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You are here: Home / Amy Sue Nathan / Twelve Things I Learned My First Week As A Published Author

Twelve Things I Learned My First Week As A Published Author

May 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

1. People you never expected to contact you will do so with kindness and enthusiasm, and sometimes with chocolate. 

2. People you expected to contact you, will not.

3. Urgent Care Centers will be open in the middle of the night even when your book has launched just in case your 21-year-old cuts his finger on a broken glass at 1 am.

4. Photos will pour in from all over the country with sightings of the novel you wrote. Sometimes you won’t even know the people who snapped and sent the photo. 

5. Someone will criticize your story and then say she read it in one day because she couldn’t put it down, making your head spin. 

6. You will check Amazon rankings even though everyone has said the numbers don’t matter.

7. Amazon rankings will delight and/or destroy you (sometimes in the same hour) even though everyone has said that the numbers don’t matter. 

8. Washing machines will leak. Because they can. 

9. Sleep will elude you, except in the middle of the day.

10. Speaking to a group of high school creative writing students (daughter included) will be the highlight of the week. 

11. You will receive many teacup gifts, and hope that your publisher puts jewelry on your next book cover (fingers crossed). Or a tropical island. 

12. You will realize that this is the best job for you, just like you imagined. 

Best book launch napkin ever!

Best launch party napkin ever!

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Filed Under: Amy Sue Nathan, THE GLASS WIVES

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. erikamarks says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    Love it, Amy! All so, so true. (And where can I get those napkins?! Yes, please!)

    Here’s to another week of wonder and joy–and without leaky washing machines and cut fingers!!

    Reply
  2. annerallen says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    All so very true. Including the real-life disasters that seem to cluster when you’ve got a big career event. Congrats.

    Reply
  3. mynovelopinion says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    Love you’re number 11. Maybe jewelry ON a tropical island? Hope your publisher takes note 🙂

    Reply
  4. Densie Webb says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    As always some funny, insightful stuff. Book hasn’t arrived yet and have a couple of library books I’ve got to get through first, but can’t wait to read it! And love the napkins!

    Reply
  5. Jill Anderson says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    I think the jewel-covered woman lounging on a tropical island beach idea is perfect for your next book. Even if it’s about a mass-murder that takes place in Alaska 🙂
    Congrats to you on a whirlwind, roller-coaster week!

    Reply
  6. Andrea Lochen says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    Love this post, Amy! So true!

    Reply
  7. Sara DiVello says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:58 pm

    LOL. These are awesome!! Yes–angle for jewelry covers on the next book, but teacups sound pretty awesome too. Love the napkins! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Normandie says

    May 22, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    Thank you for another laugh out loud moment. Not that I couldn’t have made one up myself, but your funny post kept me from having to work at it.

    I’m with you. Tropical island and jewelry. Along with dark chocolate that you eat before you go so it doesn’t melt.

    Reply
  9. Zan Marie says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    I love it! I’m so glad you’ve had the chance to learn twelve nifty new things about writing. And I want to have a reason someday to have napkins like those. ; )

    Reply
  10. Katharine Britton says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    Great list and love the napkins!

    Reply
  11. Natalia Sylvester (@NataliaSylv) says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    This made me smile. What a wonderful list, and a great way to keep things in perspective. So glad you had an amazing week, Amy!

    Reply
  12. cheryl koshuta says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    This was one of the best posts ever. Completely changed my idea for what my book cover should be! Can’t wait to see what week two brings.

    Reply
  13. girlparker says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:46 pm

    A cover with jewelry. HA!! So happy for you and hope that the sleep comes back on board soon. I’d like a costco size pack of those napkins!

    Reply
  14. bethhavey says

    May 22, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    Loved this post. You go Amy. Life goes one but it’s different for you now and better!!

    Reply
  15. Renee Rosen says

    May 22, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    Great post! Sorry though about #8! So glad you’re enjoying your debut!

    Reply
  16. lorispielman says

    May 22, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    Great post, Amy! Laughing out loud at your book cover comment! Here’s to many more weeks of fun!

    Reply
  17. liz says

    May 22, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    So glad you are having a (mostly) spectacular week! So sorry about the cut finger and leaking washing machine!

    Reply
  18. Edith says

    May 22, 2013 at 4:50 pm

    Congratulations again Amy Sue! Enjoy the ride! It sounds wild!! 🙂 xxx

    Reply
  19. Marci Nault says

    May 22, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Loved this, Amy. And the jewelry idea is great – my book would only garner buckets of water. I learned in my first few weeks as an author that Amazon is not the place to look for how the book is doing. Not that I don’t check, but definitely check it less in my second week out. Ask your agent to ask your editor what the sales for the first week looked like. Bookscan is not even close. S&S has an author portal that allows me to track sales. I don’t know if St. Martin’s has the same. It’s a great tool to ease the worried writer’s mind. I’m certain you’re doing amazing!

    Reply
  20. Holly Robinson says

    May 22, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    Oh, Amy, your book arrived right away and I read it within two days–SUCH a great read! I loved every word! And your post here made me laugh, because of course we all expect to feel like “authors” after our books come out, and the real truth is that we still have to carry on being wives, mothers, friends, daughters, and house slaves. I hope you can feel my hug all the way from Massachusetts! I’m with you, girlfriend!

    Reply
  21. Helen W. Mallon says

    May 22, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    Yay! Love this, it’s full of life and encouragement.

    Reply
  22. Catherine says

    May 23, 2013 at 1:21 am

    How wonderful is this! I’m so glad it is going so well for you (apart from the glass incident and the washing machine!) I’m sure you deserve it! Xcat

    Reply
  23. Jill Anderson says

    May 23, 2013 at 11:36 am

    My copy is on it’s way from Amazon – hopefully will be reading it next week!

    Reply
  24. Aidan Larsonn says

    May 23, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    Congratulations, a million times over! Just had it whispered to my kindle. And just in case you were wondering, amazon readers have already rated it 4.5 stars.
    Aidan

    Reply
  25. kimberlysullivan says

    May 24, 2013 at 12:47 am

    Congratulations, Amy! And agreed, they are the best book launch party napkins ever…

    Reply
  26. Brenda Bevan Remmes says

    May 27, 2013 at 7:32 am

    delightful

    Reply
  27. Karen Lange says

    May 31, 2013 at 3:39 pm

    Love this! Congratulations!

    Reply

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