This week has been exciting, scary, and surreal. Why? Well, for the very first time one of my babies is out in the big world all on it's own. This isn't a test. It's time for Cathy and David to tell their story. As the author that is incredibly scary. You'd think that after releasing... (pulls off shoes so I can count fingers and toes...) my 8th... or 9th... story I'd be kind of used to it all. Nope. Not at all. It's nerve wracking and intense in a lot of ways. I don't think that part will ever go away.
It's also INCREDIBLY exciting. People are buying my book, reading my story, and (hopefully) falling in love with David and Cathy as much as I did! It's so much fun to be able to talk with the readers about their favorite parts, favorite characters, and not so favorite characters. I could talk books all day and this is the best part of my job.
Why has this week been surreal? Well, it's the continuation of a series that I love... one that I wrote mainly for myself. I never, ever would have thought that it would do what it has done. In fact, I was convinced that most people would think it was too happy. Boy was I glad to be wrong! The surreal part though, comes from seeing my books--my babies--with my name on them in actual stores. Maybe that seems silly. It certainly doesn't make me more of an author than I already was, but it is a dream come true. When I was young you couldn't find books online... partly because there wasn't an online until much later... but let's not focus on that. The point is, the only way for people to find an authors book was in a store. And they still do.
While in college I worked at Walmart. It was challenging at times, but I made some wonderful friends. (Friends in fact that now beta read my work.) I started as a cashier, worked at the service desk, and eventually became a Customer Service Manager. On my breaks I would take my vest off and peruse the book aisle. Needless to say a lot of the money I made working at Walmart was handed right back to them to feed my reading addiction. Flash forward to this week. I needed a new toothbrush and some milk. I picked up my munchkin from school and turned toward Walmart (the main store in the small town where I live). Taking a deep breath as we passed the book aisle, I stopped and perused the shelves--just like I had done for years.
Would it? Could it be there? My book?
At first I thought I wasn't so lucky. Feeling a little let-down (but pretending that I wasn't for the munchkin) I started to turn back down the aisle and head for the milk. That's when I saw it. Sitting on the top shelf--next to a NORA ROBERTS book--was my baby. I swear she was smiling at me.
I had a flutter moment where I looked around wildly to see if there was anyone I knew in shouting distance. I giggled. I told a random person walking by, "That's my book!" (Yes, I'm a dork. But if you've been following me, you already know that.) I picked it up and looked at it. I flipped it over and looked at the back. I touched the raised font and smiled back at Cathy. I had seen the paperback already, but this was different. I had found her out in the wild.
Do you see how this was a moment where my life had come full circle? I had worked full-time at that very store while going to college and now THEY WERE CARRYING MY BOOKS. My books. On the racks that I used to check every week. The very racks where I bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Twilight, and NORA ROBERTS books. Racks that carried and still carried some of my favorite authors. Maybe it's karma or kismet. I put in my time at Walmart and now they carry my books.
So, yeah. Mushy.
The first time I saw my book in a Barnes and Noble, I cried. Someone sent me a picture and I sat in my office and ugly-cried. Great big hiccups and laughing were involved. I couldn't stop. Thank goodness no one was awake. I probably would have scared them.
Thank goodness I didn't do that in the middle of Walmart. So instead, I did what anyone else would do... I took selfies.
Thank you to Avon, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, iTunes, my agent, editors, and publicists. And most importantly, thank you to my readers. None of this would be possible without you.
If you have a picture with one of my books, I'd love to see it! I think I might start a collage on the website. What do you think? (If you're looking for one in store, my Walmart only had two copies left and the local Books a Million only had one!)
It's also INCREDIBLY exciting. People are buying my book, reading my story, and (hopefully) falling in love with David and Cathy as much as I did! It's so much fun to be able to talk with the readers about their favorite parts, favorite characters, and not so favorite characters. I could talk books all day and this is the best part of my job.
Why has this week been surreal? Well, it's the continuation of a series that I love... one that I wrote mainly for myself. I never, ever would have thought that it would do what it has done. In fact, I was convinced that most people would think it was too happy. Boy was I glad to be wrong! The surreal part though, comes from seeing my books--my babies--with my name on them in actual stores. Maybe that seems silly. It certainly doesn't make me more of an author than I already was, but it is a dream come true. When I was young you couldn't find books online... partly because there wasn't an online until much later... but let's not focus on that. The point is, the only way for people to find an authors book was in a store. And they still do.
While in college I worked at Walmart. It was challenging at times, but I made some wonderful friends. (Friends in fact that now beta read my work.) I started as a cashier, worked at the service desk, and eventually became a Customer Service Manager. On my breaks I would take my vest off and peruse the book aisle. Needless to say a lot of the money I made working at Walmart was handed right back to them to feed my reading addiction. Flash forward to this week. I needed a new toothbrush and some milk. I picked up my munchkin from school and turned toward Walmart (the main store in the small town where I live). Taking a deep breath as we passed the book aisle, I stopped and perused the shelves--just like I had done for years.
Would it? Could it be there? My book?
At first I thought I wasn't so lucky. Feeling a little let-down (but pretending that I wasn't for the munchkin) I started to turn back down the aisle and head for the milk. That's when I saw it. Sitting on the top shelf--next to a NORA ROBERTS book--was my baby. I swear she was smiling at me.
I had a flutter moment where I looked around wildly to see if there was anyone I knew in shouting distance. I giggled. I told a random person walking by, "That's my book!" (Yes, I'm a dork. But if you've been following me, you already know that.) I picked it up and looked at it. I flipped it over and looked at the back. I touched the raised font and smiled back at Cathy. I had seen the paperback already, but this was different. I had found her out in the wild.
Do you see how this was a moment where my life had come full circle? I had worked full-time at that very store while going to college and now THEY WERE CARRYING MY BOOKS. My books. On the racks that I used to check every week. The very racks where I bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Twilight, and NORA ROBERTS books. Racks that carried and still carried some of my favorite authors. Maybe it's karma or kismet. I put in my time at Walmart and now they carry my books.
So, yeah. Mushy.
The first time I saw my book in a Barnes and Noble, I cried. Someone sent me a picture and I sat in my office and ugly-cried. Great big hiccups and laughing were involved. I couldn't stop. Thank goodness no one was awake. I probably would have scared them.
Thank goodness I didn't do that in the middle of Walmart. So instead, I did what anyone else would do... I took selfies.
The Munchkin was just as excited!
Look at me! Next to Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber!
Thank you to Avon, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, iTunes, my agent, editors, and publicists. And most importantly, thank you to my readers. None of this would be possible without you.
If you still haven't gotten your copy of Recklessly Royal, you can buy it here:
If you have a picture with one of my books, I'd love to see it! I think I might start a collage on the website. What do you think? (If you're looking for one in store, my Walmart only had two copies left and the local Books a Million only had one!)
How amazing!! Congratulations!!! I can't wait to get myself a copy of it but being in the UK its a little bit harder thanks god for Amazon as I would be lost without it. My Mum is getting me it and Suddenly Royal (I have in on my kindle but need a hard copy) for Easter instead of an Easter Egg :)
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