Getting Closer to Release Day

After a long wait to see  Ruby Among Us in print, time is suddenly flying by. With all that is happening pre-Ruby, it’s a little bit hard to focus on what I’m writing. It’s even harder to sleep. And it’s difficult to imagine Ruby Among Us in the hands of readers and finally standing on its own; good or bad. I’m thrilled and excited, but I’m also scared silly. Sometimes I can’t dare to think about it, yet at other times it’s all I can think about.

What if readers don’t like it? What if it gets bad reviews? Can I handle that? And then what if it gets great reviews? What if my book goes through the roof!? What will I do then? Statistically speaking, I don’t need to worry about the roof, but a writer can always hope. At this point, anything is possible as my book stands poised at the starting line.

If you want to know what it’s like, here is a short list of some of the things I need to do before May 20th.

1) Fill out answers to interview questions for an upcoming blog tour.

2) Do my very best to keep to my writing mantra of Write Every Day.

3) Be interviewed by a few magazines locally.

4) Wait for endorsements to come in (I dare not go into what this feels like).

5) Google my name every other day to see if anyone is reading or talking about Ruby Among Us yet – Not Really – at least not really that much. (Hey, Frank Bures from Poets & Writers magazine wrote in this month’s edition that he does it too, so take it easy on me. If you are a writer, you probably do it too.)  

6) Exercise to fight off that fatigue and yes, to make sure I will still fit into whatever I end up wearing to my book release party.

7) Help plan a book release party and decide what I’m going to say during the speaking portion of it.

8 ) Practice speaking for interviews and other appearances. (This one is on my list, but I admit that I’m just Tina, so practicing really isn’t going to change anything. I might take this off my list).

9) Hand out bookmarks to everyone I know and also to those I don’t know. (This will be a good one for my mom to help with.)

10) Take a breath and pray. Try to relax…