NOW I SEE YOU, now in paperback!

I have news! My memoir, Now I See You, is now available in paperback at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Indie Bound and your local independent bookstore -- it's everywhere!

"Huh," you are thinking. "Haven't I heard about this damn book like four hundred times already, so much so that I have wondering if I am being punished for something I did in a past lifetime? WHY IS SHE TELLING ME THIS?"

Well, there are several scenarios in which one might be interested in my paperback release. Here they are:

1. You haven't gotten your very own copy yet, which means now is the perfect time. Maybe you've been deterred by the ponderous weight of the hardcover, or maybe it didn't fit into your favorite purse which, let's face it, is a dealbreaker. Now you can enjoy the same self-deprecating, tragicomic goodness in a lighter version! Perfect for the subway, beach or underground bunker! 

2. You already have a copy, but you have a good friend/ mother/ co-worker/ evil twin  -- or all of above! -- that would enjoy the book as a gift. Studies show evil twins love Now I See You. 

3. You're in a book club, or you know someone who is in a book club, or you overheard someone on the bus mentioning that they are in a book club. Now I See You is PERFECT for book clubs, proof of which is this book club discussion guide. Also, did you know I do Skype visits with book clubs? And that Now I See You was voted #1, nationwide, in Book Club Picks by IMadeThatUp.com? 

4. You had a copy but you lent it your mother-in-law/ best friend/ dog and they kept it (or, in the case of the dog, ate it). And you want a copy on your bookshelf because that red! It's gorgeous! It pops! 

5. You already have 10 copies clogging your shelf and frankly, they annoy you but you love me and my children and you fear they will not get a college education if you don't buy 10 more copies. 

If any of these scenarios fit, go buy a copy and tell everyone you know on Facebook and Twitter to do the same. If none of these scenarios fit, forgive me for the intrusion. Close this window and forget this ever happened. We will never speak of it again. 

If you are on the fence, maybe you'll be swayed by this praise in the press (because the press never lies, as everyone knows).

“A frightening diagnosis is only start of the story…Now I See You is a funny, sassy, yet poignant story.”
--The New York Times

“Hilariously inspiring…Kear’s book is a showstopper.”
--People

“A young mother going blind is no laughing matter, except, incredibly so, it is in Nicole C. Kear’s courageous, relatable and, yes, truly funny Now I See You.”
--Family Circle

“We’re here to tell you that Kear’s memoir, about finding out that she’s slowly going blind and what that means for the rest of her life, is one of 2014’s best books and one that will have you alternating between laughing and crying from page to page.”
--Parade

"Nicole C. Kear's hilarious and poignant tale of her ever-dimming world sparkles with a winning wit and wisdom gained as much from seizing the day as from falling down."
“[Nicole’s] story is spunky and full of a zest for life that will open the eyes of readers to the little joys of the world. A tender memoir about love, life and going blind.”
--Kirkus Reviews 

And then THIS happened . . .

In the July 7th issue of People, on stands now!!

The Official Now I See You Playlist!!

My memoir, Now I See You, comes out in just under a month, and I've gathered together all sorts of bonus features to enrich your reaching experience or to just elongate it, in case you're not ready to part with my story just yet (I mean, you can always just tune into this blog or read any number of a million essays I've written but, if that's STILL not enough, you'll have these bonus features). They also make the PERFECT fixings to toss into making a kick-ass, epic, BOOK CLUB MEETING!!!! For Nonny's (formerly) secret recipes, and a complete book club discussion guide, go to the special page I built on my website, and to get your groove on, here's the definitive Now I See You playlist, featuring a few songs mentioned in the book, a few songs by blind musical artists and a ton of songs that relate to the very vast theme of light, darkness, blindness, and eyes. (seriously, you'll be shocked by how many there are). Plug these babies into Spotify and you've got yourself a whole night of tunes. . .

THE OFFICIAL NOW I SEE YOU PLAYLIST

Blinded by the Light, Bruce Springsteen
Hit the Road Jack, Ray Charles
I've Got A Woman, Ray Charles
Sir Duke, Stevie Wonder
My Bionic Eyes, Liz Phair
I'd Rather Go Blind, Etta James
Isn't She Lovely, Stevie Wonder
Shady Grove, Doc Watson
Oh Yoko, John Lennon
Ne Me Quitte Pas, Nina Simone
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, Willie Nelson
Con Te Partiro, Andrew Boccelli
Love Is Blindness, Jack White
Dark Eyes, Bob Dylan
Everlasting Light, The Black Keys
I See The Lights, Mandy Moore
I Wear Sunglasses At Night, The Valiant Thivees
I'm Beginning To See The Light, Bobby Darin
I Can See Clearly Now, Johnny Nash
Amazing Grace, Sufjan Stevens
This LIttle Light of Mine, Bruce Springsteen

A Cure Is In Sight (No, I didn't make that up)

Raising three kids in the city, without a car, I do a lot of walking. More, really, than I feel like doing. Sometimes I feel like Forest Gump, just hauling butt from one location to another, dropping off some of my kids and picking up others and running five thousands errands in between; the running part being far too literal for my taste. 

