Thursday, November 29, 2007

An Early Christmas Present

This year I got an early Christmas present - a title and release date. YAY!! Whispers in the Dark will be an August 08 Harlequin Blaze release.

Everyone keeps telling me that things are going to move quickly now. Art fact sheets. Line edits. Getting my cover. Seeing my book on the shelf. My first signing. And I know it will. 8 months is going to fly. Part of me just can't wait. And part of me is scared out of my skull.

What if my grandmother reads the book and hates it? (not that she'd probably say anything...) What if my mom reads the book and loves it? I don't mind her buying it but somehow that's a line I think maybe shouldn't be crossed, like the unacknowledged fact that your parents must have had sex in order for you to exist.

I've heard several times that selling your first book doesn't solve everything. You exchange one set of problems for another. I think in most cases you can substitute the word problem for fears. Each time I sent a submission out I was afraid - afraid it wouldn't be good enough, afraid to get feedback that would hurt, afraid that someone would say I should just quit while I was ahead. Those fears are gone, replaced by new ones. What if I get a bad review? What if I get prison mail? What if I can't do it again?

So no, the problems and fears don't go away they just morph and change. But this week none of that matters because I have a release date :-)

What are you anticipating?

Instigator

P.S. The winner of PM's handy-dandy booklight is Chelle! Please email the Playground Monitor to arrange to get your prize.

13 comments:

Barbara Vey said...

Congratulations! I'm so proud of you as I'm sure is your mom and grandma. I can't wait for my copy. :)

As dumb as this sounds, I'm excited for my PW blog today because I found some cool graphics to go with it. I know, it's the little things in life....

Anonymous said...

Major congrats!!!! I'll be at the store, the first of the month, to buy it!!

Anticipations? Finding out the top 20 finalists in a contest. They've listed six already, not in any order, and after reading the next to the last one, gives me more hope than ever! ;)

My student's reading scores. I'm hoping to show my Board of Ed. that the program is working and we need to increase the amount of students. I know, did i say increase???

Off to work!

Nini :)

Playground Monitor said...

Right now I'm listening to the radio cause at 8:30 the DJs are going to call out the name of the winner of their Holiday Clean Sweep contest. The winner gets a top-to-bottom house cleaning by Merry Maids. And guess who entered?????

Keep your fingers crossed. If I don't win, the Playfriends may get an invitation to come help me dust, scrub toilets and clean baseboards! *g*

Other than that, I'm anticipating Christmas, my trip to visit my mom, a couple of Christmas parties and possibly hearing back on a couple of stories.

PM

Anonymous said...

That's so exciting Instigator!! My favorite line from my mother after she read one of my books, and it was a Duets, "That must go through your head if you write it." ;) She's never read any of my Blaze and we'll keep it that way.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

I am anticipating my cruise. :)

Congrats on the title and date! And I hope PM wins the Merry Maids. :)

Playground Monitor said...

Waaaaaa! No Merry Maids for me -- at least this week. I think they're going to draw again next week so I'll enter again. I need to increase the conflict in my entry and add more desperation.

If I don't win, y'all have to promise not to inspect the baseboards. ;-)

PM

Problem Child said...

Yay, Instigator! Very exciting.

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

I promise not to inspect your baseboards if you promise not to inspect mine :-)

Instigator

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I'm so psyched for you, Instigator. I can't wait until you can post your cover!

Baseboards? Is that where the dustbunnies live? I think it would be cruel to deny them a place to live, PM. Consider them safe in my book.

Anonymous said...

wtg winner

that is great. cant wati love blaze books

catslady said...

Congrats!

I'm anticipating Christmas too - but I haven't done anything as yet so it's not all good anticipation lol.

Sassy said...

Congratulations Instigator! I can't wait to read your book. You have so much talent and are such as nice person. You deserve great things in life.

Angel said...

I posted earlier today, but blogger must have eaten it. Oh well.

WTG Instigator!!! I can't wait to see a real live cover. Luckily, I've already gotten to read the book. Yay!!!

Angel