Excited, giddy, nervous, uncertain, tired, ecstatic, anxious, happy, encouraged, discouraged, frazzled, blissful, delirious, hyper, hopeful, insecure, optimistic, pessimistic, confused, deflated, confident, overwhelmed, ready…
I got “The Call” from my agent on Friday, October 29th, 2010. Almost a year and a half ago. In that time, my emotions have run the gamut.
Now somehow, it’s here.
Tomorrow, one of my lifelong dreams becomes a reality.
My novel, Wildflowers from Winter, will be in book stores and libraries, on Kindles and Nooks. It will be out there for anyone to see.
And my body can’t choose an emotion. It switches back and forth, like malfunctioning traffic lights. Only instead of three choices, there are hundreds.
In a genius post titled Don’t Miss the Good Stuff, my agent, Rachelle Gardner, reminds us all to savor the victories and the milestones. In the busyness that surrounds the launch of a book, especially a debut, it’s easy to forget to savor.
I don’t want to forget.
I want to commemorate the day by doing something special.
I want to celebrate.
Here are three ways you can join me:
- Post a review on Amazon or Christianbook.com
- If you find my book in a store or if you get a copy in the mail, snap a picture and send it my way! I’d love to post it on my Facebook page.
- If you chose the book for a book club, take a picture of your group so I can add it to my book club page.
This is not a journey to be traveled alone. Thank you so much for being a part of mine. None of this would be nearly as fun without all of you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Congrats, Katie! I look forward to reading it. I’ve heard nothing but great reviews on the book! Enjoy!
KATIE!!! This day has finally arrived!! I’m Snoopy dancing for you! The USA Today review was outstanding – I’m so very excited for you!
Your expressions crack me up! Thank you for not actually taking your heart out.
If my novel gets picked up by an agent, then a publisher, and then is released, I plan on celebrating the same way: popping a bottle of champagne with my favorite people and eating some sort of decadent chocolate dessert.
Happy celebrating!
Happy Release Day!!!!
Congratulations, Katie! I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to read your book (I wish I could win my own giveaway).
On my debut eve, I’m not sure how I’d celebrate, but I know I would not be cooking supper!
I believe the Latin word for what would best describe your emotional state is “WAHHH!!!!”
I even took Latin, so I know this. Of course, I took it 38 years ago, but it was like it was yesterday!
Your faces were great. That was awkward. Your face IS great, but your *expressions* were GREAT. There we go….
Congratulations Katie on the eve of your book being published. If you remember, several months ago you sent a free copy which I reviewed for you. God bless you and may your novel touch many lives!
Katie, you are hilarious! Love your silently ecstatic faces on the video clip! I’m sure there are NO words for what you’re feeling right now! Not quite done w/Wildflowers from Winter, but I can tell you that I’m loving it, and I don’t love just ANY book. I’ll try to take a better-lit photo of me w/your book and get it to you somehow (the one on my blog was pretty dark!). God bless you at this thrilling time!
So excited for you…and excited to read the book. (That video endears you to me all the more.)
i can hardly believe it’s almost here. seems like such a long time, yet such a short time, as well. i’m so proud to have walked this journey with you, my friend. you’ve traversed it with a grace that has been a pleasure to watch/read/see. love you so much, and will be thinking about you tomorrow!
Yah!! SO thrilled for you:) I can’t wait to see your book in stores!
Yay! I’ve been thinking about you today and the big release tomorrow. I even woke up this morning thinking I should at least put some makeup on in case your book comes in the mail today so I can have my five year old take a picture of me holding it for your Facebook page! Didn’t come today, so I’ll put some makeup on tomorrow, too. 🙂
Loved your video! I’m encouraged by people keepin’ it real!
SO excited for you doesn’t even being to cover it!! Love you!!!!!!
I was going to send out a cheer for you today on Twitter and then realized, it’s not until tomorrow. Bummer! 😉
Your countdown is down to HOURS, how awesome is that?? Can’t wait to post my review on Amazon tomorrow! 😀
Katie, I’m soooo excited for you! You’ve worked hard to reach this milestone, and I hope you enjoy every moment of your Release Day.
