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Friday, July 29, 2011

An amazing end to a great week

First, a bit of news. There's a brand-new blog in the neighborhood. If you go here, you can read the "He said" version of what I wrote about yesterday.

Last night when I came home from the gym, there was a box on my doorstep. Small, rectangular. I picked it up and saw the CreateSpace return address. Oh my... it was the proof copy of my book. For the first time, I was going to see it in book form.

Did I rush inside and fall all over myself in my eagerness to tear it open? No.

I laid it on the table, stared at it, then walked away from it. I was afraid to open it. No lie.

How ridiculous was that? But I so wanted it to be perfect. And yet I knew there were a lot of things that could go wrong, and that it might not be. So I wanted to preserve the perfect image in my head for a while before I actually braced myself to look at it.

I know, that makes no sense. I felt like an idiot.

John called. We talked for a while, and then I sheepishly told him that I'd gotten my proof and I couldn't bring myself to open it. He didn't laugh at me.

"Do you want to wait until tomorrow night, and open it at my house?"

I told him I didn't think I could wait that long.

"OK, how about this," he said. "Want to open it now, on the phone with me? That way, if something's wrong, you can tell me about it. And if there isn't, then you can share that with me as well."

I liked that idea. Carrying the phone, I went to the kitchen drawer, got my scissors and cut the tape on the package. Unfolding the carton carefully, I uncovered my book. I scanned the cover, looked at the picture, the spine, the positioning of the text on the back.

It looked fan-@#$%ing-tastic.

"Oh, John," I breathed. "Oh, honey. It looks so good. It looks so, so good."

We talked for a while after that, but I don't remember any of the conversation. I was too busy staring at the cover, at Zelle's beautiful work.

I now have to thoroughly check the interior, read through, look for dropped lines and all kinds of other weirdness. I can already see that the gutter (the margin space) is a little too big. But if I were to decrease that, it would change all the line breaks, all the page breaks, the page count... ugh. Forget it. I'll live with a big margin.

So tonight, I'll bring it to John's. He'll get to see the surprise I have for him.

Last year when I was in the middle of working on the book, he and I were talking about it one night and he asked me to whom I was going to dedicate it.

I thought it was a trick question. "You, of course!"

He shook his head. "No. You have to dedicate it to your dad."

I hadn't considered that, but as we discussed it, I agreed that it made sense. My writing talent and my sarcastic humor are straight from his genetic makeup. Whenever someone compliments my writing or says they think I'm funny, I think, "Thanks, Dad." I was very proud of his accomplishments and despite our extremely rocky years, we worked it all out at the end. Of course I had to dedicate the book to him.

So I did. But what John doesn't know yet is that underneath the dedication to my father, there is also one to John. Tonight, he'll know. I can't wait.

It's been a very good week. The only thing that made some of my happy bubbles go flat was hearing that NG can't make it this Monday. (sigh) I will miss him. But he'll be back. I suppose this is life's checks and balances -- I had an abundance of riches this week, so next week will be a bit of a letdown. I know this about myself. So my goal for the following week is to keep busy, focus on getting my book wrapped up and putting it up for sale. On Monday night, I'll think about the previous Monday and smile. Look forward to the next Monday and smile.

I can't believe I'm one mouse click away from publishing my book. I just can't believe it.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

19 comments:

  1. Rubbs hands together in delight !! I havent read a good pop up picture book in a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNGGGGGG Time .

    roflmao JUST KIDDING !

    Im sure its a best seller

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  2. YAY CONGRATS Erica what WONDERFUL and EXCITING news :-)I am VERY happy for you. That's so sweet that you are dedicating it to your dad and John :-) You and Zelle do FABULOUS work 3 cheer's to you both.I want to buy a copy of your book, i know it's going to be a AWESOME book to read :-) I also know it will be a best seller. Have fun celebrating with John this weekend, sending much love and hug's your way from your naughty girl Jade xoxo

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  3. Erica, you keep getting better...

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  4. Awesome Erica. Great news!!

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  5. Alan -- at this point, I'll be happy if it's just a seller. :-)

    Jade -- hugs back, you sweet girl.

    Villain -- well now. What a nice first comment from the Evil One himself. Thank you. (beaming)

    joey -- yeah! :-D Fingers crossed that the interior is OK, and my next post is "PUBLISHED!"

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  6. I'm so glad you're book turned out great!! :)

    sarah

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  7. Sarah -- thanks! Well, the cover did. Fingers crossed regarding the interior. :-)

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  8. I'll be eagerly awaiting details of where to buy it soon, glad everything is going well with it!

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  9. Great news Erica, I'm so very pleased for you. Can't wait to read it.

    What a lovely man John is to suggest you should dedicate it to your dad.

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

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  10. Hi Erica,

    Big margins are very useful for readers to make notes in, like, "This bit is SO hot!" and "Ron, we need to try this."

    Seriously, I can understand exactly how you felt about not wanting to open the package. So glad it was perfect.

    Hugs,
    Hermione

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  11. Lea -- very soon, I hope. I will probably do some last minute tweaks to the copy, which means I have to resubmit the interior. But it won't be long now.

    Ronnie -- yeah, he's a keeper. :-)

    Hermione -- hah! Well, that works. John said the big margins make it easier to read.

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  12. Erica, this entry is filled with such love and deep feelings it made me break into warm chuckles!

    I'm very eager to read your book, knowing that the same depth, the same hilarity, the same struggles and victories, the same Erica you've shared with all of us here is in it.

    (Side note to John: thank you, too, for showing us the right way to be Men.)

    And I'm in favor of lots of margin. And lots of margarine.

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  13. I was disappointed with "The Wife and the Prostitute".
    Weak spanking.

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  14. Congratulations, Erica! May it be the bestseller!

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  15. haha Erica - yeah, it'll kinda suck if you open it and all of the text is upside down. Do you remember Katy Spankwish? One of her books turned out like that. She wasn't very thrilled.

    sarah

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  16. Wolfie -- just one brief caveat; there isn't much hilarity in the early part of the book. But it gets better. :-) And you know, margarine (or "the other spread," as they used to call it, isn't that good for you either.

    Jack -- sorry you felt that way.

    Alias -- thanks!

    sarah -- oh no, seriously?? I do remember Katy. That's awful!

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  17. Bless that John... the man is a Saint for puttin' up with "all that is YOU".. (she says in a loving way)

    OMG! The man SOOOO deserves his acknowledgment! (weg!)

    Life is good eh? You are surrounded by the best people one could want in their life.. with your incredible Partner, and Play Partner.. I know the combination of them, and YOU... bring me monumental moments of joy and laughter!

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  18. Zelle -- I do have some incredible people in my life... including YOU, m'dear. :-)

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