What is there really left to write at this point? After all the links on the book’s website, my own website, the book and my MySpace pages, the debut page here, and the interviews, what is there to say about debut day besides, Phew, I made it?
I’m writing from a beautiful, idyllic town in the mountains near Palm Springs called Idyllwild, where the most complicated thing you should have to do is learn how to spell the town name correctly (no simple task, as it turns out). I’m here with a friend to relax, to take walks and breathe clean air and, in short, not obsess over the fact that this book that I’ve done nothing but obsess over for the past 18 months (24, if you count writing time) is finally being released to the world.
Of course, the fact that I’m typing this, as opposed to walking through the glorious trails lined with pinecones, squirrels, a creek and rocks to get you across said creek, tells you a little something about how good I am at relaxing, taking walks, breathing clean air and not obsessing.
Yes, that was me in the gift shop that sells homemade candles that smell like chimney smoke (don’t knock it until you’ve smelled it, that one) screeching into my cell phone to my friend a request that she please try to get a copy of Newsday since they wrote something nice about the book and I clearly wouldn’t be able to find it in a town where the word “newspaper” only means The Town Crier (which, in case you’re interested, does cover the “San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains from Twin Pines to Anza to Pinyon”).
So what can I share about having a book come out that the other Debs haven’t already? Probably nothing. But I will say this: While most women my age are more commonly birthing babies than books, I’m proud of what I’m delivering to the world today. It doesn’t matter if the people across the nation embrace my book or don’t, if it becomes known across the globe or not. It’s my baby and no one else’s.
And I didn’t have to gain any weight to have her.
May 29 is a lovely day to birth a book; so that makes Party Girl a Gemini. Here’s the horoscope for the next year:
“This year offers you big rewards — incentives that come along just when you need a reason to make an extra-energetic push to win.”
If you needed further reassurance that Party Girl is going to be a hit, I think you just got it. Congratulations, Anna!
And what a baby! Congrats.
Awww, well said, Amy! Because ’tis true, Anna, today is Amelia Stone’s birthday and your day to add novelist(/Mom) to your credits. According to most who know, you really don’t love one child more than another but I suspect — no matter how many other characters you create — this party girl will always be the special one.
Congratulations and celebrate well!
Congratulations, Anna! You made it! Here’s to Party Girl’s (and your) success!
Congratulations Anna! I discovered you on Novel Journey, found your site, and here I am at your blog. I’ll be keeping an eye on this blog hoping I might learn a thing or two before my own debut.
I’ll look for Party Girl!
Wahooo!!!!!! Congratulations, Anna 😀 I know you’re having a wonderful day, and we’re all thinking great thoughts for you. (((hugs))) Love and all manner of gooey stuff on your debut day!
Congratulations on Party Girl! May your new bundle of joy bring you much happiness, satisfaction and joy as I’m sure it will bring to it’s readers!
When I finished my book, I called my husband into the room. I said: watch this. And then I typed “The End.” (Okay, actually I typed “the ebd” because I didn’t have my glasses on and even after all this time, I can’t type fast enough to keep up with myself.)
So then I erased that, and then I (carefully) typed “the end.” And then I burst into tears. Two years of work.
Deb Anna, what you did was astonishingly difficult, fraught with peril, time consuming and brain consuming. It would have been easy to dismiss, discard, decide to give up. You didn’t.
You chose every word. Created every scene. Made a whole new world for us to share.
Congratulations. And now, get a tiara.
Happy Birth Day! You did it, Anna – and the baby? Beautiful …