YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS!!!!!
In case you missed all my FB/Twitter celebrating, as of about noon yesterday Book 2 is now officially my editor's inbox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes--happy dancing was done.
Along with a few happy tears.
It was a long, long, longlonglong road getting here, with so many twists and turns and ups and downs--plus some seriously INSANE hours. And the work has really only just begun since I have a feeling my editorial letter is going to be... intense.
BUT I DID IT!!!
Huge impossible-feeling hurdle crossed!!!!!!
And I'd planned to write a much more meaningful post on some of the challenges/things I've learned but...
So... I'm giving my brain a chance to recover. Catch up on a few things. MAYBE even take a Shannon day or two. And THEN I will put together a proper post for you guys.
In the meantime, I hope everyone is having a lovely, wonderful week!
OMG YOU GUYS--LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL YESTERDAY!!!!
Yes--KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is now OFFICIALLY in ARC form.
ITS A REAL BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Nope--that's still not enough exclamation marks:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Better!
And of course I HAD to take a bunch of dorky pictures of myself, celebrating:
(oh, you'd do the same thing--you know it!)
(I have QUITE a lot more of these--but I think you guys get the idea)
(and yes--yes I AM wearing my: I am a SERIOUS ARTIST black turtleneck sweater, but... that's mainly because it was FREEZING yesterday)
(FREEZING to a Native SoCalian = anything overcast and below 65 degrees F--just FYI)
I honestly can't even begin to describe what it feels like to hold my book--MY BOOK--for the first time, and flip through the pages and see my words in print and my name on every page and the font they chose and the chapter headings and... *sniffles*
49 Comments on So...THIS happened!, last added: 2/9/2012
So...
THIS happened yesterday:
Ahhhhhhhhhhh--thats ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ON AMAZON!!!!!!!!!!!!*
It only has the ebook version so far (don't worry, the hardcover WILL be added--these things just have a weird way of updating in their own inexplicable order)--but it's there!
THAT'S MY BOOK!
And ... I know things like this are GOING to happen (if they didn't that would be kind of bad, I mean, I kinda need my book to become available to buy places).
But yeah, getting a google alert for my book and finding it on Amazon with my name as the author was one of those seriously surreal moments.
(and my author name is a link--you can click it and everything!!!) (*clicks*) (*clicks again*)
(I'm betting most of you don't find that nearly as exciting as I do!)
But... YOU GUYS--THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it's happening soon. In fact, since Amazon has spilled the beans for me, I guess this means I can share my current, official release date. KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is scheduled to launch into the world on...
*drumroll*
...
10 . 02 . 2012
(!!!!!)
I really <3 all those pretty 1s, 0s, and 2s in there
:)
Oh, but I wouldn't go tattooing that anywhere if I were you guys (since I'm SURE you're all planning on doing that). Release dates are notorious for changing, so it's very possible that will not stay my release date. But, for the moment, that's the official date. And um... holy crap that's SOON!
*bites nails*
*stares at pre-order button*
*wonders if she should order one just to see if it works*
*realizes how lame that is*
*isn't sure she cares*
So... that's my week so far. How's yours going?????
*My mentioning this is NOT any sort of "buy it on amazon" kind of endorsement, btw. Obviously I am happy and honored if anyone decides to buy my book--anywhere, in any format. But... my heart will always truly belong to Indies.
Given the CHAOTIC week I just survived trying to crank through my copyedits, I've been thinking a LOT about balance lately. Most specifically: HOW will I make time for everything I need to do without letting anyone down and/or snapping-and-running-around-with-manic-hair-and-wild-eyes-and-scaring-small-children????
(Which *might* be a tad counterproductive being that I'm a children's writer and all.)
Cause I'll be honest. Lately, most days I feel like I'm doing this:
and like I'm doing this with my To Do List:
Seriously, I don't know how some authors do it. I don't have kids, I don't have a day job, and I am SLAMMED. (Mind you, my schedule has some SUPER insane things going on that I'm probably not supposed to reveal yet--but STILL) It. is. DAUNTING.
And while the awesome Jen Rofe (an agent friend of mine--ABLA FTW!) has been giving me some excellent tips on making "winning" to do lists and setting priorities and stuff, (btw, Jen will actually be interviewed on my blog tomorrow--make sure you stop by!!!) I still can't help feeling like there's this MOUNTAIN of things to do and clearly not enough hours between now and the release of my book to do them all.
