Now what?

I'm published! Dream accomplished!!!

Now what?

The process of getting my little story to a real life book has been one of small steps and stages over the past eleven months. Even the process of signing with FIP was done through a series of conversations, not one big moment when the contract fairy rang the doorbell with balloons. Longer processes don't make the excitement less, but it spreads it out so that feeling of shock and disbelief doesn't come with. Does that make any sense?

So for the past 11 months I've kinda gotten used to the idea that my little story was growing up to be a real live book. It's given me time to soak in the idea, to revel in the accomplishment and - here's the kicker - to ask, 'what next?'

So I've accomplished my dream of publishing a book. What happens when you've done what you've always wanted to do? You can't stop dreaming, right? You can't sit back and say 'well that's that, I've done it all.' I think for me the dream of publishing a book seemed unattainable... lofty and ambitious. So I didn't look bigger. Now that I'm sitting on that cloud in the sky I'm kinda peeking beyond it. Could my little story growed up to be a real live book actually be one people LIKE? (And not just the people who are supposed to like it) and... (gasp)... Could I do it twice?

So, while I am still spinning about the tv interview and the launch party and the overselling of books and the reviews coming in... I'm also looking at my UntitledSecondBook with a great deal of expectation.

Can't wait.

N

Launch!

Wow! What a mixed bag of emotions!!!

I hate tights and wasn't allowed to wear my hoodie so that's a tough place to start right there! I suck at mingling and there were so many people I love but don't get to see nearly enough in one place I didn't know what to do. I hate being the center of attention, but was so touched that everyone worked the Game Plan launch into their schedules. I was proud of my book and appreciative of the people who got it to be a book and terrified to read in front of everyone - I think it would be easier to read in front of 300 strangers than the 30 or so faces there last night. Honestly, I don't even know how many people were there - but we kept running out of chairs :)

Once I was done the reading it was much better. The sweets were awesome! (what good Moms I have). And I got to chat with people a bit as they  moved around. Book sales were amazing! (we're short now on books!) Best of all, I didn't trip in my heeled boots and I didn't puke. If that's not a success...

Thanks so much to everyone for the night - Colleen and Kimberly, who hosted and organized, Colleen's Jason and friends Crystal and Adrianna who trekked from PEI and helped set up, my Moms - Sue and Diane who brought yummy sweets, and friends and family who came to support me. I really am blessed.

N

Reviews!!!

The blog tour is in full swing! I thought I had posted the blogs, but... I didn't. What can I say? I'm a flake sometimes. Fierce Ink Press has a list of the blogs and dates, HERE.

You gotta check them out!!!  Here's one from today at WhY.A. not Reviews.

I received a review on GoodReads too! Not from someone who was asked to review it either! HERE is that one, if you're interested.

It's sooo exciting to have people who don't HAVE to like it, like it! Don't forget the launch party is tonight at the CGC at 630pm. Treats are being provided by Diane Sampson - that's reason enough right there!

N

YAY! It's out!!! Here's where to get it!

And the list of places to buy the book are increasing! So exciting! You can get 'Real Life' paperback copies of the Collectors Editions here:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

McNally Robinson

Fierce Ink Press

And for the regular paperback:

Fierce Ink Press (best spot!)

CreateSpace

Amazon

YAY!!! Need a Christmas present for someone?

N

It's a cyber busy day!

Strange that I'm not getting any 'real' work done. The Blog Tour started today!!! My first review! EEK. I couldn't even look at it until Colleen said it was good. Here it is at CanLit for Little Canadians.

Thanks so much, Helen!

Natalie

Monday Monday

Everyone hates Mondays - 'cept me.

I love Mondays. I get the kids off to school and then I write until I have to pick them up for the rush to music and swimming and chair ball.

TV interview this morning - EEEK!  I was up at 445. I don't do mornings well. I was out the door by 540 mostly because I couldn't sit down in my house in my black jeans for fear the pet hair would overtake me. I picked up Crystal at the Crossroads - she was there to make sure I went through with it! All my prep - hair mousse and blow-dry, make up and dressy clothes, tall back heeled boots which meant - socks GASP! for five minutes of tv time, but if it helps Game Plan get noticed, I'll do it!

Here's the Video:

Now I'm off to work on UntitledSeondBook so I can push my 15mins of fame to 20mins!

Natalie

Creeping closer

Today's a writing day, but it's also a PD Day, which I've pointed out is less than productive... My plan today was to set The Great Room Clean and Switch in motion then hide in my room and write while they comply upstairs. Yeah right. Instead I'm searching the net for tattoo ideas b/c I'm way too frustrated to go near my vulnerable imaginary friends. I'm working through the 47 loads of laundry in the living room, and got sooo overwhelmed at one point that I pulled out some blue bags and started sorting it into 'wash' or 'donate' - that cut my loads down by a good third. 

I've noticed through all this that my kids are spoiled. Rotten. I guess that's not new, it's just a reminder. They have waaay too much. Too much stuff. Too much say. Too much expectation. How do you teach a kid with EVERYTHING gratitude? humility? compassion? empathy? Gosh these are the days I feel like I'm screwing them up!

So no writing for me today... hopefully I'll carve out some time this weekend. 

N

Writing Day... not!

So Monday and Friday I am supposed to write. The problem with that plan is that since I'm not seeing clients on Monday and Friday it makes it easy to book infrequent appointments so they don't interfere with my weekly schedule. So I'll spend half of my day today addressing my 'real job', and the other half taxiing the demons around... not much time left for writing.

I received feedback for my SecondUntitledBook and I have so much to tackle! Can't wait to get a solid day to get on it. Guess it's looking like Friday instead.

N

Hiatus and Update

So just when things were getting good and I could share updates like the Indiegogo campaign and the cover reveal, I got zonked with a wicked cold. I'm about nine days into it and still not 100% but actually feeling human again. I didn't write last week or this Monday - I slept instead. Which means no blog updates for my three readers to review.

but I'm back!

Cover is out! It looks awesome. And my friendly neighbourhood publisher (to be differentiated from the mean one who lives away) sent me texts with pictures of the inside, side and back. - Question: if the message is a picture is it still called a text? - Anyway. It's THICK. It's awesome. It's soooo cool to see. I can't wait to hold one and smell it. Does that make me weird? Yes I love to smell books. That's actually a point of conversation in my UntitledSecondBook, two characters argue about whether books smell bad or good - they don't, however, argue about whether or not it's weird to smell books.

So here's the update!

1. Game Plan GIVE-AWAY! If you missed your chance to pre-order a copy, or if you'd love to WIN a second copy for freeee (maybe to push on some unsuspecting person as a Christmas present?) you can enter the GoodReads giveaway. There's already 257 people entered! That's exciting because that's about 254 more people than I thought who know about the book!

2. Game Plan launch party is set for November 21 from 630-800 at the Canada Games Centre. There will be food. If you're coming in from out of town and need a ride from the airport, let me know. ;) They tell me I'm to read some aloud... I'm working on excuses to get out of that part.

3. I'm still not ready to watch Glee videos from The Quarterback and starting to realize I may never be.

4. I sent UntitledSecondBook out to an editor that came with a huge recommendation and he got back to me this week. I have some specific direction on where to improve and strengthen the story, some questions to answer and some details to provide... I'm excited to jump back in.

Happy Friday!

N