY’s next chapter forward:
STAY Fact Sheet:
Launched: October 15, 2024 by Rowman & Littlefield— Debuted as the #1 title on Amazon in its genre of Mid-life Management (weird category, but thank you!)
Professional endorsements:
From living heroes and mentors including Anne Lamott, Gretchen Rubin, Kelly Corrigan, Laura Munson, Dr. Edie Eger, Dr. Harville Hendrix, Lisa Heffernan, and Laura Zinn Fromm.
Amazon and Goodreads Reviews: Overall, STAY has a five-star rating on both platforms. As I read through the reviews, they are a touchstone — of why I wrote the book. Of why it matters. Of the value of creativity and coming out of the shadows.
I love that the one 4-star review I got on Goodreads said, “It’s a heart break and a heart heal all in one.” I’ll take it!
Book events that I will always remember:
Books, Inc in San Francisco with Katie Brady
Book Passage, Corte Madera with Diane Provo
Shakespeare & Co, New York City with Laura Fromm
My parents’ house, Kansas City with Julie Krop
Congregation Rodef Sholom, with my community and Rabbi Stacy Friedman
Podcasts:
If you want to listen to any of them, here’s the link. It was so much fun and such a joy to be a guest on these podcasts. We talked about writing, grief, trauma, happiness, wisdom, aging, women, men, dogs, I mean….everything? What a world of creativity there is out there, and I thank the hosts for inviting me.
Author Q&As and other press:
Here’s a few of the “shinies” for STAY this year:
On October 15, STAY debuted as the #1 release in its category:
People Magazine named STAY their #1 Book of October:
And then they featured STAY here in their best-selling issue of the year:
I am LOVING and LAUGHING at the fact that STAY was pictured between Bill and Cher’s books. I can hear them saying, who the f**ck is Julie Fingersh??
I was so honored that Zibby Owens, who was named by Vulture as “NYC’s Most Popular Bookfluencer,” named STAY one of her most anticipated books of fall/winter and then one of her top 22 books of the year:
I can’t end this post without giving my huge thanks and love to my wonderful agent, Lauren Eldridge of Lucinda Literary, who brought me a wonderful publisher, Rowman & Littlefield and a wonderfully generous editor, Jackie Flynn; amazing support from my website designer and media manager, Karen VanGorp; and great work from my publicist, Emi Battaglia from EBPR. And of course all my love and thanks go to my writing partners Sally McQuillen, Kristen Moeller, and Brenda Wilkins, for staying right at my side through it all with their love, clarity, and support.
Last and most importantly, there is my family, whose grace and love throughout this journey have sustained my resolve to continue forward with the project that is heartbreaking and complicated and so very personal, in service to my soul and all the other people whose lives it is touching in ways we can’t ever know. So many people have thanked me for writing the book, and I want to say that this is my whole family’s gift to me, and now, you.
JULE! Love you, love this and thanks for mentioning me 50 times! Happy New Year, my fabulous friend and writing soul sister. xo
The happiest of new years to you, Julie!
All the success you obviously deserve!
Keep writing, wishing and wondering. Much love 💗.