Remember when I invited you on a journey leading up to the publication of my novel?

Well, here’s some GREAT big news – my ARCs have arrived! If you’re not familiar with that term, it’s an acronym for Advanced Reader Copy and it is one final revision away from the completed manuscript. Created by publishers, in my case, Sourcebooks Landmark, it is designed to send out to reviewers ahead of the release date, which for LITTLE LOVELY THINGS  is now set for April 2, 2019 (yay!).

Overwhelming Gratitude 

When the box arrived, I wasn’t prepared for my reaction. Keep in mind this is my debut novel so everything is new to me about this process. While I ’d heard it looks like the ‘real thing,’ I somehow wasn’t prepared to see a real live book with my name on it  – in fact, five copies of real live books with my name on them.

It was truly a heart-stopping moment.

Quite frankly, up until being able to touch a copy of the ARC, my new life as an author (my learning to walk sideways life), has been an exercise in not so creative stuff like manuscript revisions, copyedit reviews, meetings and engaging with experts in the field of publishing (truly wonderful people by the way – I call them my ‘Book Tribe’ – see shout out below).

Through all of the busy-ness, the idea of my dream in physical form seemed murky, nebulous. Like when you are pregnant and you know that baby is there but you have yet to see and touch him/her.

So when I held my book that isn’t quite yet a book – how funny is that – it was in some ways like cradling your baby before it actually is born. It had taken so long to get here! I was reminded of Claire, my protagonist in LITTLE LOVELY THINGS, how she learned to find happiness after the abduction of her two children, through perseverance and gratitude.

I am not embarrassed to share that I sat on the floor next to the box and cried. After spending a few moments in tearful awe I then allowed myself to feel, really feel what this was all about, this experience of creative inspiration brought into the actual physical realm.

What came to me was, like Claire, gratitude. I am so very thankful that I have been supported by my friends and family to take on this remarkable journey, to have found the courage within myself to keep going, to understand the impact that creativity has to transform lives.

The Reality of Sacred Moments 

But the reality, of course, has a way of shattering our sacred moments. My dog Huckleberry took my emotionality as an opportunity to body slam my thirteen-year-old napping cat, Pumpkin, whom then proceeded to dash out the open front door (left ajar after the UPS guy handed me the box) with Huck in hot pursuit and me not too far behind.

The rest of the story is one of those Disney-esque chase scenes that end with the protagonist – me – covered in mud.

Once I cleaned up, the very next thing I did was join a scheduled meeting with several members of my ‘Book Tribe.’ Being able to share with them the remarkable moment of seeing my ARC for the first time was such a joy because they understand – it was a moment of emotional closure I will always treasure.

Gratitude for My Book Tribe! 

I am taking this opportunity to thank my absolutely wonderful ‘Book Tribe’ who continue to provide support in ways that astonish me:

Anna Michels (Sourcebooks Landmark),

Heather Karpas (ICM Partners),

Kaitlyn Kennedy (Sourcebooks Landmark),

Rachel Thompson (BadRedHead Media),

Sarah Miniaci (Smith Publicity),

Sharon Green, Katherine Anne Connolly, Doreen Erasmus, Andrea Robinson, Jane Ratcliffe.

How about you? Do you have your own ‘tribe’ that provides you support ‘in astonishing ways’? When was the last time you have taken a brief moment to share your gratitude for someone you appreciate?

 

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Learn more about her upcoming novel Little Lovely Things here.

 

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