Wednesday, February 6, 2013

IWSG and The Magic Wakes Blog Tour Day 2

Day 2 Stops:

Michael Offutt--Getting to Know Talia Zaryn
Cami Checketts--Book Review
Elizabeth Poole--Author Interview

Please visit their blogs today and say hi.


My first IWSG post was full of insecurities so this month my goal is a more positive approach. Here are some of the good things that have happened to me this month in relation to my writing.
  • In January I received my bookmarks. They are so pretty and SHINY! At first I was just "happy", but about an hour after I opened them I headed to the post office to mail some to my mom. There I was, driving down the street, in tears. I don't know what it was, but suddenly it hit me that this was real. My book was going to be out in the world very soon. I felt this overwhelming love and gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father who cared for my desire to be published enough to make it come true. Most people would think a dream like that is too silly for a matter of prayer. However, I know that because it was important to ME, it was important to HIM.
  • My good friend Laura called me for one purpose--to tell me to stop worrying about my writing or The Magic Wakes. She had been reading it and was surprised at how smooth it read. The last time she read my book was about 2 years ago and she could see how much my writing had improved. Her words were, "It went from a story my friend wrote to a real writer's book." 
  • Another friend called to talk to me about the finished product. She also read it about 2 years ago and loved the changes and additions to the story line. It was so amazing to hear Kathy point out the things she liked the best. Several times she would say something that surprised me and all I could do was say, "Yeah, of course I planned it that way." I guess the instincts of a reader really did come through in my writing. 
  • I got my dream location for my release party. It will be in Charlotte, NC with all the people who held my hand while I wrote. For anyone close to the area, you can learn more about when and where HERE.
  • Reviews are starting to trickle in and so far they've been positive or helpful. I know this won't always be the case, but it's a good way to start. 
  • Finally, my book went live on Kindle for a short pre-print release special of $1.99. My friends and family are buying it! The funny thing is I never thought about people I know reading my book. It brings a different sort of insecurity that I know is pointless. These are my friends. The people who are proud of me and happy that I followed my heart and chased this dream.
By focusing on the good feedback and support in our lives we can handle our writing anxieties better.
What positive things happened to you this month?

18 comments:

  1. Yes, I have your book now!!! Be afraid! No, not really. You've read my stuff. You've nothing to fear from me.
    God did answer your prayer for a published book, and it's not silly. He's putting you in a place where you can be more effective for the Kingdom, so both your goal and His goal are met.
    And you are going to influence a lot of people...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, I am a bit afraid. Thanks for being such a great example Alex. You are always open and honest about your faith and I appreciate that.

      Delete
  2. Fantastic - I'm further away from my goal than you, but it's always great to hear about people reaching their dream!

    I love your description of your writing going from 'something my friend wrote to a real writer's book'. I've had moments when I've read back over things I've wrote, and thought, this isn't just good for me, this bit is actually good. It's a nice feeling...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't that a wonderful feeling? The nicest thing my hubby ever said to me was that he kept forgetting I wrote the book he was reading.

      Good luck and keep writing!

      Delete
  3. Already saw your tour post at Michael's - your book sounds awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is NOTHING silly about praying for a book! I do it all the time! I think God looks down when I start praying and says, "Here we go! Another writer prayer!" Keep praying and plowing forward. Congrats on the book release!!

    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Saw your tour post at SLCK also and now I'm searching for the kindle to download.

    Love those tears of inexplicable joy and faith.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :) Yep, me too. Hope you enjoy the book. Here's the kindle link just in case

      http://www.amazon.com/The-Magic-Wakes-ebook/dp/B00BB0FTMM/ref=cm_cr_pr_orig_subj

      Delete
  6. This is awesome news! I've said a similar prayer about the editing work that seemed like it fell in my lap, not just because I like to edit, but because it gave me breathing room to finish my latest rewrite. It's the first one where I had a real grasp of plot structure. Having your writing transform is a great feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hmm. I tried to post my review to Amazon last night, but it wouldn't let me. It kept giving me an error message saying that the book couldn't be reviewed yet. But I saw someone else got a review published. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Charity, these are such wonderful things to share. I'm so happy for your book release. You worked hard, and it's wonderful that it's paying off and is "for real". Good job.

    ReplyDelete
  9. THE MAGIC WAKES sounds amazing, Charity! I'm convinced there's no cure for insecurity, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take pride in all you've accomplished. So glad you're focusing on the positive. It's time to revel in your remarkable achievements!

    ~VR Barkowski

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great job on following your dream, and this is just the start of bigger things!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, this all sounds fantastic, congratulations. I agree, having people you know read your work is probably more nerve-wracking than complete strangers. Enjoy the launch!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.