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Because everyone needs a last minute gift idea

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So I haven’t talked much about my second book.

But it seems appropriate to talk about it at Christmas time given that this is the picture that basically gave me the entire premise for it.

And, lo, an antelope of the Lord appeared and the glory shone round about him.

The next book is called The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life.

Or TAITLR for short.

(Not really. I just made that up. Not one time until now has it been referred to as TAITLR.)

This is what the book cover looks like. I cannot even deal with how much I love it.

antelope-book-cover

And this is the video trailer.

Let us never speak of those overall shorts I’m wearing again. It was a dark time called 1997.

Anyway, I just thought I’d mention it now even though it doesn’t come out until February 4th because it could make a great gift for someone in your life. Nothing says Christmas love and joy like “Hey, I bought you this book that you won’t get until February 4th!”

There’s even a free, printable greeting card that you can download and print to wrap up and put under the tree. Or in a stocking. Or wherever you put your gifts. The gift card can be found by clicking here and then clicking on the icon that says Download A Greeting Card.

It doesn’t matter where you buy it. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble (it’s currently less than $10 at both of those places), and other major booksellers.

For more information and a list of all retailers, you can visit the official Antelope in the Living Room book page.

I hope you and your friends will have as much fun reading it as I had writing it.

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  1. Ok, talk to me about the wall of photos that form a PERFECT HEART. Is this for real?! Are these frames truly on your wall in a heart?! Cause that right there? That is what I call some serious CRAFTY. My mind can’t exactly wrap itself around all the squared and rectangular frames magically create a heart. All I can say is WOW.

    {please don’t disappoint me and tell me that this is only some creative marketing ploy– some computer-generated graphic thing that doesn’t exist in real life, anywhere. Cause that would just break my heart. Pun intended ;)}

    • Um, I thought it was supposed to be the shape of a deer’s head! I liked that, but I love the heart idea even more!

  2. Awww…can’t wait to read it! I’m going to go pre-order it right now and stick the card in my stocking. Thank you, Santa!

  3. Well, if the book is half as good as the trailer then it’s gonna be another best seller for you, Melanie! Listening to you talk about Perry and y’all’s relationship made me tear up a bit. You could have been describing how I felt about my husband and our marriage. I know this book will make us laugh but I am thinking that God’s gonna use it to encourage some folks to work on their marriages, too. It will be a blessing and I can not wait to read it.

    Loved the pictures, over all shorts and all!

    And, now that you and Gulley have your shopping done and gifts wrapped, would you please come to Houston and finish mine?

  5. Um, it might be because I’m 34 weeks pregnant, but I cried during this trailer. Can’t wait to order and read this book!

  6. Don’t sweat it, we all had those short overalls in 1997 (mine were khaki). LOOOOVE the trailer and I can’t wait to read the book!

  7. What a beautiful trailer. And even more so because I know, just from reading your blog, that those aren’t just flowery words. They are truth. The cover is awesome, but even though I’m not married (never have been), I can’t wait for this to come out. Thanks for making us smile.

  8. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. Period! (I’m screaming in that teenage girl voice that just got tickets to go see the latest teen throb in concert but has to wait a week or so!)

  9. Can’t wait – I know what my Christmas present to myself will be this year! I’m sure it is every bit as good as SGE – see what I just did there?!?! πŸ˜‰

  11. +1 for CANNOT. WAIT.

    While I haven’t had an antelope in the living room, I have had beans in the meatloaf. The Hubs, they just think different than we do. And I wouldn’t trade mine for the world.

  13. I may be the only one of your readers that knows that is a nilgai on the wall. My husband works for (and hunts on) King Ranch. We have had nilgai in our freezer for 25 years. ( not the same one of course! πŸ™‚ ) Can’t wait to read your book!

    We celebrated 25 years of marriage last May and have 4 children (21. 19, 16 &13)

  16. I adore your photos in the trailer. Maybe not the denim overalls so much, but only because they remind me of my many fashion faux pas. Love, just love it:) Can’t wait to read.

  19. Please tell me I am not the only one who cried at the trailer. Seriously. Also: nodding the whole way through. I am only six years and no kids in but your words resonate so strongly and I can’t wait to read the rest!

  20. Can not wait to read it =0)
    The trailer made me cry in a good way! You have eloquently and perfectly described the 32 and half years of my own marriage. God bless you in yours and if you are middle age, I am fearing I am now considered elderly….oh my….

  21. For the record, I got engaged in my denim overalls. Perhaps a support group is in order. Excited about your book and the antelope looks fantastic! πŸ™‚

  23. Why am I crying watching that video?! Because everything you said was true. You are a gifted writer, can’t wait to read your next book. Congratulations to you and your family! And Merry Christmas!

  26. Yes … yes I did just send a little linky love to my husband to subtly remind him to BUY ME THIS BOOK! BUY IT NOW MAN!

    Also, I know you said we are not to speak of them … but, girl, you are wearing the “them” of which we shall not speak in a whoooooooollllleeeeee lot of those pictures. But, fear not, I shall not judge, cause I am pretty sure that I wore mine at least as often back in the dark days. Shhhh … speak not.

