Two feelings battled inside me as soon as Chronicles From Château Moines was released.
Relief: Regardless of the outcome, I did it.
Anxiety: Now that the story is no longer mine only, what will others say about it?
But when the first reviews appeared on Amazon, that Marcia invited me on her blog, that many friends congratulated me through e-mail and texts, and that Claire and Trinity posted reviews on their blogs, two new feelings replaced them.
Gratitude: Thank you, thank you, thank you, readers and bloggers, for your support and generosity.
Hope: Maybe more and more people will read my novel and like it enough to get it or recommend it to a child they know.
How do you feel when something you’ve created is out in the world?
Evelyne Holingue 
I generally feel terrified, Evelyne! 😀 But I love it! Writing is the best thing ever, and I’m going to keep doing it. Hope you have many more years of it ahead of you, as well, each one more successful than the one before!
Thank you so much, Marcia, for your visit and input and for your kind words of encouragement. See you soon.
Who cares what I feel except excitement at the prospect of reading your book, which I finally ordered and which is being shipped to me as I write this. hurray!
Fondly,
E
Thank you so much, Elizabeth, for your support. I wish you Happy Reading then! See you soon.
Holding my novel in my hands was a thrill. I’d self-published a poetry chapbook and had three anthologies of women’s fantasy & science fiction published by a good indy publisher, but this was different. I vanquished many demons to finish it, and it was good. But the local bookstores ignored it. I was blindsided by this: I’m a former bookseller, and one of the joys of my bookselling days was promoting good books by local writers. They were all about books published by New York publishers. My book didn’t fit into the usual niches. OMG! A novel with gay and lesbian characters set in a small town! People who found it loved it, but hardly anyone found it.
I didn’t see any point in even thinking about another novel. I got involved in other things, like training and competing with my dog, running for local office, and training as a mediator. But things were changing in the publishing world. My novel came out in late 2008. E-publishing and self-publishing were coalescing but not quite there yet. Gradually I came to see a way around the local bookstores: get on Facebook, start a blog (and then another blog), build a potential audience that way. And it got me writing again. I’m well on the way to a complete draft of novel #2, and I’ve got another one on deck. It’s been a “long dark night of the soul,” but there’s a lot of light in the eastern sky.
Congratulations on your novel, and I look forward to reading it!
Your experience is very interesting, Susanna. I understand why booksellers hesitate to carry self-published writers, even though I believe that in the end we would both benefit from a healthy exchange. Local booksellers carry my two novels and they can be ordered by them if anyone asks for. I totally share your point of view about the self-publishing tools that are now available to us. So much has changed in terms of quality that it has become much easier to do it on our own. The quality being better, the stigma has faded, which is a good thing. Even traditionally published authors do it when they can’t move on with a new manuscript. Plus, like you write, we’ve got new communication platforms that allow us to be in touch with more potential readers or buyers. This is exciting to see that you have fully embark the boat and are so busy. Good for you! See you soon.
True gratitude is the most marvelous feeling. Thank you Evelyne for calling up that feeling in me with this charming post. Wishing you wondrous things with this new book. Huge hugs! ❤
I know that you get this feeling too, Teagan, when people stop by and compliment you on your writing work. Thank you so much for your encouragment words. See you soon.
Since the only writing I do is on my blog, I’m not sure I can relate. However, when I operated a cabinet shop, I would always have this huge build up of anxiety prior to delivering a finished product. I always wondered what I would do if someone didn’t like it. Then, one time a person complained. The complaints were minor, but I offered to return their money and take the item back. Then they said “no, we really like it” – they were hoping to get some money back. I learned then that if I was happy with my work, that was all that mattered.
I read your blog regularly and I read your first book. You would never let something out into the wild that wasn’t your best effort. Don’t worry about anything.
My question implied anything created from us, so I totally understand how you must have felt. You’ve got a point about being happy when we have done our best. However the wait for feedback that can be critical is nerve-racking. Thank you for reading my first novel and encouraging me to go on. See you soon, Dan.
I was fortunate in a way. There was only one copy of each thing that I built. One sale and one customer to worry about. I can’t really imagine something with an ongoing life like a book.
It’s a bit unnerving. Kind of like getting married. You can’t undo it. It’s OUT there. Congratulations!!
Yep, it’s done. But thanks to the congrats comment I enjoy the moment too! See you, Marilyn.
You described it so well, Evelyne: relief that it’s done and out there, anxiety (Will people like it?), gratitude to the many people who have helped, and hope for the future of the book.
Congratulations on the publication of your book, and best wishes for its success.
Thank you, Nicky, for your visit and kind words. The congrats and encouragement messages mean a lot to me. I also wish you and your novel the very best. See you soon.
toutes mes félicitations et plein de bonnes choses pour la suite, du succès, de belles ventes …c’est merveilleux 🙂 et je suis certaine que tes lecteurs aimeront, bises à bientôt
Merci, merci! Je souhaite que tu aies raison! A plus tard surton blog.
Excitement, accomplishment, anxiety can be heady stuff… enjoy!
Right, John! Thank you for your visit and wise words.
Yeah – congratulations as you exhale. So very happy for you, most don’t ever get one book published, but two? It’s going to be very well received – congrats again, looking forward to reading it!
Of all people, you know the feelings, right? Thank you for sharing my mixed emotions and for supporting art in all its forms. See you soon, Mary.
I’m very happy for you Evelyne – I have bought my copy and will let you know when I’ve read it 🙂
That’s very kind of you, Andrea. I really appreciate your support and would love to know your thoughts when you get a few minutes. Best to you and your writing.
Many congratulations to you again Evelyne, such an exciting but also nerve-wracking time for you. But how wonderful for all the support, reviews and encouragement. I can only imagine what it must be like to go through this process, in the final letting go of something you have worked so hard to create and then share with the world. No small feat that. I have yet to experience it. I am sure that you will have the success you deserve and I really look forward to reading your book as soon as I can. I already know it will be great read. So happy for you 🙂
Thank you very much, Sherri. Your comment and every one I received are encouraging and push me to go on with my next projects. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about my novel when you get the time to read it. And I am looking forward to reading you too. Very soon I hope!
I can’t wait to read your book Eveylne and will happily share my thoughts with you. And I thank you in return for your marvellous support of my writing. Ha! Yes, soon I hope! Isn’t this blogging community wonderful?
Congratulations, what a great sense of achievement you must feel. Enjoy the glowing reports and all the best for your next project!
You are too kind! Thank you for stopping by and encouraging me.
Oh man. How do I feel about releasing a book? SO MUCH FEELS. I have to tell you, I’m a MESS after a book release. It’s so scary to release that piece of your heart out into the world for people to be critical over and eat up. I’m already so excited to read it! My paperback copy came in the mail last week. Can’t wait!!
I knew you would say that, Katie! Let me tell you that I am almost finished with your new novel and you don’t need to be scared. I already told you that your writing style was what ultimately kept me going, beyond the intriguing plot. For #2 you bring us an even better story. So relax! Thank you for supporting me.
Evelyne,
I imagine sending your book out into the world is a little like sending your child off to college. You’ve poured your love into it and now your book will make its way in the world. Interesting also to have your youngest start college at the same time.
It was a pretty unusual fall, I agree, with a son and a book making their ways in the world. I hope that the book will do as well as the boy who is enjoying his new life, classes and friends! See you soon, Claire, and thank you for your visit.
Wish you every success!!!!
Thank you so muc, Sharmishtha, for your kind words. See you soon.