Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Newly Published-itis

I am brain-fried. Just telling ya up-front. This week has been crazy, crazy, crazy. I want to blog here about something awesome and meaningful. The pressure is really on to get this blog in shape now that I'm cutting down to once a month at the New Authors' Fellowship blog instead of every single week. But right now I'm suffering from "newly published-itis."

Symptoms:

  • A dining table covered in copies of my novel, divided into stacks depending on destination (i.e., those that have to be mailed, those that go to people in my homeschool group, those that go to family members, etc.).
  • Moments when I sit down and go, "Oh, crap. This is real," followed by a grin that just won't stop.
  • Moments when I sit down and go, "Oh, crap. This is real," followed by a complete and total panic attack where I find myself muttering the words, "What have I done? What have I done?"
  • Stacks of printed out emails detailing information about what I must send to have my guest post or interview featured on various blogs. Staring at those stacks also can lead to muttering, "What have I done? What have I done?"
  • A notebook filled with scribbled down ideas for marketing that all seemed quite brilliant and plausible at the moment they were scribbled down, but now seem nothing short of ludicrous.
  • A major head cold.
  • Obsessive checking to see if my book has shown up yet on Amazon (yes!) and Barnes & Noble (no...).
  • Obsessive checking for the posting of reviews on the aforementioned sites. 
  • The realization that I have approximately 4,872 profiles on various websites/forums/etc to update with my current publishing information. This is accompanied by shooting pain in various body parts.
  • Post-it notes friggin' everywhere.
  • A house that desperately needs cleaning. That is a symptom I managed to take care of yesterday, but it will be back. Oh, yes, it will be back...
  • A completely neglected Facebook page.
  • And last, but certainly not least--the joy that comes with emails from people telling me how much they loved reading Finding Angel

So, hopefully I can at least manage most of those symptoms, getting rid of the annoying ones (like the head cold--I hate not being able to breathe!) but keeping the good stuff.

6 comments:

GirlforChrist said...

It's ok--don't panic!! People will love your book! :)

Kat Heckenbach said...

Awww! Thank you! :D

Jeff Chapman said...

I should say I feel sorry for you, but I don't. You just published your first novel! I'm envious!! Well, not of the head cold, but everything else. : )

Kat Heckenbach said...

Thanks, Jeff! Yeah, definitely not enjoying the cold :P.

Carol Linsky said...

I find myself smiling every time I read the fantastic reviews on your book.

I'm loving FINALLY getting to read your book, since you wouldn't let me read it until now:) It's like peeking into your head, finding out what a creative and imaginative writer you are! Of course, I've gotten clues about that from all the other things you've written that I've gotten to read.

Your writing is so amazingly descriptive - your words are like an artist's brush painting a picture. The story sucks you in - you can see what's happening - and pulls you through each scene, making you want to read more.

You'll manage all the chaos of getting books out and scheduling interviews because you're the queen of organization. So relax and enjoy your moment of glory - you've worked hard for this day and deserve all the attention and praise you're getting.

I'm so happy for you and so proud of you.

Love you -
Mom

Kat Heckenbach said...

Hah--not that that opinion is at all subjective ;). Thanks, Mom!