Knee-deep in the hoopla!

Amidst things we do every day, wake up, convince ourselves to rocket out of bed, reheat yesterday's coffee, and dodge squirrels in traffic, beautiful glimpses of why we are really on this earth are given to us.

Today is Veterans' Day. I attended an annual informal gathering at a memorial, and had a wonderful chat with a friend. Today was clear, cold, green and gold-- the kind of perfect autumnal day that reminds us to store up the pantry, because next weekend may be freezy and blustery. 

Tonight, my plan is to wrap Shoebox Christmas boxes, and program my coffeemaker. 

BUSYness.

A box of books slides, side to side, in the back of my car as I roam the town, from hither and yon and yon to der. My neighbor was good enough to carry down another box of books for me the other day.

When I began writing this story down, and giving Sophia a tale, I thought I would have one book printed. I thought my Grandma would be so pleased if she could hold in her hands a book based on her own grandmother. This project, this labor of love, has taken on a life of its own. My inner editor was hanging in the garage (it's my way of not writing in too "newsy" a manner), and I ended up with nine storyboards. So now, I must keep going. That brave girl, who came all the way to Dakota Territory from the big city, can rest easy.

Speaking of easy. It is easier to write about someone you already know. Therefore, my grandma's book will be a little more... vivid.

But with the BUSYness of launching a book (and believe me, I'm not complaining), I find myself with little time to write a book. I'm going to have to start scheduling myself. I already don't watch television. I will soon cut out dinner.

Working Artiste.

Today, a businessman from the community has arranged to come to my office early to be the first one to buy a signed copy of Something About Sophia. That makes me a professional author. I have sold out on Amazon, and they are printing more. The people in my life have responded so kindly to my little story, I am blown away.

Tomorrow is my first signing, at Barnes & Noble. Under a winter weather warning, my feelings won't hurt too badly if no one shows up.

Book!

I have a book!

Four years ago, I sipped coffee in Tammy's living room and pondered the writing of a novel.

Three years ago, I moved across the country to spend time at the location where said novel would have taken place.

Six months ago, I mailed the manuscript to the publisher.

Since then, it has been a fairly constant existence on my fingertips, as I awaited the package that came to me this week.

It's my proof copy. Hundreds more will come soon, but a friend called me the other night to tell me he'd bought it off amazon. I told him that wasn't possible. Then I pulled up the site, and there it was, in front of God and everybody. It was out of stock in a day. My copies may not be here in time for the signing. I am dizzy and shocked by all of this love around me. I feel entirely blessed and in the palm of God's hand.

My program director from New Jersey called me before sunrise to do a story on the sellout. Of their own free will, I have friends doing PR in ND, NJ, NY, TX, UT and CA. I can't even put into words what Sophia has become. I just hope they like the story. Meanwhile, I am finishing up the next book.

I think I will take a train ride. I am going to figure out what this all means.

"Write what you know."

"Write what you know," they say. I begin to think about that, and it turns out, I have more thoughts than you'd think. Before you know it, I've got piles of notes, scribbles on scraps of paper and nibbles of nubs on napkins, all begging for a storyline of their own.

Write what you think about. Then let it go in whichever direction it leads you.

Dodging bullets.

I sent a construction laborer to a hiring employer today. In setting this up with the client company, I learned that the jobsite was my old apartment building. There was a GUNSHOT THROUGH THE EXTERIOR WALL.

No one was harmed in the posting of this blog.

Friends in the Right Places

"There," Dustin said. "Now you are ten thousand copies ahead of where you thought you'd be."

I'd better get that book published and get the amazon link on josieblaine.com, thought I. TEN Gs???? I am hoping for five hundred. If I hit five hundred books sold, I can roll the profit into Book Two. Book Two is really pretty darned good. You don't want to miss Book Two.

Oh, and Book Three. Ah. I started Book Three the other night. I kept writing Chapter Two until I cried. You'll like that one. I'm fighting the urge to type smilies and heart emoticons here. Book Three is full of joy and pain.

Book Four is... well, you'll have to wait and see. It's special and a long time coming. Book Five is for the kiddos. Book Six is on the Dark Side. Oh, yeeeaaah.

The other night, I was talking to a friend, and the idea for Book Ten hit me. I need to get moved into my condo, with the quiet office, so I have somewhere to hang my storyboards.


At any rate, thanks to the Great Plains Examiner and their treatment of my profile, I'm now way ahead of where I thought I'd be, in terms of publicity.  KFYR is giving me all kinds of love in the promotion department. I'm so blessed to have Media Gypsy in my blood.