I've spent years working on this book, about four to be exact. I pounded the initial version out in about three months. Foolishly, I thought I was done. I'd poured my entire being into what I'd written and although I didn't want to part with a single word, I knew I wanted it to be something greater than it was. So I asked for feedback. I asked for feedback from friends, family, former students and people I didn't know all that well. They gave me alottttt of feedback. From that point forward, it's been an editing and revising game. So much editing and revising. So much in fact, I wondered if I'd ever get this story out.
My characters demanded it though. Sound crazy? Maybe. But if you've written something of any length or importance to yourself, I think you know what I mean.
After all this time, and all the excitement, worrying, nerves, stress and joy, I got this ball rolling about a month-ish ago. Finding and creating a website, getting the book ready for Kindle, figuring out cover art (so happy with all my art!), reworking the website, editing the book one last time, etc.
So to say I'm happy right now would be an understatement. Today there were a few milestones, today felt GOOD.
First, as modest as it sounds, I passed the century mark in sales. Twelve days ago a group of about ten people had any idea I'd been working on a book, twelve days ago no one knew this existed. Today, there are well over one-hundred people who have read/are reading my novel. They're meeting the kids, exploring the world and (even if they don't know me) connecting with a deeply meaningful part of who I am.
Second, my twenty year old niece walked home from track practice at Williams College, sat down and bought my book. She was number 100.
Third, just today, I've had people from NINE different nations decide to come to my website to learn more about me and THE UNSEEN. I realize this isn't huge in the scheme of things but for me, for someone that put this out there twelve days ago, it means the world.
Thank you.