Today is the day!! It’s launch day for this gem of a book, “it’s really 10 months: Special Delivery” and guess what… It features yours truly!!
That’s right, I am officially a legit published author. Now, I’m not trying to pretend I’m a big deal. I swear. I’m not like Ron Burgundy or anything. The big deals in this ditty are three brilliantly funny women who were the main women to burn the midnight oil on this project. But because of their work, my words get to be in a real “you can hold it and flip through the pages” book. Wha?!
I’ve had some people ask about the process and so I wanted to explain how this all went down for people who have interest in getting published.
My story is a little different because I have a friend who nudged me to send in a piece so I’m not entirely sure where one finds submission calls. I sent in my proposed piece, a totally original 1500 word essay. The biggest issues for me were: first, it was hard for me to think of a story that I hadn’t already told and second, 1500 words, for me, can be a little challenge… Brevity is so not my thing, guys. And then it dawned on me… Adam wrote one of the boys’ birth stories. I did not ever write it! So bingo, bango… The idea was done.
I wrote the piece in about two hours because the submission deadline was fast approaching, gave it a good looksie, cut out about 1000 words 😉 and sent it in. I then had to also submit a bio which I found almost more difficult than writing my submission. Here’s a look at most of my bio…
I received word that I’d been selected soon after and then received contracts to fill out basically saying they get to choose one of my children should I do anything that is not above board with the content I’d submitted. Then there were some back and forths edits. The process was honestly pretty much painless. I later found out that they selected the pieces through a blind submission selection process, removing the names of the authors in order to prevent any bias. There are just over 30 stories compiled in the anthology out of hundreds of submissions and I am pleased to be among such good company. I liken the format a bit to a really hysterical Chicken Soup for the Soul type compilation book.
And here’s where I get a little emoshe with you all: If I didn’t have this blog and you didn’t read it, my friend never would have known how much I loved to write and never would have suggested that I submit through this process so today, on launch day, I have to say THANK YOU for making my words matter, friends. Thank you for reading them, commenting on them, liking them, sharing them… And most importantly, thank you for telling me that you feel all the feels I feel about parenting. That is what makes blogging such a gift.
So, while I haven’t yet written my own whole book, and it’s not like I’m J.K. Rowling, I am still officially a published author for the very first time and I hope not the last. So I celebrate today and this moment here and now.
Life is crazy you guys. You just gotta do the things you love. The biggest reason I sometimes think I should stop writing or blogging is because there are a million writers and bloggers and “what if I never do anything big? What if people really don’t like my writing and they’re just being nice? What if people think I’m crazy?” Welllllll… To that I say, who cares? Life is short… If there is a way to do the things that make you feel most alive, do them. And you don’t have to be a big deal to feel like life is marvelous. Because really, in the big scheme of it all, how many people are really that big of a deal, right?:)
So I’m done being gooey and shmoltzy and now, I’m telling you to check out the book on Amazon and order if you are so inclined. It’s hilarious. And there are even “real authors” in it. Like have been published a lot, authors. And if you think I’m candid… Welcome to a whole different level of realness.
Hope your Labor Day is laborless… Unless it’s your due date, then for you, I hope it’s Launch Day, too.
