The Roller Coaster Ride of Publishing

By K.S. Thomas

Creating a book from beginning to end (end being publishing) is a roller coaster ride of emotions. The highs of starting a new story. The deep, dark lows of getting halfway through and determining it’s the worst piece of crap you’ve ever put on paper. The slow, steady lift when you get close to the end and start to see and feel the bliss of happy ever after. Then, the steep drop, as editing begins. The twist and turns, the stomach flipping and flopping about as you discover gems your mind created out of thin air and the less impressive nuggets of dirt that must be deleted before anyone else ever sees them. Suddenly, that pause, you know, the one right before you go rocketing through the air and consequently plummeting down into the great unknown. That crazy, almost dizzying euphoria that makes you scream and laugh and sometimes throw up…that’s the process of handing your book baby over to first readers. Beta readers. Reviewers.

And then, you discover, that wasn’t even the major drop. That was just the teaser, the warm-up, the trial to get you ready for the real deal. Publishing.

But it’s okay, because you get that ten-second cruise to catch your breath in between. That’s when you finish up. Polish everything one last time. Get all your marketing squared away. Fun graphics for teasers. Excerpts and interviews for blog posts. The quiet lull is often the most productive. Then…the butterflies start and you know you’re getting close. You start to feel giddy despite any horror associated with your fear of dropping a gazillion feet while upside down.

Well, that’s under normal circumstances.

Then, there’s #postHurricaneIRMA publishing. Which is unlike any ride I’ve ridden thus far, and right now, not ranking very well for me in terms of rides I’d stand in line to ride a second time…

I’m doing my best to curb my complaints. Relinquish frustrations…we’re safe. Our home was untouched. All of our animals made it through the storm (even that damn cat who took off right before and insisted on riding out the storm on her own terms. Alone. Outdoors. – She makes me crazy, but I love her. Kindred spirit and all that…).

But…the reality is, no power…no water…eleven animals and a child to take care of…in crazy hot Florida weather…is no picnic. Add to that any attempts at trying to maintain a publishing business without a handy dandy computer and, you know, internet, and whatever sense of scrambling I have on a normal day is multiplied by a hundred. Or a thousand, except my brain is fried and I can’t count that high anymore…

So, here I sit, sucking down my coffee and pretending this made any sense of all, because it’s got to. The lull is ending. The butterflies are kicking in…and I know I’m about to be catapulted into another abyss. You know those pictures they take right before the drop? That’s pretty much what I look like right about now…

– K.S. Thomas