My debut book, a Middle Grade fantasy called Away with the Fairies, is on track to be published in a few short months. I am beyond excited!
The manuscript is complete and the back cover blurb is written. I have seen the black and white versions of the cover art and all twenty-two internal drawings. I’ve given my illustrator, Greta Hummingbird, the go-ahead to start working on the color version of the cover. I’ve talked to local stores about carrying my book.
My internal grin expands as I check off another ‘to do before publishing’ task. Soon I will hold a book with my name on the cover in my hands. I will see it on the shelves of local stores.
The little naysayer in my head whispers to me. Strangers will read it. My friends might read it. That little voice is terrifying. What if they don’t like it? What if they think it’s silly? Or worse, badly written? The voice continuously cycles through questions I do not want to hear. What if nobody buys it at all?
My logical brain knows the writing is good. It reminds me daily that everyone who has read my story about fairies and leprechauns and risking everything for friends and family enjoyed it.
Maybe when the book has been out a year… or two… or three… I will manage to convince that self-doubting little voice to stop pestering me. More likely, it will say the same things about my future books.
That voice will not deter me. I have far too many stories inside me to stop. I will keep writing.
Leoma