Release Day!

Release Day!

So, it’s release day. You’ve worked tirelessly FOREVER on your book. You’ve submitted it, waited YEARS for a response, and signed a contract. Then you’ve worked on edits. Lots of them, and even some that were WAY beyond your pay grade. And then you’ve waited. And waited. And waited. And then it’s Release Day.

So, what do you do? Well, after the gauntlet you’ve been through, you’d think it would be all champagne and partying. But, no, sister. That’s not so. Now it’s time to REALLY get to work. To pimp your wares.

I thought the hard part was over—all the writing and editing and re-writing. But no. When all the work in the trenches was over, I had to come OUT of the trenches and actually interact with more than my computer (and editor).

This is my story. I woke up on Release Day and ran downstairs (like a little girl on Christmas morning), and I checked to see that the book was actually live. And you know what? It was! Then I checked the stats and rankings to see where it was. And you know what? I actually HAD stats and rankings. OMG! I was a REAL author.

Then it was time to hit the “social” scene. I opened up on facebook and Twitter and my blog—and with email—and I let everyone know how excited I was. But the big secret here was—that I was still in my pajamas—with no make-up—or shoes—or friends to help me celebrate. I was alone in all my “glory” and so happy to have been blessed with this experience I’d dreamed of for years.

And you know what? It didn’t matter that it wasn’t glamorous. It was my Release Day!

I was also secretly buoyed, knowing that at the end of the day, I would have this “hunk” I know come pick me up for dinner and take me to some super nice restaurant in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, to celebrate my big occasion. And that was priceless. The lovely staff at Oak knew about my special day and made me feel like I was a princess. The food was amazing. The wine (a ’10 Klinker Brick  red Zinfandel) suggested by the sommelier was to die for. And when I ordered the layered chocolate cake with spicy candied peanuts and salted butterscotch, caramel-banana ice cream to end the meal (I NEVER order dessert), it was brought out with “Congratulations” written in chocolate on the plate. And on the house.

You see, the best thing about Release Day was not all the personal satisfaction and gratification I received alone. It was the interaction with people—people I knew and people I didn’t. I had accomplished what I had set out to do as a writer—to connect with people. What a lovely Release Day it was!