Remember when I asked for book marketing ideas? Well, you guys are the most efficient, productive and happiest team I’ve ever worked with. THANK YOU! I got some great ideas (e.g. Facebook page, youtube videos, book club marketing, and “send to Oprah!”) that got me thinking. As promised, the five randomly selected winners for signed copies are:
1. Debbie
2. Traciefree
3. Holly
4. Piccola
and 5. Teresa.
{I’ll be emailing you for your addresses. Thank you again!}
It’s been one of those week’s I’ll never forget. The first 108 copies of my book arrived at my home. I have a contract for 50 copies to be sold at my favorite indie bookstore. I dropped them off Monday. I was contacted by a local reporter for a feature on Monday night and was interviewed. I heard the books started selling at Changing Hands and Amazon on Tuesday. Today the paper’s photographer came to take a headshot to go with the article. Tonight I’ve been invited to a political fundraiser where my book is being raffled as a door prize. I’ve placed an order for another 25 books because there are to be more than 100 people at the signing. Woah.
It’s pinch-me exciting!I keep walking around my office with this goofy grin smiling at everyone and everything.
I’ve spent so much time thinking about what this would look and feel like — to see my book on the shelves. And now that it is here, I’ve honestly never been happier. I read many years ago that you should develop some habit that regularly reminds you of your dream. Keeping this in mind, for at least 8 years, every time I visit a bookstore I go to the fiction section and leave space in the “Ds” where my novel would be placed. Today, that book is actually there.
EEEEEEEE!
I’ve been doing a lot of pacing at night after work reading my novel aloud, trying to find the right section to share at the book signing in a couple weeks. Of course I’ve already got my outfit selected, including a string of Ghanaian wedding beads I’ve never worn (other than the day I bought them, four years ago.) You can take the girl out of Africa, but you can’t take Africa out of the girl.
And so, life as an author moves forward at a very hectic and happy pace.
Thank you again for coming along on the journey,
Kelli