Getting back in the swing

(I had a slight obsession with Ken Griffey Jr. in college 😉)

July 2026

Haven’t edited in days. Packers were here yesterday. Loading truck tomorrow. Start driving cross-country. It’ll have to wait.

September 2026

Oh, it waited alright. Here I am two and a half months later, but I finished my first edit! I took two months off. Y’know…driving from east coast to west coast, unpacking, squeezing in time with the college kid, dropping said kid back at college, being a traveling stow-away for husband’s new job. Once the house was pretty much in order, I got back to it.

Still so much to do before I can hit the publish button, but I’m happy with edit number one, enough for a few beta readers to start. I had two alpha/beta readers a few months ago before I started my first official edit, but they haven’t read it yet. 🤣 I have two more readers to whom I sent the doc yesterday, so here’s hoping they’re able to help.

Stepping away from the edit and waiting for my beta readers has me back at all the other things that go into getting this book out there. I opened my folder with my notes…the website, the email host, the blog…all the log-ins and passwords associated with those accounts…remembering what the f I’m supposed to be doing. Wondering if I can still do this mostly on my own without hiring someone to set up some kind of book launch for me.

It’s one step at a time, though. And of course I want to do the steps in order, the right way (Avery nod), but I think it’s better I just do something, and hope it gets figured out as I go. Maybe I don’t do a “book launch”. Maybe, for me, putting out a work I had a blast writing and am proud of might be enough. No IG ads, no special teaser artwork (even though I’d love to have that), no having everything “perfect”.

I should mention that even though I must figure out how to get this book completed and published, I really just want to be continuing the story. I have big plans for my characters. Pretty positive it’ll be a trilogy—I’ve loosely mapped out the plot. But having to rein myself back in and finish the first thing I start is difficult. That tends to be a recurring theme in many areas of my life. Anyone else? There are things I complete! I swear. Those things are usually passion projects and the must-dos of everyday life. It’s tricky to have the momentum and excitement, and have to press pause when other stuff gets in the way. I’ve been doing it, though, and then picking it back up. Try it with me!

So, in this continued promise of being open and vulnerable, I’ll keep you updated on this first attempt at writing and publishing a book. Actually, this is my second attempt, but that’s a story for later. Wait, let me rephrase…not attempt…how about experience? Successful experience? Yeah, let’s go with that. I’ll keep you updated on my first successful experience of hitting the publish button. And what comes after.