I simply can not believe this is my LAST post as a Debutante! Post #52! It has been such an honor to be apart of the Deb Ball and I am so f*cking grateful to have done it with Amy, Crystal, Jenni, and Lynn. This has been one HELL of an apocalypse year to live through and us gals really had each others backs, through the highs and the lows.
Last week, I talked about some of the lows. This week, as promised, I talk about the HIGHS! Words can’t accurately describe what it’s like to see a dream that you’ve had since you were five, a dream you prayed and prayed for, come to fruition. After Allegedly hit the shelves, I spent months in shock and denial. (“Who wrote that book? Oh right, me. You want my autograph? Why?”). It’s lucid dreaming/alien abduction all rolled up into one powerful outer body experience.
I didn’t expect ALL. THE. LOVE!
My friends, my family, my crew, my co-workers…EVERYONE stepped up and pumped ALLEGEDLY like they were marketing their own book. I mean, folks came out the wood works and introvert caves to support me. There were reviewers, booksellers, fellow debut authors, author vets I admired, and complete strangers who cheered me on. Starred review after starred review after starred review, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of LOVE. Most of all, my ultimate cheerleader and Brooklyn matriarch, my Mommy, held me and my dog-child down like you wouldn’t believe.
I didn’t expect to gain so many extra sisters and bros.
Man. When I tell you when I was at my lowest, when I didn’t want to “author” anymore, when I wanted to just lay on the floor and cry, my tribe was there to push me out my chair, into the spotlight and keep me motivated. Just their simple Slack/What’s App/Text Message presence would be the clap-in-front-of-my-face wake up call I needed. Thank you.
I didn’t expect to touch so many lives with this book.
FAN mail. I had no clue a little writer like me would get any, in the form of emails, tweets, and facebook messages. Each time I opened one, I’d feel a little hiccup in my chest. It didn’t hit me until much later that I didn’t just write any old book; I wrote a book for kids that look like me and for ones who don’t but are open to learning about experiences outside of their bubble. A wrote a book for kids who are ready to change the world. And that to me is bigger than any publishing deal you could ever offer me.
Thus, I am forever grateful for this experience, the lows, the highs, and the to-come’s. My next book, MONDAY’S NOT COMING, will be out next May 2018. Cover reveal is happening next month and I’m excited to announce some of my other upcoming projects.
But I’m also super excited for what my fellow debs have coming up next:
Crystal’s next book THE SECRET CHEF has a TBD date but I’m already looking forward to all the yumminess.
Amy’s next book LIMELIGHT comes out May 2018 and as always, I’m ready to laugh.
Jenni’s next novel SIDE BY SIDE, is the sequel to BECOMING BONNIE and follows Bonnie and Clyde’s crime spree, set for May 2018 release and I’m ready for the juicy details. 😉
Lynn’s is focusing on her second memoir, tentatively called Alpenglow. As much as I learned about her, and honestly myself, in her last novel, I can’t wait to learn more of her life lessons.
Please please please keep in touch and as always keep pushing!
Love,
Tiffany D. Jackson