So, it takes something really special to get me to walk EXTRA. To walk in a circle. 

But that is precisely what I'll be doing this Saturday, at the Foundation Fighting Blindness' Vision Walk. Hell, I'm even going all the way to Queens. If that's not a testament to the intensity of my commitment, I don't know what is. 

Vision Walk raises money (and a lot of it, over $28 million since it's inception in 2008) to fund research to treat degenerative retinal diseases.  So, they're trying to cure blindness. It's kind of a big deal. 

I happen to care about this very much because I have one. A retinal disease, that is.  You may have gleaned this if you've read the synopsis of my memoir, Now I See You, or my recent essay in the New York Times, but in case you're not fully caught up, I'll give you a recap (and then, dude, really go read the essay in the Times, it's funny! and it's the Times!):

I have a disease called retinitis pigmentosa which has been gradually robbing me of sight since I was diagnosed at 19. In point of fact, it's been at work longer than that, but that's the age at which I was clued in to what was happening. The first thing to go was my peripheral and night time vision and now the disease has moved on to my central vision too. 

Yeah, it's not great.  In fact, it's pretty damn ruthless. I'd like nothing more than to see some genius  mad scientist invent some miracle cure than can stop the nasty disease in its' tracks, show the bully who's boss. And the amazing thing is, there are HORDES of genius mad scientists out there, trying to do just that, But they - like everyone -- need money. Which is why the FFB is having a Vision Walk. 

It's a really fun, feel-good affair. Last time we went, I brought my mother and father, sisters and husband, and of course, the kids. I let Primo name the team, which is why we were "The Blazing Furies." He even designed a logo for us, of a flaming eyeball (clearly, the kid needs to work on marketing; the flaming eyeball was a bit of a downer). The opening remarks were galvanizing and it felt fantastic to move together as a group, a big unwieldy, often haphazard (hey, we're visually impaired; grace of movement is not our strong suit)  group. It's a kind of coming together that makes you recognize your own individual strength, and the collective strength we have in numbers.  Plus, it was fun. The kids drank their body weight in free Neruro water. What's not to like about that? 

So, come and walk (and if you're there, stop by the Now I See You table for a free magnifier)  or, if you're feeling a bit lazy (and I hear you, trust me),  just donate to the FFB.  They have the best tagline: "A cure is in sight." For that alone, you should give them a 10 spot. 

Announcing the Now I See You Book Trailer!!

Book trailers are not, in fact, like sex and pizza -- good, even when they're bad. Book trailers are more like homemade yogurt - when it's bad, it's REALLY bad.

In my humble and very biased opinion, the Now I See You book trailer is like fresh-out-of-the-even Neapolitean style pizza from Grimaldi's --  hot, satisfying and  . . . OK I never said I was a world-class analogizer. Point is, I have AN OFFICIAL BOOK TRAILER! And it's damn funny. Also, it is one minute long. So, you know, even if you hate it, it's over before you know it.

Many thanks to Poke Gravy Studios for helping me realize my dream of making light of misfortune, and animating a stick figure man whose underwear is on fire.

Presenting . . . Tips for the (Secretly) Blind

Year in Review

I know its not my style, but I'm going to hit the pause button on my complaining and be grateful for a minute.  2012 was a year unlike any other in my life, a year so packed with huge, life-changing events for my family and I, all of them positive, that I'd be a real douche-bag if I didn't stop for a moment to give thanks. I realize that its highly unlikely I'll ever have another year so full of big leaps forward and occasionally, even I have to savor the moment, rather than kvetch.

This year, I

Welcomed a new member to our family
Sold an apartment
Bought an apartment

and

Sold my first book

Yep, its true. In all the hubbub, I've neglected to spread the news that my memoir, Now I See You, was bought by St. Martin's Press and will be in a bookstore near you about one year from now!  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hear all my dirty secrets and some not-so-dirty ones, too. So get psyched (but not too psyched yet, I mean,  pace yourselves, because you've got a bit of a wait still) because I am psyched, and I am grateful and I am crossing my fingers that 2013 will be as good to me, and to you, as last year was.

Happy New Year folks! Here's hoping your resolutions last 'til at least next week. May your days be full of laughter and your nights be full of uninterrupted sleep!