It Really IS That Cool

Okay, most of the time at this blog, I try to emit a certain level of professionalism. I’m sure I don’t have any of you fooled, but my goal is to at least sound like I know what I’m talking about, and as though I’m moving calmly forward on my own writing path.

There are times, though, when that calm just gets broken. Like today.

What happened? Well, I got a couple of emails from my Writer’s Digest editor. The first was talking about some new wording on the title–still working on the final-final, I think! The second email, though, was, well…

MY BOOK COVER!!!

Okay, not yet. It was a preliminary book cover, and–of course–irritating me had to ask a couple of questions about it, so I can’t show it to you yet, but just take my word for it today.

IT’S GORGEOUS!

I am not a visual person. But you can bet that every time I browse through the writing section of a bookstore (which I’ve been doing a LOT lately, as I researched this book), I’ve been checking out all the recent Writer’s Digest covers and imagining what mine might look like.

I should have just waited. Because this one rocks. (Really, I’d show you if I could!)

You know, we go along as writers, working on a certain amount of faith. Even though I’d be writing even if I thought I’d never get published, it’s clearly one of the big goals that keeps me motivated and productive. And part of that faith is, I think, based on the excitement we see and hear from other writers, and from the excitement we feel for them, as their books take “real” form and land on bookstore shelves. Still, though, it’s a bit of, “I hope someday I really do feel that good.”

Well, I’m here to say, you do.

I know, there are still many months before the book is out, before it’s something I can pick up and hold. And I know this still isn’t my fiction, which has dreams and goals of its own that I still want to achieve. BUT…

Out there, somebody has designed a book cover for a book I’m writing. Today, when I opened up the file and saw not only the title, but also my name on a design I love, it felt very, very real. And absolutely fantastic.

So keep those dreams going, guys. Keep putting those words on the page, keep chasing down opportunities and saying “Yes” to them, and keep believing that it’s going to happen. Because all of these are pieces of the path, pieces that, someday, will add up to a big, loud, squeal of delight whe you least expect it.

Thanks for letting me share! 🙂