Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. But it's Happy Anniversary to me. Not wedding. That's not for a few months yet. Nope, it's the 5th anniversary of the day I published Dying Embers and really began this self-publishing thing. (Okay, I actually hit publish on the 13th, but I'm celebrating today.) Five whole years of having my books available for sale.
And this is around the time when I started what would become my first finished novel back in 2004, so that's what... sixteen years. Ugh. :shakes self:
If I'd been savvy about this, I would've had a big to-do with prezzies and stuff for my readers. But I wasn't. Oh, the genie books are on sale and junk, but that wasn't planned with the anniversary in mind. It didn't even occur to me until this past Tuesday that it was even something to take note of. (Which is really too late to plan anything special.) I could've had a contest or something.
Five years, thirteen books, and 3016 sales later, here I am. After all the highs and all the lows, I'm still plugging away. I really am. Seriously. I'm working on getting Ugly and the Beast to a place where I can send it out for proofreading and then eventual publication. And I'm trying to work on writing Cinder Ugly. (Not going so well, but I'm trying.)
Anyway, I hope you have a great Valentine's Day with whoever you love. I'll be here with my loving Hubs and my geriatric cat. We don't really celebrate the day, other than wishing each other a happy day and doing the hugs/smoochies thing. I probably won't really celebrate the anniversary either, but it'll be on my mind.
Five years. Whoda thunk it? Not me.
Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Or do you only celebrate the day after when all the chocolate goes on sale? Do you have any big anniversaries coming up?
Happy Book Anniversary! I'm so glad you jumped into the deep end! I'm doing my best to stay away from sweets--except for the occasional Braum's snickerdoodle cookie. And we wish each other a happy day but no longer exchange cards or gifts or go out. After spending half our lives together, we know how we feel and just enjoy the small things every day.
ReplyDeleteToday is also a publishing "milestone" for me. Six years ago, when LG was in intensive care at VA, I got "the call" from my HQN editor, offering to buy COWGIRLS DON'T CRY. The following New Year's Day (2015) CDC released into the wild. So yeah, Valentine's Day is sort special in my writerly world.
Here's to a love of words--writing AND reading them! 💖💕
Happy Publish-versary, B.E.!
ReplyDeleteChurchill and I are celebrating Valentine's Day together, as much as a cat can celebrate. I think he's gone off to take a nap. LOL!