A blog about the amazing things teenagers do, about writing for teens, books for teens, and occasional forays into my world and the world of publishing.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

In Which Reality Hits Me (Or my ARCs arrive!)


JUADSOL!!! (Jumping up and down screaming out loud!)

This week my Advanced Reader's Copies, or ARCs arrived in the mail.

I jumped, I screamed, I took pictures, did a happy dance, and then I had to go back to the crazy business of preparing for 25 Japanese exchange students to arrive. (Sometimes I wear too many hats.)

It wasn't until two days later, when all my students were happily settled with host families that I sat down and flipped through the pages. Maybe I was afraid if I got to it too soon, I wouldn't really appreciate it, maybe I was still a little afraid that it wasn't real. Then I read the acknowledgments and I cried, because it finally hit me that I have a book with my name on it!!!

At that moment I realized it was real. I also realized how many wonderful people have been a part of this process. (I can't thank them enough.)

To any writer struggling with their first book, or struggling to get out of the slush pile I say don't give up on yourself or on your dream. You can do it! All you need to get started is one person to believe in you. Make that one person you!

It's absolutely bizarre, cool, amazing, and wonderful to have reached this point. Thank you to so many people for believing in me.

11 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!! :-D

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  2. YAY!!! I love this. Congratulations.

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  3. Hooray! I can't wait to get a copy of it myself!
    By the way, I thought of you when I saw the movie Midnight in Paris, have you seen it?

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  4. Opening my first box of author copies stands as one my favorite writing moments by far. It's the smell, I think. Right? It's like books are already the best smell in the world and then it's even better because they're MY books.

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  5. What a great day! Congratulations!!

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  6. Wow, thank you so much for this.

    As you've possibly noticed, I've been out of blogging for about ((checks calender)), oh, forever. And writing hasn't been much better, because my first draft is a confused mess that needs to be spread over 2 or 3 books. Wonderful, right?

    But this was encouragment for me. Not just the advice, but imaginging what it would be like to be in that situation. I want it so badly I can almost tast it. Actually, that might be the after taste of the Dr. Pepper....

    Anyway, thank you for posting this. I really needed it.

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  7. Wheeee! How exciting to hold a copy of your book in your hands. Congratulations!

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  8. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have a fabulous blog! Following you now! I want to award you with one of my homemade awards: Powerful Woman Writer Award for all the hard work you do!

    Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
    ~Deirdra

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  9. This is one of the coolest posts I've read all year! I'm so excited for you and so excited to get my hands on a copy of that little novel of yours! Congrats.

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  10. That's so exciting! *throws confetti* ARCs definitely deserve a happy dance.

    I’m a new follower— great blog! Stop by my blog and follow me too? :) http://rachelbrookswrites.blogspot.com/

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  11. It has been a joy watching your progress! Congratulations on receiving the ARC copies.

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