The last month has been quiet for us. Not a whole lot going on, except writing for me, and getting the garden ready for the year for hubby.
I walk every day and post pictures from my walks on Facebook, so I probably shouldn’t duplicate those here, although here’s a neighbor’s tree that looked so beautiful in the morning sunlight, I have to share it.
I thought this month that I’d talk about back when I first published. Many writers self (indie) publish their books and I do that as well.
But my first story got picked up by a publisher. And they were nice enough to call me and let me know that. There is something special about getting that first call. It’s the point at which you start believing all your sweat and tears and hard work is validated. Someone, other than your family and friends, believes in you.
That’s exactly how the call felt for me. The really cool part was how it happened. My mother, one of the best people I’ve ever known, passed away about six years ago. For years before that, I took her to all her medical appointments. She was still driving, but it’s always nice to have someone there to help you understand what the doctor said.
Anyhow, we were in the xray waiting room and my phone pinged that I had a message. It was the publisher who asked me to call them back. I did and got the editor who’d read my book and told me they wanted to publish it.
When I got off the phone, I was giddy. My mom got so excited, she told the people around her. I got applause from everyone in the waiting room and it still, to this day, is the highlight of my writing career. Because my mom was there to share this big moment with me.
Even now, I’m grinning as I remember. It’s one of the happy memories I think about when I’m struggling to stay happy.
Do you have happy moments you can rely on to turn your frown around? I hope so, because those moments are what make life worth living.
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There are so many ups and downs to this writing/publishing thing. But nothing beats getting ‘the call’ and then seeing that first book out there in the world. And, being able to share it with your mother is priceless.
It was a precious moment!
Aww. That is such a lovely memory. I am so glad you got to share it with your mom and she was so happy she shared it with everyone around. A wonderful memory indeed! AND I love that tree pic- pretty flowers and the shadow is amazing. Jillian
The hilarious thing was that I was so new, I didn’t have ANY business cards to pass out. Lol.
haha. Hopefully, they remembered your name!
Such a lovely, special moment to share with your mum, Laurie. It made a precious memory even more precious.
The photo is beautiful! You captured it perfectly.
It was special!
That first is always a special moment, and one to treasure. I know how I felt when called to say I’d been shortlisted for a national writing award, and when following that, an agent loved my book and I signed with her. Sadly nothing came from it but those “first” acknowledgements that you are worthy of publishing are precious. Even more so when your mother is there with you. I was at work, and let out such a scream everyone came running because they thought something awful had happened. Stunning photo of the tree. Well shot. 🙂
I can just picture you hollering your joy. Yay! And thank you for your compliment on the tree pic. Coming from an artist of your caliber, that is high praise.