Sometimes the author is the last to know...

HALLIE EPHRON: I try not to Google myself. Really I do. I've learned the hard way that there's plenty of stuff "out there" that I do not need to step in. But between Night Night, Sleep Tight coming out in March and a story "Photoplay" with the same characters about to come out, I succumbed to the Google's siren song. 

I discovered, among other things, that someone is selling an audio version of my last book, There Was an Old Woman.

Audio?? Having a book made into an audiobook is old hat for many authors, but for me it's been an unfulfilled dream. 

At first I assumed it wasn't real. You'd order your audiobook and get a paperback, or maybe a CD packet with empty slots. Or it would be pirated.

But upon inspection, it turned out that the publisher was Harper Audio, and the CDs were on sale at Amazon, B&N, as well as the publisher's web site. The narrator Nan McNamara is a real, super-talented actress and voiceover artist. She also voiced one of my all-time favorites, the classic The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

I emailed my editor with the subject line:
AUDIOBOOK? ME: GOBSMACKED!

She wrote back, very apologetic. I love my editor. She immediately sent copies and I had a listen. There is something weird and wonderful about hearing your words read by aloud someone else. And something delicious about a genuinely auspicious surprise.

But the best was yet to come. At around the time I found out I had an audiobook, There Was an Old Woman hit the New York Times best seller list. It happened the week before Christmas when, as we all know, no one in publishing goes to the office or looks at email. And like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, I never heard a rumble. 

It wasn't until a week into January that I found out. My phone rang late in the afternoon. Caller ID said it was my editor. She never calls, so I knew right away it was either really bad news or really good news. There is no news better than: "Your book was on the New York Times best seller list," and "There's time to get it on the cover of your new book!"

So a month ago, I didn't know I'd ever be able to say this, but here goes!

For one randomly drawn commenter, today I'm giving away an audiobook of the New York Times best seller There Was an Old Woman!

So I hope you all will forgive me for succumbing today to blatant self promotion, but can I just add: Whoo whoo!