I got a surprise email today.
It was a note from the self-publishing house I use for my book “Auntie Eva’s Boarder.” They let me know about some sales back in October, and we’re sending me $12.42 in royalties.
This makes me happy. So far in 2019 I’ve sold 15 books, for around $92 in royalties. I’m not quitting my day job over those sorts of royalties anytime soon.
But that’s not at all the point. Total strangers bought these books, over at the Apple bookstore and through Lulu.com directly. People I don’t know and shall never meet. I don’t know why they bought them, don’t know how they came to decide.
Which, as an author is so validating to me. I view my writing somewhat like a baby bird. I get it just how I want it, and then I push it out of the nest, to fly away on its own.
AEB, as I call it sometimes, is my first book, which was originally published by Pink Flamingo Books, and then later republished by me thirteen years ago.
And it’s still chugging along, getting new readers. I can’t say enough how meaningful that is to me, that my work endures.
In my vanilla life during that time I’ve changed jobs about five times, houses too. I’ve had relationships come and go.
But these worlds I create, and the characters I fill them with, they remain.
I’m grateful for that.
