I completed the next major step on the way to publishing my second book. Today, I sent in the manuscript to prepare the files for publication. This is great news for several reasons.
This will be a short post because I’ve been busy editing. Even so, I wanted to share the reasons why this is such a big step.
I Made the Book Publication Deadline
The book is about mindfulness, of course. Based on this, you might think that a book like that could be published at any time. Not in this case.
As I shared before, this one is my first attempt at fiction. It’s a mindfulness fable inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. Although my story focuses more on the New Year than Christmas, it’s still a holiday tale.
Based on this, I plan to publish before Thanksgiving this year. Doing the math backward, that means I got the manuscript finished right on time.
Done with Editing!
Having never written fiction before, I wrote this book in part to learn and grow as a writer and mindfulness teacher. Writing the book taught me so much about writing.
Editing the book taught me ever more. I went through 5 drafts of the book. That means I read and edited myself several times.
I also included detailed edits from an editor, coach, and several beta readers. Each level of review taught me something new. But let’s be real. Editing a book can be tedious and it can inspire a lot of self-doubt.
The good news is that I persisted and got to see how much better the book got because of my efforts and all the great feedback I received. Still, I am so glad to be done and am celebrating getting to move on to the next step.
The School Year Is Here
If you didn’t notice, I set the manuscript deadline with some intention. The majority of my law practice is devoted to school law. This means, the academic year is my “busy season.” As the mom of two girls, that means that the new school year rush hits me two ways at once.
Because the summer is usually not so hectic, I had planned to edit the book then and be done before school started. To be perfectly honest, I had hoped to be done even sooner but summer was a bit less chill than I had hoped. Regardless, I made my drop dead date, so the project is still right on time.
And now I can devote my full attention to getting my kids back in school and keeping my educator clients on track.
I’m Proud of the Book
And the best part of sending in the manuscript? The best part is that I’m proud of the book I wrote. As my first attempt at fiction, I don’t have illusions that the book is perfect.
Even so, it tells a story with heart. It conveys teachings about mindfulness that I couldn’t convey in a webinar, talk, or even a blog post.
It also combines so many things I love, including writing, teaching mindfulness, and good stories. This project was also supported by many people I love and respect. I have already had really great conversations with friends and family members who have read it. It’s so neat to hear what people focus on most when they read a story.
When and How Can You Read the Book?
I don’t have a specific date set just yet, but the title is final. The title of the book is A New Year’s Present. I hope you hear the rhythmic similarity to A Christmas Carol there, because that’s intentional.
It will be released in November. Like my other books, you will be able to find it on Amazon, BookShop, and other online retailers.
I will definitely let you know when it is published. I may even bang pots and pans and set off fireworks just like on New Year’s Eve!
Want to learn more about mindfulness and compassion? Check out my new book, How to Be a Badass Lawyer, for a simple guide to creating a meditation practice of your own in 30 days. And to share mindfulness with your little one, check out my new children’s book, Mommy Needs a Minute.
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