Andy Holloman – Dad, Writer, Goofball

It has been one unbelievably fun year since my first novel was published.   New writer friends, reader feedback, sales, and an experience that exceeded my wildest dreams (and I can have some doggone wild dreams!)   The social media aspect of this past year has been off the charts cool.  I have made dozens of writer friends and thus tapped into this incredible community of folks who are just like me (though probably less weird).  They are smart, funny, supportive, and just downright nice.  Hats off to all of you.  You set the standard  for what social media is all about.

2012 would not have played out this way without a couple of very special folks who contributed their time and enthusiasm to my project.  So here is a holiday shout out of thanks to some very, very special folks (in random order) —

Matt Taft put together the cover art work.  I have received so many positive comments about my cover that I quit counting them.  In the world of book marketing, the cover is soooooo important and Matt’s handiwork contributed mightly to the success of the novel.  Matt is a multi-talented graphic artist, photographer, and successful entrepreneur.  You can find more of his handiwork on FB and at his company’s website  –   www.SiteSkins.net

Mary Moore is a talented writer  (her novel is here –  Sleeping with Patty Hearst ) and took it upon herself to chat with a strange guy who just happen to call her up after hearing her very cool interview on the WUNC radio program – “The State of Things”.   She leant her considerable talents to my novel and provided feedback that was invaluable in shaping the story into a much better one.  Big hugs to you Mary !

I like to call Carolyn Woods the “Mother of My Novel”.  After becoming friends in a Cary, NC writers group that existed in 2005 and 2006, Carolyn read an early draft and was very, very encouraging.  After having bumped into her only a few times after that, it was her phone call in late 2010 that set everything in motion.  She told me she was going to recommend my novel to a local publisher that she was screening manuscripts for and that they would publish it because they trusted her judgement.  And she was right.  Carolyn is my writing angel.  Her autobiography is one that I highly recommend.   It is a profoundly moving story of her long struggle in a marriage to an Aspergers sufferer –   The Aardvark’s Wife.  

And the old “Last but Certainly Not Least” mention goes to my incredibly talented sister , Laurel Holloman, who is setting the international art world on fire with her paintings. (and boy are those paintings huge)  Not only did she contribute the cover art that captures the essence of the story so well, but she was instrumental in getting the word out during the launch to her considerable fan base.   She helped kick start things so much, that I had a hard time fulfilling all the orders that I received in November and December of last year.  Besides being one of the best mom’s I know and a very talented painter, you may recognize her from her starring role in the Showtime series “The L Word”.   Big hugs to you Lisa.

That’s it.  Thanks y’all.