{"id":287637,"date":"2025-06-11T08:57:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T08:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/the-buzz-has-begun-3-new-retreat-author-releases-%f0%9f%8e%89-more-coming\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T08:57:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T08:57:48","slug":"the-buzz-has-begun-3-new-retreat-author-releases-%f0%9f%8e%89-more-coming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=287637","title":{"rendered":"The Buzz Has Begun: 3 New Retreat Author Releases \ud83c\udf89 (More Coming!)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\ud83c\udf89 Today I\u2019m thrilled to showcase three of our brilliant retreat alums who are living the dream\u2014with book launches and media magic that\u2019s worth celebrating. So much has happened since last year\u2019s roundup of 15 releases from 14 authors<\/a> that I\u2019ve decided to split this update into two parts. If you\u2019ve been following along on social, you\u2019ve likely caught some of the early love I\u2019ve poured into these titles\u2014from deal announcements and preorder excitement to Pub Day celebrations. But here, with the luxurious space of a blog (and newsletter!), I get to go deeper. More juicy details. More behind-the-scenes magic. More media-tastic FUN + press links.\ud83d\udc4c<\/p>\n

I love highlighting these stories: who the authors are, the heart of their beautiful books, and the momentum keeping their creations in the spotlight\u2014and in readers\u2019 hearts.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re just beginning your book journey, knee-deep in revisions, or savoring your own wins, I hope these success stories\u2014earned through years of dedication and craft\u2014bring a smile to your face and, if needed, rekindle your faith in the creative process. May they inspire you to read, share, and keep showing up to write your<\/em> masterpiece. \ud83e\udd70<\/p>\n

Part 2 is on its way to your inbox shortly. (And if I somehow miss your book, let me know\u2014we\u2019ll add it to one of the two blogs posthaste<\/em> and feature it in our next alum newsletter.)<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, let\u2019s toast to these incredible books and the beloved storytellers birthing them:<\/p>\n

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1). MAILMAN: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home<\/em><\/strong>, by Steve Grant (Simon & Schuster, July 2025):<\/p>\n

Going the extra mile, this mailman\u2019s memoir hits shelves this summer, just in time for a historic anniversary.<\/p>\n

THIS BOOK! <\/strong>If you feel like you\u2019re losing faith\u2014in people, this country, our institutions, your sense of meaning\u2014this memoir is a miracle. This July, as we mark the 250th anniversary of the creation of the postal system for the United Colonies\u2014with Benjamin Franklin as its first Postmaster General\u2014Mailman<\/em> arrives as a timely, tender, and triumphant book you won\u2019t want to put down.<\/p>\n

Written by Steve Grant, a brash, big-hearted raconteur and rural letter carrier in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Mailman<\/em> is as exuberant and hilarious as it is profound. The story follows Steve\u2019s deeply personal journey after being laid off from his big marketing job during the pandemic at fifty\u2014while battling cancer and scrambling for health insurance\u2014only to find unlikely salvation in a USPS uniform.<\/p>\n

What began as a lifeline job became a calling. From delivering dog food and heirloom tomato seeds to traversing a creek with a refrigerator strapped to his back, Steve carried far more than just the mail. Backed by a ragtag crew of devoted letter carriers, Steve\u2019s days became a testament to the quiet heroism of daily service: human connection in isolated hollers, the dignity of blue-collar work, and sweetness of showing up\u2014for your family, your neighbors, and your truest self.<\/p>\n

But perhaps my favorite part of this launch is not just the book\u2014although Mailman<\/em> will have you laughing out loud one moment and tearing up the next\u2014but the company it keeps. Steve\u2019s brilliant wife, Alicia, is one of the most talented writers I\u2019ve ever<\/em> had the pleasure of working with<\/strong>. Truly. Her fellow writers from our 2023 Virtual Retreat still talk about her<\/em> book\u2014and how eager they are to read it\u2014every time we connect. She\u2019s been supporting Steve through the creation of Mailman<\/em> and its launch before we submit her equally riveting manuscript to agents. That\u2019s love. That\u2019s belief. That\u2019s partnership.<\/p>\n

I feel so blessed to be in the orbit of people like Steve and Alicia\u2014writers with grit, heart, and stories that matter. Mailman<\/em> is more than a memoir. It\u2019s a love letter to service, to second chances, and to the transformative power of purpose. You can preorder now! I can\u2019t wait to hear what you think, as I\u2019ll be rereading it in real time because I treasure it that much.<\/p>\n

