I am somewhere between seven and five days before launch. (I am also terrible at math tonight, apparently.) Logic would say that means I am six days before launch, but I am too tired to be logical, therefore, I am somewhere between seven and five days before launch.
I’ve ordered books.
I’ve ordered bookmarks and business cards, those have arrived.
I’ve got stuff on my social media.
I’ve got everything all finished.
I ended up going away for the weekend because I finished my final round of double and triple checking, and submitted it for publication. I felt at once relieved and incredibly overwhelmed.
What if they don’t like it? What if it’s not actually done? What if there’s a typo or a really really stupid grammar error? What if, what if, what if, what if…
Enough.
I’ve had to sit down and talk with my inner voice quite a lot recently. It’s what tells me *psst, you missed that spot*
It’s what says *oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no* on repeat for hours on end and won’t shut up and won’t let me eat because I’m so nervous about this impending oh no.
And I have to tell it to shh, quiet down in there.
Because it doesn’t have to be perfect.
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| (Even if this picture kinda is.) |
And that’s okay.
For me, the important thing isn’t that I get a lot of sales. It isn’t that this book does really well and is amazing and people love it.
The important thing is that I did it.
I beat the voices in my head, and yes, the few voices around me, that said *psst, you can’t do that. You’re just a girl. You’re not good enough to do anything. You’ll never make a difference.*
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So while I hope you will read my book, and while I hope you love it as much as I do, it’s okay if you don’t. It’s a small little book, but it’s a story I love, and I did it. Because while it might not make a big difference out there in the world – it’s made a huge difference right here for me. I did it.
(I’m still a little bit in shock that I actually did it. In case you were wondering.)
Will I do it again? Absolutely.
Am I already working on three new story ideas? Obviously.
Am I super excited about this launch? YES OF COURSE I AM, YOU SILLY PINEAPPLE.
Did I wake up this morning from a dream that there was a typo in my book? Ayup.
Did I get up and go running to obsessively check it over and over and over? No. I flopped on my bed and texted my little sister (I kind of adopted her) because I didn’t have much chance to all weekend and I wanted to. (I also went to work on time.)
There will be paper copies available through Amazon and CreateSpace, as well. And local people, I have two events in Western Maine set up so far, so go haunt my Facebook page for information about those:
Facebook – Annie Louise Twitchell
It is now time to go write for ten minutes on a letter, and then, go watch a movie and knit.
~Annie
Copyright 2017 by Annie Louise Twitchell