But... I'm starting to realize that that's okay.
I'm pretty sure there ARE going to be things I don't have time for, and that it's not going to necessarily be so much about juggling and trying not to drop balls as it will be about learning which ones to set down for a moment and pick back up when I can.
Like last week, for example. I HATE taking blogging breaks. (I miss you guys!) But... it had to be done. So I set that ball down and picked it back up again this week when I had the chance. And when something else gets thrown at me that I need to make time for, I'll set it down again.
So I guess the point I'm trying to make (because re
Okay, I know what you're thinking:
No way, Shannon. You are far too sweet to be a dream crusher. Also, have I mentioned how fabulous you look today? Not a lot of people can pull off the giant t-shirt + stretchpants look, but YOU my dear ...
(Um, okay, you're probably REALLY thinking: why did I click on this blog link?)
(BUT THIS IS MY BLOG SO I AM GOING TO PRETEND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE THINKING AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!)
(ahem)
(Can you tell I'm writing this a wee bit late at night?)
Uh... what was I saying?
Right! The dream crushing thing.
See, I have this pet peeve... (and this is not going to be one of those author-ranting posts, I swear!) (well... maybe a little) (just go with me here)
You know how sometimes you tell someone you're a writer and--after you go through the whole awkward part where they look at you like they're expecting you to say, "Sike!" and then tell them about your "real job" (if, yanno, it were the early 90s when people said things like "Sike!" and didn't immediately get made fun of for being lame)--they get a kind of dopey grin and say something along the lines of, "I've always thought about doing that, I should write a book too!" And then proceed to ask a ton of questions about how to get published.
Yeah ... that's the part where I become a big dream crusher.
But before you judge me--let me clarify.
I do not (repeat: DO NOT) mind when people genuinely, GENUINELY want to be writers, and ask me questions about the publishing process either in person, or via email, Twitter, FB, blog comments, whatever. Shoot--why do you think I help plan WriteOnCon? I love love LOVE helping other writers figure out the mysterious and frustrating publishing world. And I gladly answer any and all questions they may have.
But that's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about the people who seem to think I woke up one day and thought: I think I'll write a book today!!!!!!! And then they act like they can do exactly the same thing.
Those people I can't help but give a brutally realistic picture of the time, effort, and sacrifice that 99.9% of all writers have to make in order to get published. Shoot--we endure all of that just to finish a book, regardless of whether it's published or not. And for anyone to assume otherwise is just ... frustrating. So I can't help making it painfully clear that it's not a dream for the feint of heart and they need to be 100% committed if they're going to give it a try.
Hence, dream crusher.
But before you race to unfollow me (or grab the briny pickled things to fling at me *ducks*) for being such a big mean meanie and crushing people's publishing dreams, I'd like to add one thing in my defense.
I truly, TRULY believe that if being published is REALLY your dream, then nothing--NOTHING can crush it. Not revision. Not rejection. And certainly not curmudgeon-y blonde writers who launch into tirades about the publishing industry because you hit on their pet peeve.
So I guess I'm not really a dream crusher, so much as a fleeting-whim crusher. And THAT, I'm okay with.
Plus, I find it hard to believe I'm the only one with this particular pet peeve. Anyone else out there find this annoying?
Anyone?
*crickets*
Uh oh...
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43 Comments on <em>AHHH--It){kind=small}
, last added: 12/16/2011
HAPPY DANCE TIME!!!! YAYAYYAYAYYAY!!!!
Enjoy your Shannon Day or Two!! You deserve a lovely break! Take care
x
Yay, you!!! What an AMAZING feeling!!
~V
Congrats Shannon! That's a big accomplishment. I hope you share your tips because I'm scared of writing on contract, especially with a full-time job. Your tips might help me feel better.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy your "All About Shannon" mini-vacation!
Congrats, Shannon! Now get some rest.
Congrats! Have you eaten a cupcake yet? :)
Yay yay!! Congrats! You totally deserve a few Shannon days!
Yay! I'm happy dancing with you :)
Oh, yay! Congratulations! So happy for you and the wonderful feeling of being free! Go get an ice cream cone! :)
That is sooo awesome!!! Happy dancing with you! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats, Shannon! Your good news is absolutely infectious and I'm smiling for you!
I hope you're taking a few days off (though I see you're on Twitter *cough*) and enjoying some well-deserved down time.
CONGRATS! : )