
Published September 18, 2021
Genuine Books
The Last Line of their Lives presents large, consequential ideas in a cozy, small-town setting. It delves into areas of deep human emotion and connection in a lighthearted but never trivial way.
In the wealthy town of Emmitsville, the most sought-after real estate isn’t the sprawling properties outside of town or the stately residences along Main Street. It’s the plots in Cotterman Cemetery, the town’s most historic and prestigious burial ground.
As physician to most of the town’s elite for the last 15 years, Dr. Greg Patterson has focused on keeping his patients out of the cemetery for as long as possible. When his friends who run the funeral home face an unexpected rush of interest in the last few burial plots, Greg reluctantly gets a close-up look as the town’s richest and most powerful race to the finish in a bizarre bid to secure their place for all time.
The Last Line of Their Lives gives readers a thoughtful, funny, and heartwarming look at the human tendency to seek out significance and carve our names in the earth—in whatever ways we can.
Andrew Doan is a teacher, writer, and drama director. He lives with his wife and children in New Hampshire. This is his debut novel.
Author Guest Post
The Tragedy of the Untried
by Andrew D. Doan
As I sit here writing this, the release of my first novel is less than four weeks away, and I already have regrets.
I regret that my doubts and insecurity prevented me from writing consistently for such a long time. I regret all the story ideas I let slip from my mind because I didn’t think I was a “real” writer. Most of all, however, I regret that I waited until I was well into my 30’s before I found out how difficult yet richly rewarding writing can be.
I’ve joked with people for years that I’ve written around 40 novels, but no one has ever heard of or read them because I never got past the title and the seed idea. It’s true. For most of my life, I’ve conjured up various ideas, characters, and scenarios that I felt would make for a good book. I never did anything about them, however, because I didn’t think I was a “real” writer (whatever that means). I didn’t think I was a “real” writer because–and I’m a little embarrassed to admit this–I didn’t know how the story would end. You read that correctly. For years, I never took any action toward bringing my story ideas into reality because I only had a basic idea and I
didn’t know how the story would end.
It seems such a foolish idea to me now but at the time I believed that “real” authors wrote books for which they had already planned out all the details. They had the story all figured out in their brains, and the writing process was simply a matter of transferring from brain to page. I pictured it like taking a road trip where you have a map (or GPS assistant) clearly indicating all the turns and directions you should take to get to your final destination.
Over the last 8 years since I began writing in earnest, I’ve come to discover that this isn’t at all what the process of writing a short story or novel is like. At least, it hasn’t been that way for me. I’ve found it to be more like setting off in a sailboat across a wide open sea. You might have a general idea of where you’re going, but it’s only your determination to keep moving forward and see where the winds take you that will get you to the end of the voyage.
I’m so thankful that I’ve come to view the writing process in this way. It’s given me more confidence and has liberated me to take my ideas and try to make a story out of them. To be clear, I’m not always successful in doing so. In the case of my novel, I was.
The idea for the book began like so many other of my potential stories, as merely a seed of an idea. “What does a cemetery do when it starts to run out of room to bury people?” It might have remained that, relegated to the dustbin of unused ideas in the back of my mind, had not a friend and creative counterpart given me a pithy bit of wisdom at lunch one day. “Dude! Just start writing it and see what happens.”
I did, and I’m so happy for that. The novel is quite different than what I pictured in those first days, but I’m thrilled with and quite proud of the final product. What’s more, the process of writing, rewriting, and revising it has sparked a flood of new ideas that I’m hoping to work on soon. As I said at the beginning, my biggest regret is that I waited so long to get started.
No matter who you are or how old you are, don’t let doubt and insecurity keep you from giving it a go. Don’t keep letting those ideas slip away. Don’t worry about what people will think of your work or fret about how good you “really” are. Those are issues you can address AFTER you begin. (I myself am certain I have a great deal of improvement and skill yet to attain.) Just start, and for the sake of all that is good and beautiful in this world, don’t get hung up on whether or not you’re a “real” writer.
If you do get hung up, it’s likely that you’ll add another chapter to one of the saddest stories of all time. The Tragedy of the Untried. The dream that was never pursued. The journey that was never taken.
Keep on dreaming, my friends, and see where the wind takes you.
Andrew Doan is a teacher, speaker, writer, drama director, podcast host, and grocery deliverer. He was born in Colorado, lived for a time in Florida then Ohio, and has survived (barely) for the last 13 years as a transplant to New England. He has worked in education for 20 years teaching theology, public speaking, and drama as well as directing high school plays–one of the great joys of his life and work he finds immensely fulfilling. He began writing in 2013 and has completed several poems, works of short fiction, and (so far) two original plays. In the Fall of 2021, he will see the realization of two long-held and dearly cherished dreams, the publication of his first novel and the founding of the Creative Christianity Conference (to be held in Concord, NH, on November 6th). Andrew lives with his wife and three children in New Hampshire. He enjoys watching prestige TV, cooking, and discovering new bits of trivia in just about any subject area. All of his writing is available at his website andrewddoan.
Debbie Cooper
Sounds like an amazing read!
kelly tupick
Thanks, this looks great!
Nancy E Loring
This seems like a book that I could get into. I like that the Doctor’s last name is the name of one of my favorite authors. James Patterson.
Antoinette M
This sounds like an interesting book.
monique s
Love the cover art
Penny Branson LeBaron
I read about a book a day so this is one I will definitely add to my wish list.
Angelica
Can’t wait to read this!
Tony Platz
Looks like it would hold my interest for a long while .
Jaya Avendel
Cemetery plots as the most sought-after real estate makes The Last Line of Their Lives a book with a unique twist that pulls me in! Love also Andrew’s essay on why he started writing and how the process was a learning journey for him.
Thanks for sharing!
Jenifer Greenwell
I just added this to my “Want to Read” list on Goodreads. Sounds so interesting! Can’t wait to read it!
NANCY
Fantastic cover
Lori Byrd
sounds so good
Sheri
I would love to be able to read this book!
Patricia Blackwood
looks like an interesting book
K
I really want to read this! Nice cover art!
athena graeme
This sounds super sweet, the lift up we all need for our soul right now. An escape from today.
Renee T
Congrats on your new book. I look forward to reading it.
John Gusswein
sounds interesting!
Beth B.
This book seems right up my alley!
Lori Byrd
sounds so good.
Cathy French
This has a lovely cover. Sounds like a terrific small town read.
Jon Heil
Hope you do well!
Molli Taylor
this looks like my kind of book!
EMMA L HORTON
WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE TO READ THIS COMING SNOWY, WINTERY NIGHT.
Audrey Stewart
Andrew D. Doan is new to me, but I love meeting new authors. Thanks to this blog for the introduction.
Cheryl S
My sister would love this book…when I’m done reading first 🙂
Jessica Walker
This looks like a great book
sandra burns
Sounds like a good read!
Michelle
Looks like a great read!
Ninti
Excited.
Susan Smith
Sounds like a great book. I like the cover.