Cartwheels and Gratitude, a Weekend with my Writing Family

It has taken me more than 24 hours to get to this blog post. I can't believe it has taken this long, but it has. There was all the unpacking and showing off the things I brought home to my family. Hugging my kids. Feeding them some comfort food because I came home to a place where 3 of the 4 beings in my house seemed to be a touch under the weather. Sorting the stuff I had dumped on the table because there are some people in my home who seem to think the kitchen table is not meant to hold the copious amounts of stuff I tend to spread out on it. And then there was sleeping... in my own bed... with my own pillows... because I was very, very tired after three fun-filled days at the State Writing Conference and Convention.

The weekend was fun and informative, and I spent quite a bit of it riding high on adrenaline. Since I still haven't come up with an appropriate (or smooth) way to announce it, I'll just come right out and say it.

I WON THE BEST BOOK AWARD!!! 

ME! MY BOOK! 

TIGER HUNTING!!!

I know, that's excessive use of the exclamation mark and I should apologize for yelling it in all caps, but... HOLEY MOLEY! I WON!!! 

                   cartwheel   

                               cartwheel    

                                           cartwheel    

                                                      cartwheel 

                                                                   .....yipee!

Breathing now.

Here's an image. Proof!

William Karnowski, VP, Kansas Authors Club, presents Tracy Million Simmons (that's me!) with the Coffin Memorial Book Award for my first novel, Tiger Hunting. The Coffin award is intended to honor the best published book (excluding history and poetry, which have their own awards) written by a member of the Kansas Authors Club and published in the two years prior to the award date. (Thanks to Carol Yoho for the photo.) 

But seriously... breathing peace and filling with inner calm now. If this doesn't shut up that nasty little critic in my head, nothing will.

I plan to write more about the convention, but had to get this out of the way first. I am basking in the afterglow of a wonderful weekend with my writing family. Now looking forward to another night in my own bed. I'm not quite caught up on my sleep yet.

Letter from a Writing Friend

I received this by mail this week. It is in response to my talk at the Kansas Authors Club, District 4 meeting I attended in Manhattan.

I enjoyed your book as much as Bill said I would. I would have read it in one setting if my eyes would have held on; had to sleep a few hours. Your book held my interest like none have done for a while. It is hard to find a good book.

and

Tracy, your clever art of writing left no page unturned! You must have heard the Southwest Writing Coaches that I drove to hear when I was a writing my first book. That weekend, my take home info was: Write each page so the reader will want to turn the page. Your art covered all facets of life here in Kansas.

The letter was from Dorothy Masters whom I met as a member of Kansas Authors Club. She is one of the friends I look forward to meeting yearly in October when Kansas authors gather. While we lived in Topeka, I was able to visit with Dorothy more frequently.

Dorothy has published two books of personal family stories. I've enjoyed them very much. Though she doesn't get out and about as much as she used to, she continues to compile her memories and "life lessons" for her family. What a treasure she has created for future generations. I wish more people would do so. Family stories are the most valuable of all, I think.

Sermons and Tigers and Cows -- oh my!

There was a very nice piece by Regina Murphy in the Emporia Gazette today about the Author Extravaganza taking place at Town Crier Bookstore, from 11am - 1pm tomorrow, Saturday, June 15.

Emporian Tracy Million Simmons will be present to sign copies of her first book: “Tiger Hunting.” Set in Dodge City, the story of Jeni’s post-graduate life crisis is told with candor, wit and charm. With an actual tiger on the loose from a circus accident, old boyfriends, and changed high school friends, the journey of Jeni’s self-examination as she starts pulling her life back together is a riveting and entertaining read. 

... I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author!

Oh! That's right. I'm supposed to be writing the next novel!

With just a little bit more than a month since my semi-official release date... I have started a list of lessons learned and, all along the way, I've been giving myself little pep talks. Don't worry so much about this one, Tracy. Just get to work on finishing the next novel. Stop checking the stats of your sales pages so obsessively. It'll only serve to bring you down. And besides, it's likely they only update once a day, at most, so if you just checked it 3 minutes ago, there's really no need to check again.

I had several weeks at the start when working on the "next" novel was a good distraction. But this marketing thing, I swear, it takes on a life of its own. It can be scary, as well as more than a little exhausting. It can also be a bit of an adrenaline rush while, though positive, is also exhausting.

Reviews from friends and acquaintances are awesome. But that same voice that gives the pep talks also says things like, Well isn't that sweet of her? You have such lovely friends, to say such nice things. All the while implying, of course, that the kind things are more to spare my feelings than anything. Sheesh! Who needs book critics with a voice like this inside my head!

That's why reviews from total strangers are awesome on a whole new level. Here's someone who hasn't shared lunch with you, hung out with you while your kids shared sandbox toys, attended years' worth of writers conventions with you, or looked you in the eye in any way and called you friend.

It's hard for the little voice to give too much grief over a review from someone you've never met before. As well, a 3-star versus 5-star review, even though heart-stopping for a moment, is still a "liked it" rating and who can complain about that? Not me.

Other lessons?

• I've never been so current on all there is to know about the golf star, Tiger Woods. Who would have imagined that a Google alert labeled "Tiger Hunting" would return so much detail about that man's life?
• Most books sell because people spend time selling them. This is a truth I suspected even before I set about publishing my own.
• It is unlikely that any author will build a loyal following of readers with just one book. So... back to the keyboard I go (for something other than checking my sales stats).
• It really can be OCD inducing to have so many places to check how many times your page has been viewed, an excerpt has been previewed, or a book has been purchased. Then again, I like to think of it as fodder for procrastination, and heaven knows I need more of that in my life!

This is a fairly short, light read and super cute! I believe it's something many women can relate to at some point. After all, I know I have, at times, wondered what happened to my "compass needle." There's a little bit of a possible budding romance as well and plenty of humor...had me giggling many times! I will be keeping this one to read again when I need a giggle and a smile. And I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author! By the way, absolutely LOVE Orville! Can he come visit me sometime?

~ Trinity Jo, 5-star Amazon Review

Via Cheryl Unruh, Flyover People Columnist for the Emporia Gazette

"Tracy presents scenes that a reader could walk into and feel at home. For me it was easy to feel as if I were in Jeni’s mind as she interpreted her parents’ words and facial expressions. It seemed as if I were experiencing the complicated interactions that are a part of any family. I discovered that Tracy is really good at this, at communicating the expectations that a person feels from herself and from her family."

~ Cheryl Unruh, Flyover People

Or read the entire column at the Emporia Gazette website.

Blurbs for the back cover are in!

Many Thanks to Cheryl, Max and Gloria.

Tracy Million Simmons takes the reader on a fun romp across the High Plains of southwest Kansas in a hunt for an escaped white tiger. With an engaging story of loss, family expectations, and finding one's way, Simmons shows us that home can be the greatest healer of all.

~ Cheryl Unruh, author & columnist, Flyover People: Life on the Ground in a Rectangular State

The right amount of magic! 

Tiger Hunting is a winner from the start. Most of us have lost our direction at one time or another. Follow Jeni as her search leads through the most unexpected events around Tracy Million Simmons' own stomping grounds of Dodge City, Kansas. 

This book comes with a wonderful insight (for some of us) into the mysterious way a woman's mind works.

I welcome this white tiger to Kansas.

~ Max Yoho, author, Me and Aunt Izzy and The Moon Butter Route

Tracy Million Simmons writes with heartfelt warmth and humor when she develops her characters and their relationships in this entertaining and delightful story.

~ Gloria Zachgo, author, The Rocking Horse