This weekend, I signed and returned the book contract for my poetry collection, Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, along with the revised manuscript (multiple hard copies plus digital files in PDF and MS Word) headshots (in color and black & white, digital and print), cover art (digital and print), acknowledgements, bios (long and short), one hundred mailing labels, countless other things I’m forgetting, and my first-ever blurbs. Yes, I now have blurbs. Very nice ones, in fact (thank you Jennifer Simpson, Connie Post, and Rebecca Foust), with a few more in the works.
The past few weeks have been stressful but exciting. I’ve been juggling a lot of balls and managing way too many tasks, not to mention dealing with all the emails and phone calls it took to track down one hundred mailing addresses. Now, more than a month after I first received word that my manuscript had been accepted for publication by Finishing Line Press, I feel I have time to take a breath and celebrate.
Tonight I’m popping the cork on a bottle of champagne grown and made in New Mexico (yes, apparently they make quite good champagne there) given to me by Jennifer Simpson several years ago. She told me to use it celebrate something big, and I think a book contract fits the bill. Wish she could be here to celebrate with me.
I’m still pinching myself, but it appears this book is really happening. Thank you again to Finishing Line Press for selecting my work and believing in me. It’s an honor to be one of your poets.
Until next time,
Cynthia
