A Celebration and a Contest!

Oh my gosh, I’ve been waiting for this day for so many weeks, that I can hardly believe it’s finally here! October 1st – the official release date for Flyboy! But while I was anxiously counting down the days to October, the actual release of my debut book really took me by surprise.

It was last Sunday, September 23rd, and my 10-year old daughter and I were at the mall. She wanted a book at Barnes & Noble, so while she browsed the kid’s section, I made my way to the romance section. I was actually looking for a particular historical novel when my daughter joined me. She was jumping up and down, so excited she could barely speak. She pulled me over to the Series Romance section and right there, practically leaping off the shelf, was my book!


I was so surprised I didn’t know how to react. I wanted to snatch it down from the shelf and shout to anyone who would listen, “Hey! I wrote this book!” I wanted to pop a bottle of champagne right there. Instead, my daughter and I laughed and admired it for a few minutes, and then went to celebrate with a pumpkin spice latte.

But as strange and surreal as it was to see my book in the bookstore, it was even stranger when, the following day at work, my coworkers began lining up outside my office with copies of Flyboy in their hands, requesting I sign them. There was much grinning and nudging and waggling of eyebrows, as the men among them suggested I had modeled the hero after them, and the women coyly asked if I knew the cover model.

It’s weird to think of my colleagues reading my book. They’ll recognize that I borrowed all kinds of technical jargon and “insider” information from my own work experience (although I’ve never uncovered a secret corporate club that promotes its members based on their sexual exploits!). I wonder if they’ll see themselves in the characters or if they’ll recognize them for what they are—products of my own imagination. Will they see me differently after reading the book? And should I even care?

I can’t believe that with all the excitement of my first release, I’m even worried about this, but I am. Even knowing that Romantic Times gave this book 4 and ½ stars and called it a Top Pick, I worry that somebody might hate it. Does this anxiety ever go away? Even for writers who don’t have an office job, complete with boss, coworkers and industry counterparts, there must be some anxiety, right? (Please tell me it’s not just me!).

Anyway, despite my worry, I feel as if I should be handing out cigars to celebrate the official arrival of my “baby.” Instead, I'll give away a copy of the book to a random winner at the end of the week; just post a reply to qualify! Thanks for stopping by!