What Release Day Really Feels Like

Back before I was published, I assumed that every book release day came with a huge launch party, the kind you see in movies, where all the swells (and with any luck, George Clooney) showed up in tuxes and you, your editor, and everyone who ever mocked your ambitions or gave you a hard time on the schoolbus wore diamonds and carried around darling little cocktails and clever hors d'oeuvres (all the former bullies secretly seething with jealousy.) I supposed that party came the night before they sent you on the grueling but gratifying book tour, where you always stayed in swank hotels and had brilliant bon mots on hand at all hours. And you look awesome the whole time, thanks to the brilliant stylist (who doubles as the chaffeur of your limo) the publisher sent with you.

And, really, after all those dreams and all that effort, a person could at least be greeted with a parade or a pony or a bouquet of peonies. But in the reality of the working, non-celebrity writer, it starts the way today did, with your dog licking you awake and whining to go out (and feed me while you're up, why don'tcha?) The dishwasher still needs cleaned out. The toilets still need scrubbing, and your back still aches because you spend way too many hours in a chair.

But guess what. It's still damned cool. You realize (when you remember) it's release day, and you've brought a world to life. A world that came together in your imagination. A world that your agent, your editor, and (with any luck) a lot of readers totally buy into.

And it's suddenly all good.

So please join me today in celebrating the e-book (all formats) and audio edition release of my novel, Relentless Protector. I still have a few more days (September 4th) until the paperbacks are out in stores, but I want to take a moment to acknowledge this arrival, not with parades or ponies or peonies, but a big smile...before I go on working on another world I hope to bring to life.