Lessons

NEWPORT has been out in the world for a week now, and the last seven days have been busy. I won’t bore anyone with the details, but let’s just say that I was ridiculously optimistic (or totally naive) in thinking I’d be able to produce a viable blog post for today.

I’ve learned a lot this week:

1. Family and friends who willingly traipse out to a book launch at 7:00 on a Wednesday evening can never, ever be appreciated enough. Their love and support is also the reason you were able to write a book in the first place.
2. When people you don’t know come to your book launch, it allows you to believe that maybe the book will find an audience after all.
3. Googling yourself every hour or so does not mean that new and wonderful search results will appear.
4. No matter how many times you check Amazon, you will never understand the sales rankings.
5. The second thing you want to say to people you meet is, “Will you please leave a good review for me on Amazon?”
6. Some reviews are more about the reviewer than about the book itself.
7. Even though the book is published, finished, a done deal… you will still find things you want to edit.
8. Once the book has been released, there are even MORE ways to procrastinate over writing the new one.
9. You never knew there were so many blogs out there dedicated to reading.
10. It’s hard to get anything done when your fingers are crossed.
11. You will take a deep breath, step away, and resolve to totally let go of this novel. You will do this again and again and again.

Clearly, I need to regain some perspective, here. And I will. I promise I will.

Right after I google myself again.