I am sitting outside my house, looking at a beautiful blue sky and a few fat silver clouds slowly climbing from behind the hill. Scrub oak, long wild grass, flowering shrubs and wildflowers cover our property this time of year. A big, beautiful butterfly flew past just now and tiny white ones are doing a kind of aerial ballet together, flitting in circles. My Scottie Duncan is on his belly in a patch of shade cast by the house, and Asher the cat thinks he’s going to catch a mouse on the other side of the French ditch. I complain about the snow and bitter cold in winter, the heat in summer, but really, I love this place. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. There are no street lamps, no pollution and little traffic to disturb the peace. I walk my dog along lanes silent but for bird song and the chitter of squirrels. The neighbors are friendly and would be here in a shot if I needed them, but they value their privacy, as I do mine; they are never intrusive. Days like this make me realize how much I have to be grateful for, how much of true value is in my life. I live in Eden – and if anyone thinks I’m over-reacting, that is the name of our village. I have my health, my home, a husband who loves me and I love him, I have a part time job with a charity which gives me a huge sense of accomplishment, I have my writing, and I have my wonderful readers.
Let me back up a bit. When I looked at my sales figures at the end of June, I realized that sometime during the month I passed a sales milestone. I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it because I know authors who’ve sold a lot more in less than the 18 months this took. Then a friend said to me, don’t compare your sales to those of other authors, just as you can’t compare your writing to theirs. And she’s right. I’ve accomplished something I never dreamed of and I should be proud of it.
When I first published in November, 2009, I didn’t think this many people would buy my e-books. So when I say I’m grateful I have readers, I mean it from the depths of my heart. I’m grateful for them, and to them.
I’m amazed I receive so many emails and personal messages via Facebook and Twitter, or on my website. That is the biggest high. There is nothing like opening a message that begins, “I love your books . . .” I have always been an avid reader, yet never thought to write to an author and tell them how much I enjoy their writing. I am humbled that so many take the time to tell me.
This is my public thank you to everyone who buys my books, special thanks to those who put a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble (nice reviews encourage sales,) and oodles of love to those who send me lovely notes. You make it worthwhile.
Linda
UPDATE:
I’m almost to the end of the first draft of Demon Demon Burning Bright. Bear in mind this is the first draft, which means there is still a way to go. Look for a preview- the first chapter – coming soon.
2 responses to “It’s a wonderful day in the neigborhood . . .”