Putting myself out there again to market my latest book was a huge step for me. When Bob was diagnosed with cancer I retreated in a big way and hid from the cancer world. It was all a little too much for me. You see, my first book launch didn’t exactly go to plan. I was burnt the first time around and I was very wary that things could go pear-shaped on me again, so I went to organizing this book launch with a big lump in my throat. I was scared.
To launch a book takes a lot of planning, a lot of energy, and a lot of heart. I had to step outside my comfort zone and face a fear head on to plan this launch. I did everything (excuse the pun) by the book, I crossed all the t’s and dotted all of the I’s but my fear became reality and it all blew up in my face. It was through no fault of mine, or my publisher but my heart was broken. I had to cancel my book launch.
My first book The Breast Is Yet To Come went swimming up the Brisbane river in the 2012 floods. My first book launch was all organized and we had to go ahead with no books. We printed off the covers and pre-sold copies. It was great to celebrate my hard work, but on the inside, I was bitterly disappointed that I didn’t have the end product to show off to everyone. I charged ahead, I put a smile on my face and I sold books … that I didn’t have.
Let’s fast forward till December 2020; I was thrown yet another curveball. One last lesson of the dreaded 2020. My book Thanks For The Mammaries was printed and I began a three-week pre-sale period. I put myself out there and marketed my book to within an inch of its life. I made contact with media outlets, I did radio interviews, and zoom interviews that ended up on Youtube. Every day I was a presence on Facebook and Instagram and I made sure everyone knew I was launching another book. I had broken through the anxiety barrier, let my walls down and I was feeling good about putting myself out there again.
My happiness bubble was soon to be burst when I received the news that my books weren’t going to be delivered in time for my book launch. They were being held captive by customs in Brisbane and there was nothing I could do about it, but just wait. My good feeling about it all was soon crushed and anxiety was creeping in at a fast rate. They were climbing rapidly and my attention was taken away from the book launch as it was cancelled and I needed to concentrate on myself. I wasn’t going to allow this to bring me down and I had to work hard on keeping my shit together.
Why cancel the book launch you may ask, because I didn’t want to have another one without a book. The first time around it was slightly funny and we made a joke about it, but this time around I felt like the joke. I had taken orders and money from people during the pre-sale period and I felt like I had ripped people off. I had sold something and couldn’t give them the product by the promised date. I knew that they would eventually get their books but it didn’t sit right with me, especially just before Christmas. I was embarrassed!
I have worked incredibly hard writing these books and making sure they can be the best they can possibly be. A book launch is a celebration for an author at the end of the publishing process and I felt ripped off … not once but twice. I want nothing more than to stand in front of my family, friends, and colleagues, hold up a book and say “I did it!” and I can’t believe that that opportunity was taken away from me not once but twice.
I never give up though! Yes, the shine of the original book launches was taken off, and I felt like my perfect launch ideas blew up in my face. However, I am not that person to dwell on the negative and I will make sure that my books are out there in the world and making a difference in the cancer world and to the people who read them. Having a party with everyone to celebrate the book launch isn’t important to me anymore. The universe is clearly pointing me in a different direction and I need to keep going. I can’t look back on what could have been, because I’m not going backward… I'm going forward. I’ve now finished licking my wounds, I have now stopped the anxiety in its tracks and I am ready to take on the world … one book at a time.
I dream big and I won’t allow two hits of bad luck to bring me down! Thanks For The Mammaries will be successful, book launch or not. I now have my books in my hands, better late than never. The team at Ocean Reeve Publishing worked tirelessly to make it happen and for this I will be forever grateful. Together we will make a difference!
