Shortly before my novel, Esperanza, first came out, I created a Google alert for the word. I never realized just how many Esperanzas there are. The word means hope in Spanish, which may be why there are so many alerts for it. Hope seems to be something the world needs.
First, there was Camp Esperanza, where the families of the trapped Chilean miners were living until the miners were rescued.
Then there was the daughter born to one of the miners while he was still trapped. He and his wife named the baby Esperanza. She was born on September 14, 2010, the same day my novel was published.
Ray, who comments on our blog, then alerted us to a personal synchronicity he’d experienced about the book.While he was sitting in a Starbucks reading Esperanza, a song with that title came on the radio. It’s sung by Enrique Iglesias.
Many of the alerts I receive are about Esperanza Spalding, whom I’d never heard of until these alerts starting arriving in the mailbox. And wow, can this woman sing. She’s a 23-year-old musical prodigy who has been performing since she was 15. In the novel’s sequel, I’m using her as a character’s favorite musician.
Some of the other alerts are both inspiring and comical: an Esperanza scholarship; a water polo team named Esperanza; a college named Esperanza that’s looking for an accounting specialist!
ADDENDUM
We have to add Natalie’s Esperanza synchro from a couple of days ago. It’s a good one.
“Just popped in to tell you that while i was commenting here this morning, a voice in my ear told me that Esperanza was ready for me to pick up from the library. I ordered it two weeks ago and they said it would be at least a month wait, so I haven’t bothered checking my P.O box for the notification slip. I also realised that I had not changed my email address for them to notify me that way.
I thanked the ‘Spook’ and left for work. On the way, I stopped by the Post office and checked my box. What was in there? The notification slip for Esperanza that had arrived only hours before. 🙂
“When I got to work, I unpacked my stuff, and drew a card for the day: It was synchronicity. Gotta love it. :D”
Trish,
Tell Peter Levenda he owes you a commission on 1 book sold,because I also ordered his book "Unholy Alliance" after reading about him on your site.
Well, then, we'll just have to come down under!
Thanks for the links. We've sold just one book to Russian, I think – an astrology book! That's interesting about the free downloads.
That was around 2006-2007 that I read Paulo was No 2 to Rowling in world wide sales,so it may not be true today.Anyway,you might want to read this article about how he boosted his Russian sales from a piddly little 1000 copies to over
1 000 000 copies by letting people in Russia have free downloads of his book.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23105
and on this site he gives a talk on how he did it.
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080124/08563359.shtml
Maybe you guys might like to get a Russian translation of "7 Secrets" out to the Russians,as they are big on these sort of books?
And thanks for the autograph offer,but I don't own a printer and I don't want to give my e-mail address out here and it wouldn't be the same as a signed copy,anyway,Trish.
Thanks again for the offer,but be sure to mull over what Paulo says on these sites above.
"There might just be gold in them thar hills".-)
WV= grast (grass roots+great idea)?
Thanks, Daz!
I didn't realize Coehlo was number 2 in the world! We've got a couple of his books. Will have to go back thru them.
If you'd like, send me an email with your wife's name – I'll mail you an autograph.
I've just purchased a copy of "Esperanza" on Amazon,along with some other books and I'm planning on giving it to my wife as a present. She likes to read romantic/fiction books and I'm more into non-fiction and classics,although I am half way through Paulo Coelho's "Veronika Decides to Die",which is semi-autobiographical on Coelho's early life anyway,plus I've been fascinated by Coelho's rise to No 2 author in the world (just behind J.K.Rowling) since meeting him in Brisbane in 1998 at the Brisbane Writer's Festival.
I had no idea who he was at time,
as he was speaking with 3 other authors who I'd gone to see,but I still purchased a copy of "By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept", read it and thought it was pretty ordinary and probably wouldn't be hearing much about him in the future.Boy,was I wrong,but since then I've read "Confessions of a Pilgrim","The Valkyries","The Alchemist" and 1/2 of "Veronika…"
and these are good books that I would recommend others to read.He's a really nice guy if you ever get the chance to meet him and I'll always remember him telling me the story about the butterfly tattoo on his forearm.
Sorry about getting off track there.What I was going to write…eventually,was that I'll try giving it a read after my wife has read it,even though I'm not big on fiction,since all the glowing reviews have made me curious for a read.
Cheers / Daz
Glad you enjoyed it, Nat!
I spent all weekend reading Esperanza and I loved it! You are very clever, Trish. I woke up this morning and still thought I was in Ecuador.A thought that occurred for me this morning is that being 'guided' by my spooks (guides, loved ones etc) feels like being taken over at times. I couldn't help but feel that perhaps I am just an ant jumping through hoops for a greater plan. The scene where Tess is at the psychics and she feels annoyed with Charlie, really brought it home for me.
It's not that they invade my body, but they do mesh with my personal energy field and 'prompt' me.
Anyway, I loved your characters very much, and found it a real page turner.
Congratulations on a brilliant read.♥
I now have it in my hot little hands ( i just picked it up) and came by to check Esperanza post and here I am already! 😀
wv ferima LOL I must have picked up on your Esperanza pheremones.
Thanks, Gypsy!
Maggie – that's a pretty cool synchro with the hummingbird.
I had a thing going on with a hummingbird quote and Esperanza. My sister gave me the quote recently…and I posted it on my blog. Then just after I posted the hummingbird quote….as I was reading Esperanza the hummingbird got mentioned like a few times in the book. My sister thinks hummingbirds carry messages from our loved ones on the other side. We have a real thing for them.
I'm still reading Esperanza (slow reader)…but am loving it so far. Just over half way through and hope to finish over the weekend. It's hard to put down at night. Beautiful name for the book…hope.
love the esperanza synchs! i remember hearing the chilean esperanza stories at the time – and i think there is especially today just such a desire/need for that little thing called hope – don't see how your sequel can outdo esperanza, but i've no doubt that it will, lady!!! 😉
Vicki – I do remember. And oh dumb me, I should've included them and Natalie's in this post. I have them on the dashboard for another post.
967th most popular name in the U.S.? Wow. That's intriguing since it's a Spanish name, Mike. And now we've got your locked case number!
Nancy – I can';t wait for YOUR book. Finally got the Penny Pierce book.
Very interesting – and a great book – i can't wait for the sequel!
I see that Esperanza is the 967th most popular first name in the U.S.
Interesting to me because of the '67' (my blog) and also '967' as this was the number for my locked case when I worked for a finance company – it's safe to reveal that now!
Wow, Trish these are wild. You remember all the crazy synch. I had with the title also.
The tittle Esperanza has a nice ring to it .-)
https://www.mademoisellejewelry.com/product.php?productid=18985
Another one! Thanks, Darren. What a cool one.
The Esperanza arrives in PNG to protect forests and save the climate;
https://weblog.greenpeace.org/makingwaves/archives/2008/08/the_esperanza_arrives_in_png_t.html#more
Very cool about baby Esperanza and baby book Esperanza. 🙂