Okay,I'm having a moment!
Yesterday, I just got my Hyperion copy of Counting Raindrops through a Stained Glass Window. Hot off the presses! She's beautiful. And I counted. She has all her flaps and pages. She's a tiny miracle. I wrapped her up in a receiving blanket and took her around to show all my friends and family members.
It's an experience. You know it's coming. But when it gets here, when it gets to your hands for the first time, it's like you gasp with excitement. And it's a different from your first self-published book, I'm seeing. With my first self-published book, seeing it in print for the first time was more of a feeling of, "Wow! I did it. Look what I achieved." But with the Hyperion book, it's a feeling of, "Wow! I'm an author. Author in the respect that someone published me instead of me. Someone else besides me and my mom thought my writing was worthy of publishing."
While I know that either way, I'm a writer, I have to confess that there is a feeling of validation in seeing it. And it's hard to describe. Because it's not that I needed that validation, for someone to publish me to make me feel like I was a real writer. But like it or not, self-published writers know that they aren't considered legitimate writers by others unless they are traditionally published, regardless of how they view themselves. So I look at this first copy and there's a feeling of awe. Especially since it's the first thing I've ever written, the first novel I ever attempted. And it's a real book? How cool is that?
I admit to feeling a little baffled. Because there are a lot of writers out there trying to get published. Good writers too. So I feel baffled and blessed.
Then there's a feeling that I just can't put into words and it's making me just stare at the damn thing like it's an alien. Like, "that came out of me?"
I wondered how I would feel when this day came. Now I have my answer. It's a multitude of feelings. :-)
8 comments:
Cherlyn, you're right. It is a multitude of feelings you go through being traditionally published and its probably different for each writer too. But wrap her up tightly, I feel the same way about my books, they are like little children that I'm sending out into the world hoping that not only do they behave, but that people actually like them and say nice things about them, because you know our children are a reflection of their parents.
Congratulations Cherlyn. I've been enjoying reading about your journey thus far. I totally understand how exciting this is...
And the book and baby analogy thing... exactly how I felt.
Congratulations!
fs
It's an incredible feeling to hold your book in your hands. It never stops being AMAZING and so exciting!!!
Dom,
Yes. That's so true. Well, I don't have the feeling of real live children to compare it to. But I can say that I do feel like I'm sending it out there and just hoping that people treat her nicely and fairly. :-)
Hey Frederick! Glad your enjoying my blog. Doing nothing special, other than just sharing. :-) I know you've experienced all this too with your first book being out just this summer. Exciting, isn't it?
Suzanne, yes, it's so, so amazing!
Congratulations on your achievement. I can imagine how wonderful it must feel. I cannot wait for it to hit shelves. I will definitely read it being the book worm that I am. Congrats again and much more success to you.
hey Court! Thanks for the congrats. Yes, it definitely is a wonderful feeling! Hey, if you do pick my book up and give it a read, feel free to drop me a line afterwards!
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