The past seven days of my life have been So Incredibly Cool!! My first print book has been released for sale– and people are buying it– and maybe they will read it, too– which is even cooler!!

Here is Funshine Bear with my first novel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this copy of the book (the final proof copy) with me to my inaugural meeting of Writers and Scribblers last week, a writing group I co-founded here in Durango. I gave a craft presentation titled “Writing Sex Scenes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” which went really well. There were twenty or more people there, which was awesome. My writing tips and information about the new group might also feature in an article of The Durango Telegraph soon. (So cool!)

Then I spilled a bunch of water all over my proof copy (whoops, guess I should have made sure I had the lid screwed on my water bottle before I chucked it into my bag!) but the damage to the book wasn’t too bad.

And it didn’t stop me from taking the book to Sandy Irwin, the Assistant Library Director of the Durango Public Library, and asking her if she’d like to read it. Answer: YES!!!!!

Here is Sandy with the book Funshine Bear hung out with before I spilled water all over it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sandy is wonderful — she helps put on the Durango Literary Festival each September, and she is super supportive of local authors and acquires great books for the library. She even mentioned that if my sister and I wanted to wear our superhero costumes into the library, we could do a reading for the children’s group that meets there– you know, promoting our “Literacy is a super-power!” manic/zany/crazy energy. Dressing up as superheroes and promoting book-love– in a library– well, that is just cool.

And then my alpha and beta reader, April Duclos, sent me this picture, which put me over the moon into a new world of awesome:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long before this book ever saw print, April read, and read, and READ these chapters– lord, I don’t even know how many times. And she was still this excited to see the book arrive in the mail!!

I’m so lucky I have friends and readers like this!!!

And my Awesome Author friend, Adriana Arbogast, came to town last week to hear my presentation, go out to dinner, chill in Durango, and we went for a hike the next day in Mesa Verde– which was so fun! Here we are, in the first selfie I’ve ever taken (I feel so modern now!):

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went on the Petroglyph Trail, and took this picture in front of the glyphs (which are above our heads, out of sight). Such a beautiful day!

I’m trying to convince Adriana to hike Devil’s Garden with me, in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah– one of my most favoritest hikes ever. I love red rock. There is an energy in red sandstone that just hums through my body, which is why I never grow tired of that park, no matter how many times I hike the same places.

Here’s hoping we get to go! *hope hope hope*

My self-appointed Super Fan, Leslie McCabe-Holm, also Tweeted about my book– and St. Lawrence University retweeted her Tweet– to their 3,279 followers– that is really cool! (hashtag, I love my Super Fan!!)

None of these events are the same as having a Book Launch Party, or Giving a Reading, or having an Actual Marketing Campaign– but I know, in my career, I will build to those things– I will get there, I’ll reach those goals– and for me, the past seven days has BEEN a party, whether wine was served or not.

Plus, I have eight awesome subscribers to my Author Blog– how cool is that??

Answer: SO cool!!!!!