113,000 words in 16 Days?  Yes, Ma'am!

I had a bought a million thoughts when I first saw the words .... "did you get free - are you coming over....?"  - flash on my husbands cell phone.  Whatever they were, I can assure that none of them involved me writing a book later.

I only started the blog to make sure that truth was "out there" about The Sign and our divorce.  Early on there were false article's suggesting that we were still married or that The Sign was a lie and just a marketing ploy.  True, it was a marketing campaign, but it was rooted in intense honesty - not vengeance or marketing ploy's.  After so many people identified with my situation, I felt it was important to be true to myself and to my feelings and make sure the people who were sharing their heartfelt stories of loss and betrayal and triumph - were stories I appreciated and that I wouldn't use our collective common experience just to make a buck.

The Blog does fairly well, especially when you take into consideration that I do no advertising on The Blog or for The Blog.  Within four months, The Blog had garnered over 15,000 regular readers, which I'm fairly proud of.  I thought I would write a few posts and be done - but I said, in my first post, that I would continue to blog until people stopped reading.... so far, people are still reading... :)

The Blog and The Book are a bit different.  When I blog, I kind of just sit down and write.  It's usually the last thing I do at the end of the day - it's gotten better over time.... or, perhaps *I've* just gotten better over time.  In the early days I refer back to the day a lot - though everyone is actually reading about events the day after.  That can sometimes cause confusion.  Also, it's usually 1 or 2 in the morning, so my attention to grammar and spelling is not what it could be. lololol

The Book, however, is chronological, and was edited and published professionally.  The tone of the book, though still very much my "voice" (because I wrote every single word) - it's less conversational, less.... "familiar", if that makes sense.  Though, I suspect it won't unless you read The Book (so be sure to buy it! hahaha).

I was approached by a publisher in August 2012, and after talking to a few friends and a few writers, I agreed to write The Book.  I was hesitant at first, mostly because I didn't feel as though I "deserved" to write a book... people go to college and study for years and write for years more - and still never find themselves "published".  It felt wrong, and may be a bit selfish, to 'write' a book.  I mean, I can stick on some pasties, throw on a thong and fling myself around a pole: but that doesn't make me a dancer. 

I wasn't entirely convinced that I was qualified to 'write a book'.  So, I turned to The Blog readers and they voted on a survey - 99% of respondents said to write a book.  So I did.  (And a few of them have asked for the option to purchase a signed copy - so I've added a paypal button for that to the left.... I feel a bit humbled and unworthy for such a thing... but there you have it.)

I'm not at all grateful for Yoga Girl, for the loss of my home, or the breakdown of my family, but.... I am grateful for The Blog, the community of readers who have grown from The Blog, and most importantly, the perspective it's provided me on our new life and situation.  Also... it's kind of cool to write a book.

Oh... and two days before Christmas, The Book sold out on Amazon... and *that* was entirely cool. I would have been proud just to sell one copy to one stranger - that, I decided, was my bench mark for 'success'.  To have sold out the book and have 10 5 star reviews on Amazon and another on Goodreads.com - is incredibly humbling.  Thanks for being on this journey with us.... it is much appreciated.

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