  27. So exciting! But what I want to know if is you miss visiting with that old guy who always talked to you in the coffee shop while you were writing this book. πŸ™‚

  28. I am so excited about this! My daughter is 7 weeks old and your book Sparkly Green Earrings was my nursing companion during those first tough weeks of bring up.all.night! It had me laughing and in my postpartum hormonal state, crying, and I just completely loved it! I was only sorry when my Kindle was alerting me of being 99% done with the book. I can’t wait to read this new book!
    Signed,
    New Nursing Mommy

  29. Well! I watched this trailer after I’d already been bawling over the St. Jude’s commercial. Now, it’s just downright ugly, but in a good way! Going to pre-order now…can’t wait to read this!

  30. Oh I love it! And I love how beautifully the cover works with your first book – this will definitely be going on my post-Christmas “things to buy that I wish I would have gotten for Christmas” list πŸ™‚

  31. I LOVE IT! Cried and laughed watching the trailer, and know I’ll do it while reading this book πŸ™‚ Congrats on this new project being completed, and so many thanks for doing it. Can’t wait!

  32. I was browsing the amazon the other day and in the “recommended for you” section was The Antelope book! So very exciting! So I knew about it before you posted it here. Just saying.

  34. This makes me SO happy. I can’t wait to read it and just might give it to myself for Christmas. The collage heart at the end of the video is perfection. I want to recreate it in my home. Except it would take me 12 weeks to do so because I’m very OCD about things being perfectly straight.

  35. I cried during the trailer too!! What in the world?!! I was like, am I supposed to be crying right now?! Also I have to know if those frames in the shape of hearts were real too! All I kept thinking of was 1, that must have taken forever and 2, I need to do this ASAP!

  37. I loved watching this trailer. Going to preorder now and print the gift card to put in my own stocking. Someone’s got to help Santa, right? I so enjoyed your 1st book, kept ’em coming.

  38. 42 years together and looking forward, with hope to MANY more! I have to say I cannot wait to read TAILAR! I laughed out loud through Sparkly Green Earrings…it brought back so many wonderful memories of our daughter and son growing up, and I can promise that the fun just continues through every stage! Never a dull moment!

  39. I can not wait! Right there with you, sister! 16 years married and we have grown up together (and are still growing up together)! And good grief! You should do an audio version and read it yourself! You have a great voice to listen to πŸ™‚

  40. Eeeek! I can hardly wait to read it! Maybe I’ll even see a lady in the HEB parking lot carrying it around like I did with Sparkly Green Earrings and we will instantly have something in common. On another note, I bet those overalls were Guess?, weren’t they?

  41. Congratulations, Melanie. Your endorsements on the book page are absolutely hilarious. I love your heart, and the way you bring the gift of laughter to this world. What a joy you are.

  46. “And lo, and antelope of the Lord appeared . . . ” Absolutely, knock down, my favorite post. I’ve emailed it to everyone in America. Well, not quite. But CONGRATULATIONS on the next book. I know I’ll love it!

  48. Ok, first I went and pre-ordered your book. Now I am back to post about this blog. I, too, had those overall shorts. LOVED them! Also, love the pictures in the shape of the heart. But, I am wondering, if you really are friends with Sandra Bullock. When I watched the video I totally heard her reading the lines. Anybody else?

  49. Heartwarming trailer? Check. Adorable cover? Check. Happiness and excitement for your next book? Check!!! Just pre-ordered and so proud of you, friend. February 4 can’t get here soon enough!

  50. Um, it might be because I’m 50 and menopausal, but I cried during this trailer. Can’t wait to order and read this book!

  53. That heart shaped wall of love is the cutest thing ever!!! So excited about your next book coming out. I know it will be awesome because you speak and write from the heart. Hope y’all have a Merry Christmas!!
    Hugs!
    Susan

  56. Well, that made me tear up. I couldn’t have said it better about my own marriage! I can’t wait to read the book! And I have an antelope on one of my walls. And a boar on another. And a buffalo on another. And a red stag. And….

  57. Trailer is AWESOME!!! Can’t wait to read this.

    Melanie, Can you post a picture of your heart=shaped photo collage someday soon? It is gorgeous! Thanks!

  60. So awesome! Love the trailer and your family. Marriage is truly a journey that you must choose to take over and over again!! And by that I mean the same marriage….LOL!

  63. YAHHH!!!!! So excited for your next book, Melanie!! Congratulations!! You are such a gifted writer and such a blessing!!!!! Big Hugs from Iowa!!

  65. Loved the trailer and am so looking forward to this book:) I had the best time reading Sparkly Green Earrings and I know I’ll feel the same about this one!

  66. I printed your greeting card to “gift” a copy of your book at my elementary school faculty Christmas exchange where we enjoy a “Chinese Gift Exchange” – I have an entire community of women who enjoyed “Sparkly Green Earrings” and knew “The Antelope in the Living Room” would be a huge hit, many of these women my co-workers. I must say it was the most popular gift! So FAR, I have 3 pre-ordered and can’t wait for February! I bet I get it read in one sitting! Your blog makes my day, EVERY day – Merry Christmas to you!

  67. Hey Melanie πŸ™‚ I just can not wait to read your new book. I think you are just fantastic!!!!! Thank you for being you. xoxo Lots of love from Queensland, Australia.

  68. I had a new baby on the 2nd and have basically been living under a rock for the past few months trying to get ready, so I totally missed your announcement! I LOVED your first book and cant wait to purchase the second. Congratulations!! (typing this one handed, btw, so please excuse any typos) πŸ˜‰