I attended a local authors speaking event this evening at my local library.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the author and the authors sister and brother in law. His sister is beautifully thrilled for her brother and his endeavor. What would that be like for me, if I had any extended family support? I’ll never know since my brother removed himself from my life, but seeing how it is for someone else, is so lovely. My social media cheerleaders are my husband and my children, since they post and share nearly everything that I’m accomplishing.
I took mental notes for my April 4th local author speaking event, at the same (Hancock county) library. (Please come!)
It’s one thing, talking to people about my children’s book, but talking about all that I’ve written and lived through is not easy. My life is hard, ugly, and sometimes painful.
-I’ve spoken to reporters, chaplains, funeral directors, social workers, physicians, and a confluence of child care aficionados, but not John Q. Public. The public have interesting questions/statements. Noted.
-Until this evening, I only had 4 author copies of See You Later on hand, but I have now given two away (and two of Daddy’s Not Gone) for a charity event and library feature that is coming up, involving my old high school, Mt. Vernon. (And it does make me smile knowing that my #1 status came from all of you and not my measly purchases.) Noted, buy more books! I’ve donated around 20 children’s books that were author copies and I need to order more of them, as well. Got it.
-Get used to discussing my parents being abusive human beings without feeling the need to make excuses for them, while also not sugarcoating my abuse. If people can’t handle my childhood, they definitely won’t be up for that gut wrenching prologue of mine or my next book.
-Promote my podcast interview on Spotify and YouTube.
-Promote my donations and Daily Reporter article.
It was quite interesting listening to someone promote themselves, just as I have been doing. He did a good job and made the hour light, by having a casual, funny demeanor. My topics are not light and I am so far from being a boaster, that I have to literally nag myself to say that writing and self publishing a debut book that was #1 for 48 hours in three separate categories is kind of a big deal. I’m working on that.
And my children’s book went #1 in two separate categories for 24 hours. It is possible to be proud of yourself and not feel like it is ugly boasting. Getting that positive accomplishment to come out of me is so foreign. I was on the cover of my local paper with my donations and it is okay to be proud of that. Ugh, I will be working on that. It feels too much typing it all out. I am proud of myself, but I am happier about my family being proud of me, that is what really feels good. Can you hear me trying to convince myself that it is okay to be proud of myself? I was never, ever, encouraged positively by my parents and that will always be a stumbling block for me. Oof. I will need to practice.
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