It was a crazy week with book events! And I faced two fears: going to NYC alone and giving my first author visit presentations at two schools.
I traveled to NYC for BookCon at the Jacob Javits Center, along with thousands of other book lovers May 30th-31st, where I signed Joshua and the Lightning Road at my publisher’s booth, Month9Books.
With my publisher of Month9Books, Georgia McBride.
It was book heaven and fun to engage with young readers who are excited about books and meet old friends like fellow International Thriller Writers Debut Author, Nancy Bilyeau!
Vittoria here sets her own summer reading challenge and was super excited to put Joshua and the Lightning Road on her reading list.
I conquered the city: rode the train, hailed a cab, walked the streets. I feel very New York-ish now. I brought back some wonderful new memories – and reads for free!
After the skyline of NYC faded is was onto New Jersey to give my first presentation to a middle school creative writing group and two presentations back-to-back at my son’s elementary school June 4th and 5th.
The kids were so animated and engaged as I shared my frustrating and rewarding road to becoming an author mixed in with humor and the five R’s of being an author: Reading, (W)Riting, Research, Revision – and Rejection. And the improvisational skit was a big hit!
My one goal as requested by my son, Joshua: Do NOT be boring! According to him it was the best presentation ever. Phew. Second fear faced.
Joshua with one of his best buddies. School visit photos by Reckie Leckie Photography.
And my son was on such a high Friday after my author visit at his school that heading for ice cream to celebrate he said: “This is the best day ever and we need a theme song to celebrate!” He picked the most buy cialis perfect song off his iPod “BEST DAY OF MY LIFE” by American Authors! And we rolled down the windows and sang our hearts out.
I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh … Wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh … Wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I’m never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, please don’t wake me now
Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my li-ife
My life.
And the week wasn’t even over yet! More celebrations came with the book release party at The Doylestown Bookshop on Saturday, June 6th.
And how cool is it that I was right next to Judy Blume in the month’s event flyer!
Friends and kids came out in droves!
The scavenger hunt was a HUGE hit and so was the book trailer and I tried not to embarrass the real Joshua too much by talking about him as my inspiration. So many wonderful friends came out!
Even a knight in shining armor showed up and we sold out of stock!
And we ended the day with a celebration at the Doylestown Brew Pub!
The crazy week ended and Sunday was grounded in reality with revisions to tackle on book two, JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM. I closed the blinds so the fresh green of summer and sunshine wouldn’t taunt me. After a 12-hour revision day I crawled out of my cave to drench myself in the last remnants of a golden green day for 30 minutes of a heavenly reward bike ride. Through fields and flowers I followed my own scavenger hunt to feed my creative soul that needed filling. And I sang aloud:
I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
I’m never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, please don’t wake me now.
Time to get back to writing – and dreaming…
