I was talking about my book, Bastion, to a relative of mine at this party, see. And in the middle of my conversation I noticed a woman with short hair listening in, which I found extremely flattering because she looked quite interested. My manager always said to have a PR opportunity ready so I guess I was doing my job, but making sure not to steal the spotlight from the real star of the evening, being the birthday guy.
Anyway after I was done speaking, the woman who was listening asked me if I wrote that book myself. I told her yes and she said that her daughter was trying to figure out a way to get her writing out and about in the world as well. I told this woman how I got started, and then suddenly she darted away into the crowd. She had said something and I had missed it, so I assumed the lady left.
But she didn't. She came back a minute later with her daughter. The girl was here at the party! She shook my hand gently with a copy of The Goblet of Fire in her other hand, a Harry Potter paperback. I couldn't stop smiling as this girl, timidly yet with excitement in her eyes, told me what she wrote about and asked how to get her work out there.
I didn't know how to take this at all. I had come here to celebrate a birthday so this was way unexpected. I just looked at her and saw myself in her. I was in this position if not six months ago, frantically trying to get all the information I could out of anyone willing to share. Trying to get someone, anyone to notice all the hard work I had put into this project. But initially no one was there to point me in the right direction. And direction is important, especially in the publishing world.
So I gave her all my contact information, told her to look up Amanda Hocking on youtube for inspiration, told her about my book blog and other numerous sites, and gave her the ups, downs, ins and outs of the self-publishing world and how I got my start, as well as the company that I went with. She seemed so floored, so excited, it really warms the heart to be in a position where you can help someone with the information that you know. I promised her that I would keep an eye out for her and when her work finally does debut, it'll be right here on this blog. I heard her sister asking if she could help her design posters and such. I told them to include as many friends in this as she could, to make a real project out of it and let it expand as far as her imagination allowed. I think she liked that idea.
She asked me if she could buy the paperback I had with me and if I would sign it. I signed it, but I didn't sell it. I told her she could just take it with her. I was honestly just aloof off the moment. I didn't want to ruin that feeling.
So in truth, she inspires me, and not the other way around. Maybe one day she'll be signing her book for me as I stand there all a flutter, waiting for her signature. I hope to see her soar, I really do.
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