So here we are, at last. The Big Day. The one you’ve been waiting for ever since you spent your Saturday afternoons curled up on your teenage bed reading Stephen King novels. There is a book out in the world with my name on the cover. A book that I wrote all by myself. This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart is officially born today.
I’ve got quite a few posts brewing in my head about the writing process, as I feel compelled to demystify it for anyone out there who’s feeling their own sacred call to write a book. I’ve noticed I’m getting two types of response from readers who’ve reached out to me — the first group find themselves in the pages and know on a heart level what I’m writing about. I love this so much, I can’t even tell you. The other group feel a connection too, but they also write telling me that they now feel able to write their own book. I don’t know if it’s the sort of book we made, or the fact that I’m a regular gal who just happened to write a book, but there’s something happening that let’s people see that if there’s a book burning bright in their heart, it really IS POSSIBLE to get it down on paper. It IS POSSIBLE to send it out into the world.
I really do understand. Before I wrote a book i had no idea how to write a book. Turns out there’s no magic to it — it’s just a lot of grafting, and worrying, and more grafting. And an unseemly amount of staring into space, frowning. I’m going to dig further into the process in future posts, for sure. (Plus writing about writing is fun!)
Anyways, it’s been quite the ride. Here’s the evolution of my first book, as witnessed in this blog space:
The book I would write | May 2006
Searching for answers | May 2009
A very special announcement | May 2010
Feeling the fear | June 2010
Signing my book deal in NYC | September 2010
How (not) to write your first book | April 2011
Revealing the name | May 2011
Notes on editing a book | July 2011
Copy-editing in an Indian summer | September 2011
Every book needs a cover | October 2011
The joys of proofreading | December 2011
Two years later, it’s here! | March 2012
Thoughts on the book | March 2012
Out in the wild | May 2012
My top 10 book secrets | May 2012
Back in 2006 I was writing another book, one that was very raw and, actuallly, really hard to write. I was too close to the blast, and eventually realised that it wasn’t a book I could (or should) finish. I hadn’t lived enough of the story — I was still at the beginning. All in it took me six years to be ready to get it down on paper, and I’m so glad I waited. It was absolutely the right thing to do.
I don’t want to do a big Oscars acceptance speech because they are so annoying but I do just want to say thank you to Nikki Hardin, Mary Norris, Kristen Mellitt and Laura Nolan for being my book midwives, and to my mum, sister and nephew for letting me write about them in the book :)
And thank you to all of YOU who take the time to come to this blog and read my ramblings. Seriously, if it wasn’t for you there’d be no book to birth today. YOU GUYS ROCK MY WORLD! xxx
______
The blog book tour continues!
Monday 4th — Poppytalk
Tuesday 5th — Ali Edwards, Chookooloonks, Rachel Cole, Tara Mohr
Wednesday 6th — Shutter Sisters, Scoutie Girl, Roots of She, Kelly Rae Roberts
Thursday 7th — Intuitive Bridge, Lisa Sonora Beam
Friday 8th — Kind Over Matter
Friday 15th — Boho Girl, Sfgirlbybay, Brene Brown
congrats!!! and now time to have some fun and enjoy it!!!
xxx
Many many congratulations to you Susannah, I know your online community is so very proud of you! You’ve worked so hard for this, your success is well deserved :) Can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy, looking forward to reading it very much!
Congratulations! What excitement.
I usually read this blog without commenting. However, today is a important day for you. So I just want to say CONGRATULATIONS… and THANK YOU! You know that you are a source of inspiration for many of us; that might be odd to hear/read, but you know you are. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am proud of the work you’ve done. And that it is a pleasure to follow this blog. You thank us, the readers, but without your words we would not be so.
And now.., I’m just going to buy this book!
Oh gee congrats congrats congrats!
I received my book from Amazon last week, and what I felt immediately was gratitude: to you for sharing your journey, for your easy and open writing, and for the brilliant way you have you made your personal experience so universal. I plan to send my copy to a friend who lost her mother last year and her husband this year. I will then buy more, one to send a friend who just lost her dog, one for my colleague’s mother who is in a painful divorce, and one for me. You have done a world of good!! Thank you and congratulations!!!
Congratulations, you brilliant woman! You light up the world.
what robby said xxx
Dear Sus… you are anything except a regular gal… you are amazing and sharing your life the way you constantly do is a gift for all of us close to you.
Congratulations on your book baby. Hope to meet with you during the tour!
A big hug to you
Congrats Sus! so, so proud of you – ordered my copy today! :)
I just got my book on Monday. Read the first couple pages and was in tears almost immediately. I lost my brother very suddenly in 2004 (he was 19) then my mom very suddenly last year (she was 57). Both unexpected. I immediately took this book to my therapist and shared that I just think its so cool that you can put down in words your story. Thank you for being brave and oh so authentic in sharing your life with us.
Congratulations on your book…I’m eagerly awaiting my copy. It’s something I truly need right now. Thank you.
i just got a notice from amazon that my copy of your book is on its way, should be here by end of week. can’t wait!!!
congrats on a job well done ;)
so disappointed, the book didn’t arrive in time for the course. our local chapters didn’t stock the shelves until yesterday. missed such a wonderful opportunity, i so loved the unravelling course when i took it last year. good luck with sales!!
you can still join, honey — i’ll email you xo
I want to THANK YOU for writing your story. I received your book last wednesday and finished it in a day. I lost my husband 5 years ago to an awful automobile accident. I was 40 when he died. I can’t even begin in words to explain how validating your book is for me. Thank You and Congratulations on such a beautiful piece of writing.
Yay! Just finished the book last night in bed and just smiled to myself (again) with such joy and delight at the gift of your book. It is one I will revisit again and again in future years, I know. It’s a keeper. :)
Also, I resonate so much with what you shared about being unable to finish the first book you were writing because you were too close to it and hadn’t finished living the story. I tried writing my story too early in the process, too, fueled by angst … only now, on the other side of it, do I feel able to consider writing it again. It will be a completely different book this time around. xo
CONGRATULATIONS!!! So very excited for you. I am fairly new to your blog and website but have been enjoying it very much so far. I’m especially curious about your experience being published, as I have my first book contract and will also have a book baby, due this fall! So yes, please do share more writings about writing and the whole process of giving birth to a book.
My own book is a collection of essays called “Starcat’s Corner: Essays on Pagan Living.” Being a published author has been a lifelong dream, and I’m so thrilled that it’s coming true at age 42. It’s true, we women are even more powerful in our 40s! :)
Blessings,
Nikki (aka Starcat)
nothing but love. xx
I am really enjoying your video interviews. Even though you’ve got videos embedded in your ebooks/courses (I have Blogging from the Heart, Photo Meditations, and Exploring the Senses), the interviews show a different facet of you. It’s a different experience altogether seeing you and hearing you “live”, talking about yourself and your work. My book hasn’t arrived yet so I’m keeping myself from delving into Exploring the Senses – which is hard because the emails are sitting in my inbox, seducing me to read them! <3 xxxoooxxx
Many many congrat’s! Just started reading it today, during my lunch break, & wished that I could have kept going. So very beautiful & I’m glad you waited to write this as well!
BIG congratulations to you, Susannah! Your book arrived in the mail yesterday. I can’t wait to curl up this weekend and start reading it. It’s a beauty. xx
Wow! Congratulations Susannah! I’m definitely going to read your book and hope to order it later today. I lost a partner almost exactly 20 years ago, and although I’m happily remarried with a beautiful daughter the pain and sadness will always be there. You’re so positive and inspiring. Best wishes.