Up up and away!

The local bar called my future Publicist today and asked that we attend this weekends online dating bash for some book signing.  She was quite excited to host the event, which made me feel great.  Then the realization that I needed to actually ORDER the books came to mind and panic set in. I frantically logged in to my page to see how fast I could get them and wouldn't you know it, I can't...ughh.  Such a newbie mistake, I certainly couldn't call and cancel.

You have to be quick minded to master marketing, so we changed it from a book signing to a "meet the author" night.  I hold in my hand three printed copies of my book, ahhh the golden ticket.  I had more, but I've sold them...that's the point right?  In any event, we are going to take advance orders for the book and I'll ship them out signed to those who order that evening.  For those that would rather wait, there will be flyers with information on them for future ordering, but here's the kicker.  Names of those that have placed orders will be picked from a bowl once an hour and who ever is picked will get to take his/her signed copy home that night.  Not bad for a newbie, if I don't say so myself...at least I'm hoping it isn't lol.  It could add some fun to the night anyway.

For someone that has suffered from panic disorder, all of this chaos is starting to catch up to me.  Turns out juggling work, family, school (my schooling that is), writing and marketing is...well...a lot to manage.  As I left school today, I went and paid my taxes like a good citizen, picked my car up from the shop, came home and cleaned, made dinner, primped for the newspaper photographer coming to my home and set-up my first event for my new book, not bad for a day's work. Then I started to wonder...

Can I handle success?  In other words...when I finished writing this book, I couldn't wait to get it on the market.  I really believed with everything I am...although I'm sure most do of their works...that it was good stuff so to speak.  I didn't have visions of grandeur, like becoming famous with just one book, but I did believe it would be received well by some.  I still believe that.  It's timely material and fits right in to the 21st century, but now instead of worrying that I won't be successful, I'm starting to worry that I might be successful lol.

Ponder this for a moment.  Nobody teaches you how to handle success, only failure.  You fall off your bike the first time, you get back on and try again.  You lost the softball game, but you played your best etc.  No one ever teaches you how to handle the outcome of success and it can be daunting.  Let's delve deeper into the mind of a writer shall we...

My name is Karen Blaisdell.  I've always been Karen Blaisdell, even when I was married.  I was born and will forever be, Karen Blaisdell.  I have two teenage boys, a great supportive family, a loving fiance and great step-son.  I have a good job, am sending myself through college and have a comfortable, what I consider beautiful, home and I'm happy.  I am for all intents and purposes blessed.  However, that Karen Blaisdell and Karen Blaisdell the author are two different things completely or at least they have the potential to be.  Do I have to choose or can I be both?  How do you handle success when all you've ever had to handle was standard stuff?  It's not that I haven't had successes in my life, but those were private and this is public.  I guess, like anything else in life, only time will tell.

Sincerely,