" ... and they're off!"

I loved watching horse races as a kid. I still do. Last night, just before I stood up to speak to a group of Sisters In Crime members about publishing ... I thought of those Derby races ... how the horses are lead to the stalls ... the jockeys wait in heightened anticipation that flows through, I'm sure, to their horse ... the bell rings, the gates swing open, and the mad dash to the finish line begins. It's like a rocket going off.

I presented my journey to publication, or rather PUBLISHING FROM A WRITER'S POINT OF VIEW, last night to an eager group of listeners who were truly searching for answers about publishing and publicity. Michael and I presented "our story." And even though we're certainly not at the end of our own journey ... we've been down the road a far piece, researched, experienced, traveled all over the country finding our own answers ... and now it's time to share what we've learned.

The group was intense, took notes, asked tons of questions ... we loved it! It was, without a doubt, the threshold ... the launching pad ... the starting gates to our very long list of speaking engagements and it thrilled us. The response was tremendous and we felt very good being able to "give back." Especially to this group of writers. Michael and I know it will return to us many times over.

The meeting was open to the public, there were a few visitors, and I sold some books. We stood at the open door of something great last night; we could feel it as we walked through. I don't need to necessarily win the race, I just need to place well ... finish the race.

The past few weeks we've been laboring together, coordinating this long list of places for me to speak about my stories, my life, my work ... and last night it all came together. I laughed to myself as the meeting began. I imagined that horse race ... I could hear a voice in the distance....

".... and they're off!"

Blessings to you and yours.