I have a completed, edited manuscript.
Mind if I repeat that?
I have a completed, edited manuscript.
I’m no longer writing a book. I’ve written it. It’s no longer a draft. It is done.
If you’re wondering how that feels, well, to me it feels like I’ve slammed a couple shots of Jager. Like I’m standing outside myself with a really good buzz and no bar tab (and no hangover) inside a strange world of awesome.
This is not the end of the road. It’s a milestone. And if you’re like me and used to running, sometimes it’s difficult to stop and rest. Even on the day I found out we were having a baby girl, I celebrated the beautiful, sunshiny day by driving from one end of town to the other, keeping an eye on the clock.
Yesterday, my family and our good friends rode our bikes from their house in Mount Pleasant to the county park. Our ages range from 39 to 2, and as we traveled along the sidewalks of a busy road, I joked we looked like a pack of ducks when we crossed the intersections. Cars yielded and gave us the right-of-way as the eight of us quacked, quacked, quacked on by. I don’t think those cars wanted to kill us, but they certainly didn’t want to wait either.
Most of us don’t enjoy sitting idle, and there’s a danger in doing that for too long. For example, after we visited the park and began our two mile trek back, we stopped at a yogurt shop. Oh my golly, I’ve never been to a yogurt shop like this. It smelled like what I imagine heaven smells like (or Willy Wonka’s place). Warm waffle cones and dozens of yogurt flavors (self-serve!) and even more toppings. I’m glad I’m pregnant, because no one even blinked at the amount of pure, authentic goodness I poured into my cup. (They charge by the pound. The yogurt, not me.)
We sat outside and enjoyed our treats. And then, Shawn said, “Okay, let’s go.” He saw the looks on our faces. If we had sat there one minute longer, we would’ve slipped into yogurt-induced comas and not wanted to complete the trek to the finish line.
So, I’m eager to keep going, but it was nice to take some time to soak it all in. Here’s how I did it:
~Took a bubble bath
~Took a nap
~Sat in the backyard in a camping chair and watched Shawn do yard work, while Blake rolled around in an empty, dirty, plastic swimming pool.
~Made lasagna.
~Cried when I watched E.T. (At the end when he tells Elliott, “I’ll be right here.” Boo hoo hoo hoo)
~Laughed when I watched The Switch with Jennifer Aniston (love her) and Jason Bateman (still so fine).
~And took a snapshot in my mind when my 5 1/2 year old’s eyes lit up and said, “That means you’re an author?” I was tempted to say, “Well, I still have to get published.” But no. Stop it, inner critic. Just stop it. You have not been invited to this party. And I replied, “Yes. Yes, I am.”
Do you remember to pause and celebrate your successes — those milestones that make the journey so sweet? How do you do it?
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Fabulous, Angie, the book, the bike ride and topped off with yummy yogurt. What a great day to be an author! ??
Oops, those were supposed to be smily faces, not question marks, darn iThingy.
Congratulations!
Thanks for taking us along for the ride….look forward to reading it.
Absolute, pure awesomeness! I never doubted you’d be here. Never once. Warm congrats!
YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you and your family…NOW you can sit back and enjoy it all
YAY for rest, YAY for accomplishment, YAY for moving on to the next task 
Let me know when the book signing event will be so I can get my personalized copy 
Ang, I’m SO HAPPY for you!!!!!!!!!! NOW focus on the reunion 
Congratulations, Author!
Enjoying the ride with you Ang! Good luck for the next step!!
Congratulations!!! I just have to say that I love to wake up to your great stories and brilliant humor!!! Such a great way to start my day!!!! (P.S…..we have a yobe in west ashley too, by Harris Teeter)
Awesome, just fantastic. What an amazing thing you’ve done, and you should be so proud. I’m glad you’ve taken the time to enjoy the moment, take the mental snapshots, be pleased and easy and light and content. It’s a deceptively hard thing, to experience the triumph without allowing those “what’s next” whispers to slip in. So enjoy your triumph – and have some more FoYo! And maybe keep some waffle cones in a ziplock in your pantry so when you need a pick-me-up you can take a deep sniff and re-trigger that scent memory.
Congrats, Angie! What an accomplishment. You must be so proud of yourself. I’m proud of you, too!
Yippee!!! Congratulations! I don’t think that publication is the mark of an author — I think you’ve been an author for a long time, and you’ve simply reached another milestone in that journey! Glad you were able to properly celebrate it. BTW, your ambition is infectious…think I’m going to go out and do some yard work this morning while the sun is still shining!
Angie I am so happy for you and proud of you! That is so amazing and you are starting my day on such a high note. I teared up when I read the last paragraph. You really are an author and I can’t wait to get in line to buy your first book!
You did it. It has been an honor to share part of the journey with you. xo
Congrats! What an exciting few weeks you’ve had.
Angie, that is absolutely, positively AWESOME! I can’t yet imagine what that feels like, but I dream about it still. Celebrate and enjoy. I’ll be one of the many in line waiting to read it when (not if!) it comes out!
My Sundays will for now have an Angie-shaped hole in the afternoon. How I’ve enjoyed putting my editor pants on for you, author (yes, yes you are!).
HUGE congrats!! I absolutely love that feeling!
That is HUGE!!! — the accomplishment NOT you.
So very, very proud for you. Can’t wait to feel the same way (note to self: START something). XOXO!
Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment
And your celebratory day sounds just perfect.
The smell of those waffle cones always sends me over the edge into sweet tooth overload. Love ‘em – and I much prefer the frozen yogurt to ice cream. Not just sayin’ that – I really do
I am just so proud of you
You all have made my day. Having you to share this milestone makes it even more “sweet.” I love you all.
Woop woop!!! So proud of you and can’t wait to hear how things go from here my ‘author’ friend : )
Great stuff Angie, for finishing your book. Savor it and expect more to come.
Life can be as simple as ice-cream, yoghurt and a bike ride. When we learn to enjoy the simple moments we truly are free. Children know how to do that best. I am still trying to learn it from my own.
Yippee! This is a big moment. Soak it up.
YIPEEEEE! So excited for you. I’m so very happy for what’s to come! xoxo
I love this post! So excited for you!