Pre-pub media hits<\/u><\/strong> \ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\udfac<\/strong>:\u00a0A starred review in Kirkus<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(\u201cA charming book that\u2019s guaranteed to make you think differently about the\u00a0<\/i>USPS\u201d).\u00a0Incidentally, a\u00a0Kirkus starred review<\/strong>\u00a0is one of the highest honors in publishing\u2014a coveted nod to a book\u2019s\u00a0exceptional merit<\/em>\u00a0and literary brilliance. All three of today\u2019s titles are starred!<\/p>\n

Publisher\u2019s Weekly<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>(\u201cWith good humor and plainspoken prose, Grant illustrates how the work helped him feel useful to a town he\u2019d left behind and reignited his sense of vitality. This has charm to spare.\u201d)<\/p>\n

More exciting news on the horizon\u2014Steve just wrapped recording his audiobook narration a few days ago in L.A.! \ud83c\udfa7<\/p>\n

PS. Alicia and her husband are brand new to Instagram<\/strong>\u2014as of last week<\/strong> (wow, right?!). Let\u2019s help them feel the love and stay encouraged as they share their journey. \ud83d\udcab You can follow Steve here<\/a> and Alicia here<\/a>, and maybe drop a heart or a comment on our joint post<\/a>\u2014their very first on the \u2019Gram. \ud83e\udd20\u2728<\/p>\n

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A quick note about my Virtual Retreats <\/strong>\ud83d\udce3\ud83d\udce3\ud83d\udce3<\/strong> Since announcing a pause on my retreats last October, something unexpected\u2014and wildly tempting\u2014has happened. A flurry of amazing writers and screenwriters have joined the waitlist, some sending deeply compelling letters. I wasn\u2019t prepared for this outpouring. Many of their bios and book babies are so magnetic, I find myself \u201cratwheeling\u201d on them\u2014spinning with ideas for how to support their work. (That\u2019s just how my brain works.)<\/p>\n

So\u2026 I\u2019m toying with the idea of hosting one<\/strong> Virtual Retreat in 2025\u2014for just five writers.<\/p>\n

According to my sister, the Vedic Astrologer, launching on\u00a0August 28th and ending on September 26th<\/b>\u00a0would be especially auspicious. That window also gives me time to finish helping other beautiful projects already in the pipeline.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feel into it. If this possibility stirs something in you, maybe it\u2019s meant to be. And if the stars (and everyone\u2019s schedules) align\u2014we just might GO.<\/p>\n

To explore the possibilities with me, click here<\/u><\/a>.
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2). THE INSTABILITY OF TRUTH: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper Persuasion<\/em><\/strong>,<\/em> by Rebecca Lemov (W.W. Norton, March 2025):<\/p>\n

Author & longtime Harvard professor Rebecca Lemov\u2019s latest title has made a significant impact since its release in March. The book delves into the pervasive nature of psychological manipulation, tracing its history from Cold War-era tactics to contemporary digital platforms. Sounds creepy, right? It is\u2014because brainwashing is more common than we think (it\u2019s not so much what happens to other people as what can happen to anyone<\/em>). But have no fear; Rebecca\u2019s compiled just the information we need to protect ourselves! I assure you she\u2019s such a beautiful storyteller that the book\u2019s highly readable, even downright enjoyable despite its heavy topic. (Don\u2019t believe me? In her recent interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, it was deeply heartening to see so many glowing comments about Rebecca\u2019s humility, likability, intelligence, and trustworthiness. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen so much unanimous praise on such a big show, all revealing the best in people\u2014a vibe that\u2019s reflected in her writing.)<\/p>\n

JOY is what I feel around Becks, who I\u2019ve been sharing the most enjoyably squealy phone chats and texts as the media magic unfolds around her. You may remember me posting a few years ago about how Rebecca is an equally gifted concert pianist and artist who surprised me with a launch-day drawing of Beautiful Writers<\/em>. When it was about time to send this book proposal out to agents, I had her include many of her own drawings (not mine\u2014ha!).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d she asked. \u201cAren\u2019t they [her drawings] unrelated?\u201d \ud83e\uddd0<\/p>\n

