Coming Soon to a Store Near You

My kids were the first to hear that my book had been picked up for publication. They were on the trampoline outside when I received the news. After reading the email through a full three times, then doing a happy dance in my bedroom, I ran to the back deck and yelled to the kids to let them know.

On some level, I think my older children have a basic understanding of the time and sacrifice that goes into my writing. I don't often write when they are awake, but occasionally, they see me writing and always come over to see what I'm working on, or how many pages I've added since they last asked. When publication finally became a reality, I know they were genuinely excited for me, and also they might have just felt like laughing at their mother who looked totally ridiculous yelling and jumping around on the deck. Either way, we were all happy.

A few weeks ago, Sam came up and started asking questions about the book. What will the cover look like? (I have no idea.) When will we get to see it? (2013 - ish) Am I going to let him read it? (Of course) Am I going to let anyone else read it? (Um, yes. Everyone and anyone can read it) Then he asked, "But where will everyone get it? Won't you have the only copy?" (Goodness, I hope not.)

And so I explained that my book will be in bookstores, and that anyone, even people that don't know me will be able to buy it, and read it. At this point in our conversation, his eyes got really wide.

"In bookstores?" he asked. "Your book will be sold in stores?! People will actually pay for it?" (Please, oh please, yes)

I smiled. I guess we'd talked about the book being published in the sense that it would be an actual book, printed, with pages and a cover (and not a just a file on Mom's computer) but I realize now we never actually made the leap to bookstores.

"Mommy," Sam said, before running off, "that's awesome."

Part of what makes writing so much fun is having so many readers in my house. My three oldest love to read - will fight to stay up late reading and breeze through books so fast, we can't get to the library often enough. I can't tell you how often I hear the whimper, "What am I supposed to do? I don't have anything to read!" Family prayers are often delayed because "I just have to finish... this... one... paragraph...." or dinner is delayed because someone is "almost through the best part!" You know what? Try as I might, I can't bring myself to be mad at them for it. After all, they are me twenty three years ago. It makes my writer heart happy to see them love the written word. And who knows? Maybe a love for reading will morph into a love for writing too.

Lucy reading one of the Little House books... too good to put down, even for a drink of water

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Do you have readers at your house? If you do, I'd love suggestions for my boys. What do your boys like to read? We've done Harry Potter and Fablehaven and anything Rick Riordan... they tend to like stuff along the science fiction/fantasy lines. Ideas? Please do tell.


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