CONNECT THE DOTS is here!

No matter how many books you have published (this is my third in one year) when you see it in print it is like holding your child in your arms for the first time. You spent months creating it, months waiting for it, and now the day has arrived. Your book is in print!

When I left for work yesterday morning I had to stop by the post office because mt parents said the little slip from the postal person was probably a box from them. I trotted down to the post office and waited in line to get my package with the thought of getting a Christmas present. [rub hands together in anticipation]

I get the box, tuck it into the passenger seat and then take off for work. On my way, I call my folks (on my handsfree phone) to tell them that I picked up their package. It wasn't until I was on the phone with my father that I bothered to glance at the shipping information on the box. HOLY COW! The package wasn't from my wonderful parents. It was from my publisher.

Imagine sitting in traffic with no scissors, no knife, not even your keys available to you to open the box. I wanted to jump out of my skin because I wanted to see, touch, and yes, smell my novel. What do you think I did? I painstakingly, inch-by-inch managed to shred the tape that my sadistic publisher used to secure the box. YES! I managed to get that box open and after tossing all the paper cushion into the backseat of the car,I pulled out the first copy of CONNECT THE DOTS.

I whooped and hollered, shook my book and even kissed it. Some big truck guy honked and waved. I'm a friendly person so I waved back with my book and a big grin on my face.

At work I showed my entire team so they could ooo and ahh all over it. I left it sitting on my desk while I attended a meeting and when I returned I found a note on my desk from another woman in the office saying she wanted a copy of the book. She came by and told me twice. Love that!

I returned home last night from work to find boxes of books stacked on my driveway. I barely had the car stopped before I was jumping out to go get the boxes and carry them inside. I just wanted to see them!