Have I been dreaming for years what it would feel like to have a novel coming out? Yes!
Do I have any idea what to do with myself now that this dream is becoming reality? No!
Over the years, I definitely have held some big “wouldn’t that be amazing” dream bubbles related to the novel debut. I would love if the book made bestseller reading lists, especially for YA or Fantasy. I would love to be identified as a part of the growing AfroFuturism movement, showing that YA Fantasy can be multicultural and succeed in the market. I would love to feel I am helping making space for more authors of color to make their own mark.
I would love to have the book on “Must Read” or “Summer Reading” and “Best of “ lists. I feel like that would powerfully show me that readers are seeing value in my art and also want others to have that experience for themselves. I definitely have a vision for this novel being attractive and gathering interest in the film rights. I would love to see this on the big screen (or small screen, what’s good, Netflix) and I have ideas on how a book to film transition could be compelling and exciting to a wide audience.
And the writing dream I really crave coming true would be if somehow this book got into Oprah Winfrey’s hands. *faints in gloriousness* I genuinely wouldn’t know what to do with myself then, but it would be something like cry, admit I wrote this book with her voice in my head, then promptly faint. (Listen to my podcast episode, My Mother Oprah Winfrey, for my true lifelong love of Ms. O.W.)
But honestly, the biggest dream I’ve had for this novel is something I won’t even be able to witness. I hope that young readers love this book. I hope they read it along with their friends and talk and argue about their favorite part or which twin they are most like. I want this book, this story, these characters, to come alive for others in a lasting way. I would love to hear of book clubs groups or writing workshops or classes dissecting the book, or artists creating fan fiction or art in another medium based on this work. This is overall the ultimate goal, that the book become cherished by another. If I can sense that has been accomplished, I will feel very grateful.
Fingers crossed that this and every other amazing thing comes true for my novel this year! ASHE!
