My "Author Bucket List"

Being a published author is a dream come true. I’ve thought about what it would be like non-stop since I started seriously writing in 2009. I’ve had a gazillion and one images of what might happen. What would it be like to talk to an agent on the phone? (Boy, have I had THAT talk in my head too many times.) I’ve thought about what it would be like to be offered a big advance (and I don’t mean huge. My imagination is fairly reasonable. I don’t need 6 figures. I’d take, say, 50k as my dream advance? Yeah that would be nice.) I’ve thought about seeing my book in book stores, hitting the New York Times Bestseller list, signings and having readers email me. People writing fanfiction about my work. 

Some of those things I haven’t achieved (okay, most of them.) Some of them I probably won’t ever achieve. But I realized something during my release week: If I have the opportunity to reach one of those goals, I need to take it. Even if it means going out of my way to get there.

All I have is right now and even though I’m confident I’ll have more books published, I never know what might happen. It’s possible I'll only ever get the opportunity to self-publish, or publish through ebook publishers, or might get a big publisher contract and bookstores won’t house my books (Yes, this happens!) 

So on my release day I went out to the Books-A-Million up the street to look for my book. I’d specifically asked my editor if BAM had bought any of my book and he said yes (but that didn’t mean every store would have it). I went in and looked for it on the shelf and didn’t see it. I asked about it.They said they didn’t have the book in stock, and probably wouldn’t get it. 

Even knowing that not every store would have it, it was still a bit crushing that my local, big chain, book store didn’t, and wouldn’t, get it. 

Well, long story short, I finally got the chance to talk to the store manager who ordered 25 copies for a signing right there on the spot.

So they were getting my book. I was going to have a signing!! That’s one check off my Author’s Bucket List. But I missed out on a huge one. 

Seeing my book on the shelf of a book store. 

They were ordering copies but those copies might never sit on those shelves waiting for an innocent reader to come by. It’s cool in its own way but I still wanted to make sure I got the experience of walking into a book store, walking down the aisle and seeing MY BOOK. 

After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to hop in my car and take a road trip. Luckily it wasn’t TOO far to the next big book store. I went to Barnes&Noble a little over a half hour away just so I could have that experience before it was too late.

AND…..

I FOUND IT!!!

I talked to a manager, signed the copies they had and they very nicely placed in up front! :D

Thanks Barnes & Noble for fulfilling one of my dreams! One more item of my Author Bucket List checked off! Success!

I have many more dreams left to be achieved, but for now I’m happy with those two!

(Funny story. Only a few days later a friend posted this one facebook. I was all "Hey! Is that at Books-A-Million in town?" Apparently BAM up the street did get it in, and it definitely wasn't the copies they ordered. They DID have an order already in and were just a bit behind.)