Countdown: One week to go

It's Tuesday, one week until my first book, BORN TO FLY is published by Delacorte Yearling on July 14th, 2009.

I'm filled with a lethal mix of excitement and trepidation. Will the book actually arrive in stores? Will my publisher go out of business at the last minute, a victim of bad real estate investments and the internet? Will they tell me there's no money to pay their air conditioning bills and they had to burn my books for fuel?

It didn't help that I got a call last week from the local Barnes & Noble (where I'm having my first --and so far, only-- booksigning) and they asked ME whether the books will arrive on time for the publish date. "Geez, I hope so," I told them. But I haven't a clue. I've never done this before (why are they asking me? I was hoping one of us had some experience with this kind of thing).

Anyway, I'm too busy trying to get the kids to swim meets, and packed off to Grandma's for a week in Indiana before I have the amazing privilege of attending the Highlights Foundation Children's Writers Workshop in beautiful Chautauqua, NY. I've even convinced myself it's a good thing I'm not home for the publish date. Since my book comes out while I'm at the workshop, I won't get the thrill of seeing it on shelves on the publish date, but I also won't have to worry about whether it makes it there on time either. Que sera, sera.

Actually, I should be working on a new chapter for my next book, but instead, at the urging of a more experienced writer friend, I decided to take a crack at this blogging thing. Hopefully I'll have enough of a rudimentary understanding that I'll be able to post from the workshop. (must remember to get a new digital camera by Friday).