Here's to a squillion sales...

Congratulations to Maureen Crisp (www.maureencrisp.blogspot.com ) who launched her Kiwi Bite "Bones" last friday in Wellington. Having a 'yes' from a publisher is such a rush but its even better when the book is finally in the bookshops. The launch looked like it was a blast. Here's to a squillion sales.

Launches are equal parts terror and thrill. After all that work you want to send your book off into the world with a bit of fanfare; a party to celebrate the effort and the achievement. But writing is a profession populated by people happy with their own company and the company of all those imaginary characters crowding inside their heads. Real crowds aren't as obliging as the small army of characters I can control. My characters don't expect me to say much as long as i continue to put words in their mouths. And a blush on paper can be brushed aside much more easily than the one on my own cheeks. Writers are also familiar with rejection and being held at arms length by the publishing industry so it is strange to have people openly praising your work and picking up and buying your book of their own free will. "Are you sure you want to buy my book, theres a book by a real author just over there." Will this feeling ever change? I don't know. I'll tell you if i get there.