I am, even as I write this, looking at an Advance Reader Copy, or ARC, of my book.
The whole point of this Debut Diary series is to show debut writers not yet at this stage what it really feels like to publish your first book. So how does this moment feel?
Well, at risk of annoying my aunt, it feels fucking amazing.
I mean, how could it not? I am holding a book I wrote. It has my name on the front, and my picture on the back. And best of all, inside, there are actual words I wrote, in the order in which I wrote them.
I won’t lie–I’ve opened it randomly several times and read the pages. I’ve read the dedication and the acknowledgements, I’ve even read the bibliographic information in the front matter.
I’ve also addressed envelopes and put the ARCs in them. I’ve sent review queries (and gotten requests for the book from some of them). I’ve made lists of local bookstores to drop by and give a copy.
But right now? Right now I can’t stop looking at it.
50 days ’til release day! Order now wherever you like to buy books!