A Publishing Contract and Writing Goals

And this is where I ask you to indulge me for two minutes.

Want to know what came in the mail last Friday?

My publishing contract.

Can we talk about how fun it is to look through something that talks about royalties and asks for your author signature?

Somehow seeing it all in print, knowing this is oh, so very real adds another level of HOLY FLIPPIN COW to the entire experience. I've known the contract was coming since March, and was told that it might take a while to arrive. But some days, I would still forget. I would forget that this big, exciting thing was happening somewhere off in the future and only remember things like doctor's appointments and basketball practices and heart worm medicine for the dog. Which is why when the contract came on Friday, it was sort of like getting accepted all over again. It was a reminder that this is real. I am a writer - an author of a book that people are going to read. People that aren't family members or friends, that will actually pay money to buy words that I wrote. (I hope. Will you buy one? Please say you'll buy one.)

It makes me happy. Happy and excited and still very much overwhelmed. And a little frightened too. See, I'm terrified of being a one hit wonder. Pregnancy makes writing hard. And newborns make writing even harder. And then there's the fact that there are five other children in my house. And a husband that I really love to spend time with. And then there's also the fact that I am still, STILL trying to finish my degree from BYU. I have five classes left, which is hardly a big deal, but it sort of IS a big deal because I have to finish by April of 2013 before I am officially kicked out of my program because really, 8 years is plenty of time to finish and what have you been up to anyway for the past 7 years, except having lots and lots of children which is important, more important even, and yet, I know I must still finish my degree. Even though all my classes are writing classes and I'm taking them so I can call myself a writer which is silly really, because doesn't a publishing contract make me one already? But I will finish because I always knew I would and I refuse to give up. And really, taking five more classes that have to be done before the baby I'm currently pregnant with turns 1 will be simple. You know, while also raising five other children and having something that might sort of resemble a life, while also trying to write another novel.

And now you know why I'm afraid I will be a one hit wonder. Because finding time to write? It's hard. I'm not giving up on that either though. I've got 52 pages of my next book written. It's a wonderful story that I love, with characters that I love, that are waiting so patiently for me to finish their story. In my head, it's written. I'm dreaming conversations, hearing dialog as I drive down the road... it's time to write. But it's also time for school work and time for mothering and time for so many important and wonderful things. It's all about balance, I guess.

I have no reason to complain. These are wonderful, incredible things that are filling my life. And it is getting easier because miracle of miracles, I don't really feel sick anymore. I still throw up once every morning, but then I feel fabulous for the rest of the day, instead of feeling sick ALL day like I did two weeks ago. So. I hope to be writing more. Write more, barf less. An admirable goal, yes?