So it’s real now. I really wrote a book. And it’s really going to be published. I know this shouldn’t come as a surprise at this point, but still nothing prepares you for receiving a random FedEx in the middle of the afternoon that, upon opening, you see is filled with copies of your first book!!
We’re not talking galleys here; these are not bound versions of a rough draft laced with typos and a plain pink cover. No, this is the actual book. The final copy. All the revisions are there. The cover is on. My bio and photo are on the back. My dedication is present, and my teaser covers are displayed.
But for some reason, with all that, it was the Acknowledgments page that first caught my eye. I read through the entire page again almost as if for the first time (it’s been awhile since I wrote it). And I actually teared up. Just seeing the names of all the people who helped me get to this point—from my agent to my parents to my teachers to my husband—I felt (to borrow a page from Mike Myers in Coffee Talk) ferclempt.
It takes a lot of hard work to get to this point, people. I’m not just talking about writing and editing. I’m talking about the querying, the submissions, the rejections, the heartbreak, the whole package of misery that comes with trying to sell a book. But now it’s paying off. I can literally touch it. My manuscript is a real book, and it doesn’t just exist on my computer anymore!
So of course, with a lump in my throat, I immediately took a photo of my box of beautiful books with my camera phone and sent the picture message to my husband. It was 7pm, and he was still in an office meeting (he works too much). So then I sent the photo to my agent, who cheerful replied with congratulatory enthusiasm. And then, I patiently read another author’s book while I waited for my husband to get home and celebrate with me, which he eventually did.
We went out to a celebratory dinner, and when I got back I had him take a picture of me. So here it is for prosperity—a photo of me on the day I held my first book:
Aren’t they gorgeous? Dontcha just wanna run out and buy one? And the good news is – you can! Click here to preorder! Shameless plug, sorry. But if you go to Amazon, you can read the first chapter of the book online. Check it out and get a sneak peek.
POP-CULTURE RANT: General Hospital
First I have to start off with, “Where, oh, where is Sam McCall?” That poor girl has been left hanging on the back burner for far too long. I was thrilled to see her today, even though it was for a lame counterfeit drug storyline. But her sudden reappearance made me notice something else—it’s not only Sam who’s been back-burnered, it’s also Elizabeth. I’m wondering if the writer’s were as sick of the baby Jake storyline as the viewers, and they decided these two needed a break before their fan bases actually killed each other. If so, it’s understandable, but let’s not take this too far. There’s only so much Kate Howard I can stand.
I can’t wait to read your book. The cover is really great! 🙂 Will you be giving away the extra copies? 😉