I finally did it! I accomplished my dream of publishing my first book. This Book Needs a Laugh, an interactive kid's book, went live on Amazon on September 11th, and it has been a whirlwind of excitement and hard work as I continue to market it while working on my upcoming work for adults, a poetry and prose collection already available for pre-order called Embrace the Beauty (more about that later). This Book Needs a Laugh is about a sad book that needs cheering up, so it enlists the reader's help by asking the child to do silly things, such as roaring like a dinosaur, yodeling, and tickling the book. It leads to lots of silly antics and giggles, while also opening up the doors of discussion about important concepts like emotions and empathy.
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This Book Needs a Laugh has been well-received. I had a article published in to local newspapers, which created a lot of local buzz. Soon after it released, it even achieved #1 New Release in its category on Amazon! I was elated. Lots of positive and well-written reviews have been trickling in as the print edition finally arrived to customers, who were happy about their purchase. I am deeply touched by how supportive my family and friends have been about its release.
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It has definitely been an exciting last three weeks. But there is no time to rest! I have several speaking and signing events lined up to prepare for, I'm finishing up edits on my preorder collection so it can go to beta readers before a final edit, and I'm trying to get everything together to finish up my second children's book so that I can hopefully release it by January of next year. I'm also still writing my novel when I get a spare few minutes.
When I set out to become an author, I was determined to make this a successful business, so I expected that it would be hard work and take a lot of dedication. I am loving every minute of it, though. If I could skip sleep everyday and work through the night, I'd do it! My teaching career and caring for two kids prevents that, though, so I have to make the best of the time I do have each day, which is why I haven't updated the blog in several weeks. Look for more frequents updates, though, since I am finally figuring out how to juggles things with my new business.
If you'd like to order This Book Needs a Laugh, please find it on Amazon or CLICK HERE. Thanks!