Henriette, thanks for this brave and sincere account of your first book launch, and for sharing your insight into the contrast between that and the one you're doing now.
Perfection is not of this earth, but as you point out, something imperfect can still be wonderful! Since that's what earthly perfection is, we might as well get used to it and embrace it. While your first launch sounds terrific in its own way, this one seems even better because (to use an explorer image) you have your "sea legs."
Each book represents a fixed point, a moment crystallized in a collection of words, though of course subject to interpretation. But as a living writer, you're much more volatile -- a moving target. . It is great that this time around, you can enjoy the ride. You're different in terms of who you are , and maybe even why you write. With this comes the precious ability to channel who(m) you choose to listen to. This is always hard to know, in literature as in life., but you're reminding us we can work toward a better place, and the kind of understanding you've won the hard way, by pushing forward and growing in wisdom and experience.
Thanks, Susan. And of course there -are- ups and downs. It's not going to be completely joyful because life is life and we are human. But it's pretty damned good. :-)
Henriette, thanks for this brave and sincere account of your first book launch, and for sharing your insight into the contrast between that and the one you're doing now.
Perfection is not of this earth, but as you point out, something imperfect can still be wonderful! Since that's what earthly perfection is, we might as well get used to it and embrace it. While your first launch sounds terrific in its own way, this one seems even better because (to use an explorer image) you have your "sea legs."
Each book represents a fixed point, a moment crystallized in a collection of words, though of course subject to interpretation. But as a living writer, you're much more volatile -- a moving target. . It is great that this time around, you can enjoy the ride. You're different in terms of who you are , and maybe even why you write. With this comes the precious ability to channel who(m) you choose to listen to. This is always hard to know, in literature as in life., but you're reminding us we can work toward a better place, and the kind of understanding you've won the hard way, by pushing forward and growing in wisdom and experience.
Melissa, this is a lovely comment. Thank you for posting it, and for being so thoughtful about these questions. We do grow, don't we? Thank goodness!
Thanks, Susan. And of course there -are- ups and downs. It's not going to be completely joyful because life is life and we are human. But it's pretty damned good. :-)