Because I find autumn leaves soothing...
Tuesday is the big day.
In addition to it being my New Year's Day, it's the day my first (self-published) book goes live on Amazon.
It is, more than anything else, an exercise in letting my words walk the wide world without my hand to hold. I have no human children, but it's similar -- on a much smaller scale -- to what I'd imagine a parent feels the first full day of school for their child. What if they miss me? What if I miss them? What if they don't make friends? What if they aren't as smart as I think they are? Who will love them as much as I do? What do I do if someone is mean to them or bullies them?
Ok, ok, I'm probably overstating things, but I'm still frightened. The book is a collection of my short stories and they're very personal and beloved to me. What do I do if everyone who reads them hates them or laughs at them? I'm trying to develop a thicker skin here -- purposely setting myself up to fail, so when I do and subsequently survive it, I'll learn that failure isn't the absolute life-ending situation I'm imagining it to be.
I just don't know what to do. I'm freaking out like crazy here -- I've been imagining horrible things happening to me all week long. I get so neurotic when a big event comes up. I can't help it. I need to do this if only so the next time I put something out in the world I don't get anxious like this. I'll still get anxious, but not to this degree. It will be almost routine.
Deep breath in, hold it, long slow exhale.
I can do this.
2 comments:
you can do this.
you're a writer, and an excellent one who is paid for your work.
Of course, nobody will be able to find it on amazon if you don't tell them what it is called...hint, hint?
I haven't gotten it back from the editors yet. The day I do, there will be a big ad post on the blog. :-)
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