Wednesday 16 March 2011

Tales from the Ghostwriter... Happy Ever After

There are moments in your life that take your breath away.
Admittedly, not many, but enough that you will never forget, and that will sustain you into your old age.
You know what I mean?
Those treasured memories: first kisses, your wedding day, newborn children, landing your dream job, new homes, beloved pets, your first car, getting your degree, passing a driving test, travelling for the first time... how many can you recall?
I have several stored entries in the databanks of my mind from the selection above.
But this week I had a new addition to add to my WOW factor list.
This week, I became a published author!

My first book "Ancestors & Angels" arrived bright and early Monday morning. It was just the proof for me to authorise, but I have wandered around with it clutched in my grasp as if it were fairy dust plucked from the stars.
No doubt by the end of the week it will be as battered and bedraggled as a small childs comfort blanket!

It's been one heck of a long journey getting here.
Especially if you count I first asserted my intention to "write books" at the tender age of three.
Some of us do drag our heels you know!

I finally took the plunge and gave up the day job three and a half years ago.
I realised if I didn't I would never become the person I believed I was born to be.
I was fortunate in having a loving husband and family to support me in this, but it was a drastic cut in finances, and I was really out on a limb for sometime.

But, isn't that what life's supposed to be about?
I think our greatest regret is not the things we do, but the things we don't ever attempt.
The places we never get round to visiting, the friends we let slip away, the chance at love we don't take, the little things we always promised ourselves that one day we'd do...but we don't.

I must confess I am not the worlds greatest housewife.
A good friend of mine always laughingly reminds me of one time I explained to her why my house looked a bit the worse for wear, apparently I told her, that if by chance, that day turned out to be the last one of my life... I would hate to think I had spent it doing the dusting!

Anyway, I digress, which might be partially why this book took so long to materialise.

You have to go out and look for your life in order to find it.
I said something similar to my son the other night.
A few days later he had arranged to go to America for a while!!!
Who knew getting rid of your grown up children was so easy?

Actually I'm thrilled for him, and paranoid and terrified, and in danger of clambering in his big rucksack so he doesn't realise Mum is going along too!

But I can't... you see, when I started out writing this book, I had the vague idea that the finished product...cover, pages, ISBN number and everything, was the end. You know, that bit where it says "And Jane became a bestselling author and they all lived happily ever after!".
How deluded was I?
It turns out, once you've spent several years of your life dripping blood, sweat and tears to complete the thing... and once you've got it published, and theres a box of shiny new books in the hallway to distribute to your loved ones... you then have to do something else.
You have to promote this masterpiece you've created.
Because, yes, I might think it's the best thing since sliced bread... but now, dear reader, I have to convince you of the same thing.

GULP

So, this is where I'm at: I might have been to the ball and danced with the prince till midnight, but I think we've only just reached the point where I've run off and left my glass slipper still on the stairwell.

I'll have to go home and sit amongst the cinders again till I've figured out the rest of the plot.
Told you I was a lousy housewife!