Rebecca\u2019s humble. Shy, even. You might be, too. But please\u2014resist the urge to hide your gifts, including details about your fabulous well-roundedness that helps agents and publishers fall in love with you. \ud83d\udc95<\/p>\n

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Odd fact <\/strong>\ud83c\udf00\ud83e\udde0\ud83d\ude32:<\/strong> Rebecca happened to be at our Carmel retreat the very day the New York Times<\/em> ran a front-page story about Catherine Oxenberg\u2019s daughter, India, being held as a brainwashed prisoner in the NXIVM sex cult. As a longtime family friend, I was a wreck\u2014texting India inside the cult to see if she was okay (she assured me she was and claimed her mom had been lied to\u2014classic brainwashing) while also franticly messaging with Catherine, who was desperate to save her daughter.<\/p>\n

It was Rebecca, calmly eating breakfast downstairs, who knew exactly what to say\u2014how to support Catherine (who was already doing so much right) and how to keep communication open with India without breaking her trust. Sheesh.<\/p>\n

Unlike most cult stories, this one has a remarkably happy ending. As you probably know, Catherine and the FBI took down NXIVM. Its leader, Keith Raniere, is serving a life sentence. India is free, deprogrammed, happily married, and thriving. Catherine\u2019s powerful memoir, Captive<\/em>, tells their story. (And if you haven\u2019t already, check out our Beautiful Writers Podcast episode<\/a> about the ordeal\u2014talk about a celebration\u2014of the power of a mother\u2019s love!)<\/p>\n

Even odder fact <\/strong>\ud83c\udf00\ud83c\udf00\ud83c\udf00<\/strong>:<\/strong> When India was just a baby, one of my sister\u2019s Vedic astrology teachers warned me she would be kidnapped\u2014a chilling prediction I immediately shared with her mother. Decades later, after India was miraculously rescued\u2014and with her full blessing\u2014I wrote this blog post<\/a> about the experience while helping to promote her mother\u2019s book.<\/p>\n

Rebecca\u2019s recent media hits & critical acclaim (more in the can!):<\/u><\/strong> \ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\udfac\ud83d\udcf0<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

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3). MAYA BLUE: A Memoir of Survival<\/em>, <\/strong>by Brenda Coffee (She Writes Press, May 2025):<\/p>\n

When the fairytale turned into a thriller<\/strong>. I\u2019d swear this hair-raising, stunning story was impossible\u2014if I didn\u2019t know the author so well. MAYA BLUE<\/em> is all true and as cinematic as any bestseller\u2014think Working Girl<\/em> meets Taken<\/em>. Or for fans of Breaking Bad<\/em> and Narcos<\/em>, Maya Blue<\/em> is a searingly honest and unforgettable memoir that challenges women to rethink everything they know about survival, resilience, and finding their voice.<\/p>\n

At twenty-one, Brenda Coffee surrendered herself to her marriage and became the kind of woman who would do almost anything her charismatic, powerful older husband, Philip Ray, wanted. Whether it was dangerous, adventurous, sexual, or flat-out illegal\u2014she wanted to be the one woman he couldn\u2019t live without.<\/p>\n

Their life together felt like a fairytale. Until . . .<\/p>\n

When Philip\u2014the founder of two high-profile, groundbreaking public companies\u2014began making cocaine in their basement and became addicted, Brenda had to muster a new kind of courage. Ditto when the Big Six tobacco companies threatened their lives for creating the first smokeless cigarette (Brenda coined the terms vape<\/em> and vaping<\/em>). Her retreat mates and I were spellbound as she read scene after scene. When we got to the point in the story when she was kidnapped by brutal Guatemalan military commandos at gunpoint through the jungle\u2014and made a miraculous escape, I knew I\u2019d follow her anywhere.<\/p>\n

Brenda never thought she\u2019d share these stories beyond the close circle of friends present when the fairytale unraveled. But she was called to write this book for anyone who\u2019s ever lost their voice or has lived with an addict or grieved the loss of a spouse.<\/p>\n

In this suspenseful, fast-paced memoir that reads like a thriller, the lessons in Maya Blue<\/em> will help you to stay grounded in yourself, even when the world around you falls apart. Via Brenda\u2019s example, you\u2019ll know that you, too, can survive almost anything.<\/p>\n

Some of Brenda\u2019s recent media hits include<\/u><\/strong> \ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\udfac\ud83d\udcf0<\/strong>:<\/p>\n