Available...NOW!
Last night (4/26/17) around 10 PM, I finished watching this week's episode of "Agents of Shield" (OMG it's so good this season!) and hopped back on the computer to join my online D&D group. I had just enough time to check my professional Facebook page and login to my publisher's page to check the status of my book. An unexpected update had me curious, so I hopped on Amazon.com and threw my penname in the website's search engine. There, on the screen, was my cover page staring back at me. The link was functional. The purchase option was live. "Ash to Ashes" was there in the online store.
Ho-ly-$*@#! My book had gone to print!
This discovery was, of course, followed by an explosion of activity on my end as I made announcements on my personal Facebook page and on my professional page (in a slightly less colorful phrasing). I blew up instant messenger, letting my alpha readers know the good news. It was the perfect follow-up to what had happened earlier that day.
Yesterday afternoon, I had just gone over to pick up my convention banners and resources from my mom's house. I brought my copy of the author's proof of my book so she could see what the official book was going to look like. The proof had just arrived at my place only a few hours before, and I had just finished setting up the distribution and price points on the website. I was so wrapped up in the technical aspect of going to print that I forgot where I was on my big, wild publishing ride. Mom made up for my lack of excitement in a delightful way. She was giddy, tearful, and she even did a little happy dance I can't remember seeing her do before (but I'm sure happened when each of my nephews and nieces were born). Everything I had done and experienced up to that point was made worthwhile just by seeing how happy my mom was to see my dream coming true. Watching her flip through the pages with so much excitement and enthusiasm, I felt my investments paid back in full and then some. Getting to officially go to print that night was just the icing on that cake.
It was a wild day overall. I got my book proof. I got my Amazon setup complete. I made zero progress on book 2, which bummed me out. I went to Mom's for dinner. I got my convention gear. I made my mother deliriously happy with the book sample. I got home to find my clothes dryer on the fritz and running non-stop (Mom always warned me, but did I listen? Noooooo.). I discovered my book had gone to print. I got to play D&D with friends online while updating Facebook friends in the background. All the while, I felt like I wasn't being productive. Go figure.
Today I'm trying to stay on top of messages from friends and family. Every now and then I take a peek at the sales sheet on my publisher's website just to see how many units have sold so far (a habit I plan to break quickly to save my sanity). I honestly don't know where it goes from here. Maybe, just maybe, today that doesn't matter. Maybe today is about acknowledging a success and enjoying that moment for once. Maybe today I can be giddy, and tearful, and do a little happy dance I didn't know I had in me. Maybe today I can just keep for today.
"Ash to Ashes: Chronicles of Chalisaria: Volume One" is available in paperback at Amazon.com (Links can be found on the "Home" and "Books" page of this website) and Amazon.co.uk (for UK followers). The e-book for Kindle is currently in production and should be available by May 9, 2017.
