Finally having one of my novels launched reminds me of what it’s like planning a major trip, such as the one I’m now finishing up in Italy, a month-long adventure from Rome to Venice with many stops in between. We spent a year talking about this vacation, plotting our moves, reserving apartments, and doing all of the other important things involved. We also discussed what we anticipated seeing during our excursion, savoring every possibility. It felt as if departure day would never arrive.
But then it did, and we dove headlong into the Italian culture, enjoying every minute of all the various pastas we’ve consumed, proseccos we’ve drunk, piazzas we’ve lusted after, and more. Now our stay in Italy will end on July 3, and it’s hard to believe we’ll return to our daily rituals soon. These glorious days and nights touring such a lush country will end. No more long rides on the Venice lagoons, absorbing the dreamy quality of this city. No more lazy days of lingering over breakfast before leisurely sightseeing.
Writing Fling! has been a similar undertaking as I followed it through its ma
ny permutations until it discovered its final form. There were times when I thought it would never coalesce. And there were even more days when I feared it would never find a publisher that loved it. But today, Pen-L Publishing launched the book (http://www.pen-l.com/Fling.html), and I’m catapulted into another dimension—that of being a published novelist.
This transition is not unlike visiting a new country. I’ll need to learn a different language and follow the twists and turns of what this new designation means. As with finally leaving on an anticipated trip, there’s something anticlimactic about this day. But there’s also something incredibly satisfying about seeing my creation finally find its place with readers.
I hope you’ll become one of them!
