Reflections of a Book Launch

Yesterday was my book baby’s one month birthday. I can hardly believe it’s already been a month since we launched An American Immigrant into the world. 

What a whirlwind of a year it’s been! More like two years . . . because it all started in 2021 when I decided to quit all of my freelance work in exchange for a dream. Rather than work on crafting emails and video scripts for clients, I turned every nap time into an opportunity to write my very first novel (the first of many, hopefully). 

When I started writing, I could have never dreamed that less than a year later, I’d have a literary agent who was excited about my book and already pitching it to publishers. And I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me that I’d sign a book deal with Waterbrook & Multnomah the same week I give birth to my daughter. 

When I say whirlwind, I really mean whirlwind.

But it was all worth it. 

Every long day behind a computer screen. 

Every revision and painstaking rewrite.
Every moment of exhaustion trying to bring this book into the world while raising two small children. 

It was all worthwhile. 

I’ve heard many authors—like Anne Lamott—talk about book launch day as being anti-climactic. They talk about it like it’s this moment you’ve waited your whole life for that turns out to be just like any other ordinary day. But I beg to differ . . . 

Book launch day was nothing but climactic. 

An interview on the local news. 

A watch party with my family to watch said interview. 

Seeing my book scattered around the beautiful Parnassus Books and Barnes & Noble for the first time.

A celebration with my loved ones featuring a Colombian food truck that served the most delicious empanadas . . . 

There was so much to celebrate, and boy did we celebrate. 

If you know me, you know I don’t like to subscribe to popular beliefs about writing (among other areas of life), and I encourage you to do the same. As in . . . don’t believe your experiences have to be like everyone else’s. Your book launch day (or any momentous occasion in your life) can be as climactic as you want to make it. And that’s all I hope you gather from this post. 

Thank you, friends, from the bottom of my heart for supporting this dream of mine. I still have to pinch myself when I’m reminded that I’m a published author. Thank you for reading, thank you for believing, and thank you for following along. 

I hope you’ll stick with me on the next book journey we take!