I loved your video. So fun and so you!
Katie, I’m going to celebrate by buying the book. I’ve heard so many good things about it; it’ll be on my Kindle tomorrow.
Congratulations and enjoy the day!
So excited for you. Thanks for letting me participate in your blog hop and for the “win”. I look fwd to getting your book with part of it and reading your debut work. 😉 I remember when Never the Bride first came out, I got to be with Rene Gutteridge at a conference where we were speaking and doing a book signing. It was entirely too much fun. (And it was the first time I’d met her in person even though we’d worked together for a year and a half. 🙂 It’s a fun day. Enjoy every moment. (And you know you’ll incessantly be checking sales ratings. Just accept it now.)
In line to buy, Katie! Congrats!
One of my favorite commemorations of a pub day was a bouquet of flowers from my British publisher. I was so overwhelmed and it was so sweet. I hope somebody in your family sends you flowers. (And chocolate is good, too!!)
Congrats, Katie!! I can’t wait to dig into those pages and read. As an introvert I’d slink off to a park, drink a perfect cup of tea, revel in the quiet and thank God… I say nab a perfect moment and revel in it!
I’m so excited for you, I might pee my pants! Which, I admit, is kind of easy to do these days cuz baby girl likes to kick me in the bladder. But seriously…I so wish I was in Iowa so we could jump around, eat DQ, make puppy chow, and giggle till we’re sick! Can’t wait for the first time I see your book at a bookstore/library. I’ll probably cry. Love you!!
Yay! Congratulations!! And you deserve a big celebration. Hope it’s a wonderful day for you. 🙂
oh and most importantly, eat cake 🙂
I saw my cousin, Michelle Massaro, celebrating your accomplishment with this blog post! I wanted to stop and say congratulations! I too, am an aspiring writer! Enjoy the ride. Celebrate the milestone and savor the tate of accomplishment! God Bless!
Congrats!!
When my book was released, I had a BIG party in a theatre where I read a chapter from the book to my family and friends then we celebrated with cake and punch.
It was so much fun!
Since then I have had the privilege to visit schools and read parts of my book to my target audience and talk to them about writing. The middle graders are so inspiring.
It has been such a blessing!
Enjoy your moment in the sun!
Blessings,
Ruth
So, so excited for you, Katie. Glad we’ve shared this journey! Here’s to the “Soiree” on May 15th! 🙂
Congrats!! So excited for you. Thanks for being human and showing us all the emotions involved in releasing a book.
And your video cracked me up. I loved the deer in the headlights look. With hair in your face.
Congrats, Katie! It’s been awesome to see you take this journey! I loved all the posts last week. I’m sure your book will be a hit!
Hehe, I giggled so much throughout your video. Especially the taking out your heart part. 🙂
Loved Wildflowers from Winter and I can’t wait to see you take the publishing world by storm!
Congratulations, my dear friend!!! So unbelievably excited for you. May your dream day be everything you want it to be and much, much more!!!
Yay! I’m so excited for you, Katie! I think at the end of my debut day, I’d sit down and journal everything I’m feeling and everything that happened. That way even if I was in a fog, I’d have proof that I survived. 🙂
Congratulations, Katie! *hugs*
Oh how I love thee, let me count them ways! 😀 I say go for it, cut your heart out. Send it on a silver platter, Snow White is making rounds again in theatres, you’ll be totally relevant! 😀
I love you! Sending my heart back to you (if I could only remember how to do those cool funky little heart deals…so not a techie.)
Check mail soon!
~ Wendy
Wendy, hit the shift key,then press the <, then hit the 3. <3.
There is an L on my forehead….that was SUPPOSED to work. Grrr.
I was thinking about you this morning, Happy Book Release Eve!!!!!
That was too cute! It’s gonna be a big day! Congratulations, Katie! 🙂
Congratulations Katie – so excited for you! I managed to talk my husband into buying me a Kindle for my birthday present so as soon as I have it, Wildflowers will be one of its first “books” 🙂