Poised

 

Poised.  Such a small word.  So many connotations.  Just like with nearly every other English word.

A lot of people would tell me that I was always so 'poised' so 'self contained'.  Little did they know that underneath I was usually scrambling, trying to juggle too many sharp knives, or flaming torches.

And so I find myself this Sunday morning (a 'Sunday' child, I was born on a Sunday 73 years ago) 'poised' once again.

Poised, is in standing on the tip of the diving board about to dive off.  Plunge in, down into the deep end of the pool.  A 'swan dive', perhaps?

Stories from the Matrix came together so very quickly it's almost hard to believe that it is published, ready to be launched out into the wide world.  Will it fly?  Or flapping it's pages wildly, fall to the ground?

I don't know.  I just don't know.

But like my textiles, the job isn't done until I get it (them) sold.

So today, I'm poised.  Ready to begin the full on marketing.  Truth to tell, I started about two weeks ago, before it was actually complete, actually ready to be uploaded to the website.  Because I'm doing it myself, I don't have a marketing department.  I'm selling what is a niche topic to a very niche market.  

Will the book of essays sell?  Or flounder and sink?

I'm not looking for empty praise, here, but if people DO find it interesting or useful, a note in the comments here or a private email will help me know that I did it.  I managed to contribute something worthwhile.

I'm not saying this just for myself, but for any writer of any book - if you like it, let the author know.  That goes for magazine articles, too.  I only know how well my articles have been received because I see comments from time to time on groups that someone is using one of my designs from Handwoven.  Sometimes they use it directly as given, sometimes they personalize it to better suit their needs.  But they have been kind enough to reference the magazine article and my name.

In one of my essays I made the observation that I have done more things, been more places than I ever dreamed of when I was a kid, even when I was terrified out of my mind - I did it anyway.  And here I am today, book #3.

Will there be another?  Dunno.   I've said twice before that there would not, and look at me!  So I'm not saying never.  I just have no idea at this point what a #4 would look like.  But until December last year I had no concept of Stories, either, until my inner muse tapped me on the shoulder and said - commanded! - WRITE THIS!  And I did.  Because when you ignore that ethereal command, it will not let you do anything other than what it wants.  So I wrote.  

And now, here it is, launch date.