A Kid in a Candy Shop

I’ve been an epublished author for just about a year with three books under my belt. But nothing can compare to the excitement of receiving my first print book. In many ways, I was as giddy as a child stepping into a candy shop for the first time.

I’ve been writing fiction for as long as I can remember. When I received my first official contract (with Decadent Publishing), I was over the moon. Finally someone other than my friends and critique partners believed in my writing enough to take a chance on me. That, in itself, was a huge lift. Since that first contract, I’ve gone through some more firsts and the excitement has been replaced by the feeling of professionalism. This is, after all, a job.

But this new first, of getting to hold my print book in my hands, I didn’t mind indulging in the giddiness of a newbie. Finally, after 41 years, I was able to hold a book of my own creation in my hands. Even as I type this my heart is squeezing and I’m getting giddy all over again. I grinned from ear to ear until my cheeks hurt the day UPS delivered my copies. A world of emotions swirled inside my chest. Excitement (of course), pride (because one of my dreams had come true), concern (because what if nobody wanted it???), humility (because even though I was at this awesome place in my writing life, I still have SO MUCH to learn), thanks (to Decadent Publishing for believing in me still), and hope (because where will my writing career take me next?).

But I think mostly over the last month, I focused on enjoying the feel of my print book in my fingers and the smell of paper pages. I took the book with me to work, to meetings with friends, to my exercise classes at the gym. I wanted everyone who touched my life to see what I had created. There will always be time enough to focus on the professional aspects of the job. For a while, I just want to cherish being that little kid in the candy shop for the very first time.

Me, in Scotland one summer