Book in hand

What an exciting day. The proof copy of my debut novel came in the mail today around eleven. Instead of ripping it open by myself, I decided to create an event out of it. Using a webcam, I turned it into a live book unveiling that went over really well (thanks to those that tuned in).

Putting the event together distracted me from what was really going on today. So much so, that it wasn’t until I opened the envelope and held the book that it really hit me. That the wild adventure of the last half-year really sank in.

I wrote a book. A pretty good one. And in short order, people are going to be able to order it. And read it.

So many unique sensations snuck up on me all at once. The cover, immediately recognizable after so much time spent on it, floored me. I cracked the book open and browsed through dozens of paragraphs that I know so intimately. I looked at the title page, the dedication, the map…

My hands were shaking. It wasn’t nerves; it wasn’t excitement. It was pure disbelief. An out-of-body type experience. A very old dream I never actually planned on making come true…

…had come true.