When the publisher asked me what date I would like my book published by, I hadn’t really given it much thought. I had no plans to publicise a book launch party because it didn’t feel like it was something I could celebrate. Oh, hey everyone, my son died, so I wrote a book – read all about it! I won’t be buying a posh frock and inviting guests to a dinner to broadcast or promote my book.
Writing the book felt natural to me, it was part of my journaling and it helped me to heal my broken heart; but publishing personal information and sharing it with the world, I automatically clicked into my default self-doubt setting. Lots of thoughts and feelings rushed through me in that moment. The first one, “oh my God, what if people want to read it?” Or, “what if they don’t?”
My mind went into self destruct mode but the publisher wanted a date and I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea how long the publishing process would take. Could it be done in a week? A month? Six months? So I asked, “How long does it take”? (This publishing malarkey is a new world to me, and I have learned a lot along the way. If there is another book inside me, I will be well equipped next time round.)
I picked a date and decided it would be 25th April, my birthday. I had finished writing the book back in October 2018 and my intuition felt that the publishing process would be the gestation period and then it could be born on my birthday, but this was just a guide! It didn’t matter to me if it took longer because I needed to be ready to share it with the world.
Weeks went by with emails coming back and forth from the publisher. I was also busy obtaining permissions from various authors in order to share their wise words, uplifting quotes, poems and parables and it felt like my book would never be done. I was also busy creating this website and it felt good to have a new project, a new focus. This was my safe zone!
As it got closer to my birthday, I knew I had to dot the I’s and cross the T’s and then read the final proofs but there was never any pressure from me for it to be done by the 25th April.
Near the end of the publishing process all the final changes seemed to be going through at an alarming rate and before I knew it, I was signing it all off.
My book was finally published and guess what the date was? 25th April, my birthday. I’m sure Matthew influenced the timing somehow!
Here is the final email from my publisher.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOUISE!!!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you, I greatly appreciate it. I wish you all the best with your book. I am sure, someone up there is happy about it as well.
Enjoy!
Thank you Balboa Publishing, for all your support and hard work. I better start telling people about it now, or maybe I will wait just a little bit longer!
Being a control freak I could just let it sit there, being unread, unknown, unseen, and this feels safe. My gut feeling is to let all my family and close friends know about it first, and then have the official launch day (without the fancy book launch party) on the 8th August – Matthew’s birthday.
“Trust in Divine timing. Your future holds something far greater than your past.”
Cheryl Richardson
Connect with me through my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/louisebates
English