Tuesday, June 13, 2006

This much is really true

Since I was a little girl of about seven, I think, I wanted to have a book published. I wanted one that I wrote with my name on it. I wanted to touch it, smell it, and see it. Well, yesterday I did just that. I got a call yesterday afternoon that my book was back from the printers. The amazing Kim at Jesperson Publishing actually drove to my husband's work to drop off my copies so I could get them ASAP. I think she was almost as excited about it as I was. Then I opened up the package and there it was: real, three-dimensional, a book with my name on it. When I opened it up, there were the words I had written and rewritten, looked at and edited so many times that I could not stand to look at them anymore but they no longer looked like those words because they were there in a real book, not on printed out copy after copy of my manuscript.

And it looked so fantastic! So much better than I had ever imagined. Vibrant colours and an eye-catching cover photo, raised title letters and a raised pink envelope on the back cover to set it all off. Rhonda at Jesperson really did a brilliant job of laying out the cover and the print. It was almost too much to take in. Hubby took a picture of me opening the books up and one of me holding the first copy I touched. I'd show you, I really would, but husband, while taking the picture, failed to say "Tina dear, please don't smile quite so much and arch your eyebrows that way. And take your hair out of your eyes. You really do look quite insane, more like you're holding the head of a recently slaughtered archenemy than your book."

So the book is back from the printers and is at Jesperson's office. They will be disbursing it to Chapters and other local bookstores very soon but you can contact them to get it directly from them, if you'd like to get it sooner. Helmut, yours should get to you soon.

10 Comments:

At 9:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I almost welled up reading this post.

You must have felt... well... almost as good as the day your child was born.

Mine's not here yet, but I'm checking that mailbox!

 
At 9:52 PM, Blogger Robert Hiscock said...

Congratulations... it must feel wonderful.

 
At 10:53 PM, Blogger Lesley said...

Hey that's cool! I think deep down, everyone wants to be a writer and too few of them do actually become writers. Your book sounds cool. And good on you for working so hard at something you were passionate about!

 
At 11:57 PM, Blogger John Mutford said...

When I self-published my first blog post, I cried and cried when I finally saw it up there on the small screen. Surreal moment. Should dreams like that ever come true?

All jokes aside. Congrats on the book. Can't wait to read it.

(and why the frig can I smell pine trees in my house?)

 
At 11:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tina,
The copy you gave me was claimed by Ken. I heard him lying in bed Monday night laughing outloud. So I sang out, 'what's so funny'? His reply -'Tina's book'. But I already knew that. I will take it to practise tonight to pass around to my 20 singer friends. Try and round up some sales for you.

 
At 3:38 PM, Blogger Tina Chaulk said...

Thanks Helmut, RJ and Lesley.

John, I can just picture you sitting there with the screen reflecting on your face. Well, not really because I don't know what you look like but I can picture some guy who looks like he might be named John with his newly published blog post reflecting on his face while tears stream down his face. *Sniff, sniff*

Kathy, Ken emailed me and told me he liked it. I was surprised he was reading it so it was quite a treat when he told me he was enjoying it.

 
At 11:56 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations Tina--I can't wait to read it. I think the cover looks great.
Cheers,
Maura

 
At 2:39 PM, Blogger Tina Chaulk said...

Thanks, Maura. If you like it, pass it onto a publisher when you're across the pond, will ya?

 
At 6:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

jzcongratulations again Tina, I'm patiently awaiting your book release so I can actually read it,since you seemed to forget me when getting a few copies(just kidding) I have spread the news about your book to family and friends.
paula

 
At 12:51 PM, Blogger Tina Chaulk said...

Thanks, Paula. I really appreciate that.

 

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