HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Do you remember this phrase as the first words when Frosty the Snowman first came to life from wearing the magician’s hat? Frosty was in awe and wonder at the world around him. Well, that was exactly how I felt when I woke up last Tuesday, August 2nd!!

Over the past six years and especially this last year I imagined how rewarding it would feel to see my name on a published book. But when my advanced, finished author copy came in the mail, all of my senses switched to overload. Except the sense of taste – I may eat my words from time to time, but not the ones on a printed page. 🙂

Feeling the weight of the hardcover book in my hands, seeing my name on the beautifully, haunting book cover, and the wonderful new book smell was intoxicating. The sound I heard – my mom’s voice the day she told me how much she loved the book. How amazed she was that people would want to read her story. And how much pride and love for me she felt because I did that for her, for her Papa.

The day began with wonderful emails, tweets, Facebook posts congratulating me and wonderful reviews for THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM. Later Tuesday afternoon, we went to visit Main Street Books in Davidson where my launch will be (This Saturday 13th 1-3pm) to see multiple copies of my book on display.

BEYOND AMAZING(A gazillion times better than I imagined)!

After I took pictures (and made my husband and daughter take many pictures) I felt like skipping out of the store-not that I can skip, but you get the idea.

However, the icing on the cake (which would be chocolate, if you were wondering) moment happened just as we were about to walk out the door. A man came in and asked the clerk for a book his daughter pre-ordered, Yup, you know what’s coming…THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM!!!!!

I whirled around and exclaimed, “That’s MY book!!!” (cue wide goofy grin and sudden downpour of confetti). He told me his daughter is planning to come to my book launch—did I mention it is this Saturday, the 13th in Davidson, NC? – I digress. He also said his she would have wished she came with him. So I asked what every writer dreams of asking…” Would you like me to sign my book? “

So, on the day my book was released into the wild, I signed my first autograph!!! Thank you, Lillian!! I pretty much floated out of the bookstore!

At the end of that magnificent day, I realized I hadn’t felt such true happiness or have my cheeks aching wonderfully from smiling  in a very, very long time. A piece of me is so happy that even though, I have such physical pain and at times feel betrayed by my body, my brain still worked. But the rest of me feels so gratefully, joyfully blessed, because people will read my mom’s story and learn about the events in her life that shaped her into the bravest woman I’ll ever know. Her bravery – only surpassed by her love for her family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your story, Mom!!

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