Ready, set... launch!
After eight years, it’s finally here. On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope will finally be released to the universe.
Our official launch event for Dear Jacob takes place this Wednesday, October 18th at “Talk of the Stacks,” at the downtown Minneapolis Central Library - Pohlad Hall, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are free, but you must register to attend. There’s also a live virtual option for those who can’t make it in person.
The lovely and talented Jenna Ross from the Minneapolis Star Tribune will be our moderator for the evening, and we are really looking forward to this special kickoff event.
For more details, and a link to register for “Talk of the Stacks,” see below.
Our weekend
By Joy
Patty and I just had a whirlwind of a weekend. We’re sharing some of the photos we took over the past four days, as well as some brief reflections to go with them. We know there are many more busy days ahead, but we’re both excited to begin this fun new leg of our writing journey.
Deep breath. Here we go.
Thursday: TEDx St. Cloud
By Patty
When I was invited to be one of the speakers at TEDx St. Cloud this year, I was both honored and terrified. I accepted gratefully, knowing it would take time, but also acknowledging that it would challenge me to create and memorize a 10 minute talk that I hoped would be motivating to people.
They provided us with a coach, a photographer, a TED Talk book, and best of all, the absolute privilege of meeting five other gifted presenters through ongoing Zoom calls. The whole process was a well-oiled machine!
On the day of the TEDx event last Thursday, we all got to meet in person for a final run through. I had practiced and recited my talk so often over the previous few weeks, I confidently took the stage during dress rehearsal as the last presenter. I was so relieved when I didn’t miss a beat.
Later that evening, I watched in the “Green Room” with my fellow TEDx’ers as each of them stepped center stage and absolutely nailed it! I was so proud to be part of this amazing team.
Then it was my turn.
I stepped onstage to a standing ovation! Whoa. I wasn’t expecting that. I started speaking, but then totally drew a blank on what came next! I stood there silent, wracking my brain for some tidbit from my speech. Then, after what seemed like a forever long pause, someone yelled, “You got this Patty!” I smiled, took a deep breath and started again.
I think I missed a few thoughts but managed to cover most of the rest of my message. It definitely wasn’t the flawless presentation that all of the others had given, but I spent the next day trying to forgive myself and hoping that people left with a feeling of positive energy and strength to keep moving forward, no matter what. My heart is still full from the warm hugs I received afterwards.
Thank you to all of the organizers and volunteers at TEDX St. Cloud. It was an amazing evening.
Friday: Jacob’s story featured on 20/20
By Joy
After six months of working closely with producers from ABC’s 20/20, it was finally time to see the end result on primetime TV. Neither Patty nor I had any idea what to expect, and both of us were filled with anxiety. We knew they had spoken to a lot of people who were closely related to the case, but we really had no idea how it would all come together.
When we saw the first trailer that aired earlier in the week, we were even more nervous. It seemed to be everything we’d feared: a dark, dramatic, and sensational promo aimed primarily at the true crime crowd. Ugh. That’s exactly what we didn’t want.
But, ultimately, I think we all breathed a collective sigh of relief as we watched what they actually put together. It was obvious that a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this in-depth, multi-layered, and well-researched retelling of Jacob’s story from many different perspectives. It was hard for me watch and the tears streamed down my face more than once, but at the end of the day, we think they did a really nice job.
If you didn’t get a chance to watch 20/20 on Friday night, it’s streaming now on Hulu and probably elsewhere, as well. I assume it will also be streaming soon from the ABC website.
Here are some links to a few of the promos they ran.
Saturday: “Running HOME for Jacob” Walk/Run
By Joy
It was a cool, blustery day out at Lake Phalen Regional Park for the 8th Annual “Running HOME for Jacob” Walk/Run. But that didn’t dampen our spirts, because it was also the very first official book signing for Patty’s new memoir!
We arrived early as event organizers and volunteers were busy setting up tents, preparing race packets, and making sure all the technology worked for easy check-in and registration. Patty and I bundled up and started signing books at 8:15 AM, then again at 11:15 AM after the race was completed.
I think I can speak for both of us when I say how incredibly heartwarming it was to see so many friends and relatives in attendance this year, but also so many complete strangers who came to support the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. People stood patiently before and after the race, just to have a chance to meet Patty and tell her how much they admire her.
I’ve said this before, but there’s just something about Patty Wetterling. She has an X factor that’s hard to explain, but I think it has something to with the way she magically transforms from a small, shy, soft-spoken woman into this fierce, impassioned mama bear whenever it comes to protecting kids. She is our hero… our Super Mom. And I’m just so stinking proud to be her co-author and friend.
Sunday: Live interview on WCCO Sunday Morning
By Joy
Finally, one last funny story before we go. This morning, Patty and I had to be downtown at the WCCO Studio in Minneapolis for a live interview with Esme Murphy by 10 AM. We both stayed overnight with family on Saturday night to lessen our back-and-forth drive time, so I was happy to unwind and take my time getting ready, knowing I only had a 30 minute drive into Minneapolis versus the 2-hour drive it would have been from my house in New London.
And then… that moment of panic when I suddenly came to a horrifying realization. I’d forgotten to pack my pants. I had NO PANTS to wear on live TV in 60 minutes. I think I may have actually laughed.
I threw on what I had… a pair of faded black leggings with puckered knees and wondered if anyone would notice. I quickly weighed my options. Do I show up with day-old, puckery leggings or race down to WalMart and take my chances that I could find something in 10 minutes? I went with the latter.
By the grace of God and some dumb luck, I found one pair of black pants in my size that was on clearance for ten bucks. I raced through self-checkout, changed in the bathroom, and was back on the road within 15 minutes.
I made it in time, the interview went well, and Patty was amazing as always. Many thanks to Esme Murphy for her glowing review of Dear Jacob and also for her years of compassionate and respectful reporting of Jacob’s case. She is one of many Twin Cities reporters we both consider a friend.
Talk of the Stacks
The "official" launch event for Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope will be held on Wednesday, October 18th at "Talk of the Stacks," sponsored by Friends of the Hennepin County Library. It starts at 6:30 PM and takes place both virtually and in-person inside Pohlad Hall at the Minneapolis Central Library. Tickets are free and we would love to see you there! To get more details or to sign up, visit https://www.supporthclib.org/talk-stacks.
Upcoming Author Events
Our publicity team at Minnesota Historical Society Press has been busy lining up author talks and book signings for us. To see all the latest updates, please visit our Events page.
Official release date this Tuesday!
Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope will be out in book stores on Tuesday, October 17th! You can also find them online, or ask for it at your local library.
