Sunday 12 August 2012

My Pride & Joy


Forgive me for what is a very self-indulgent post this time round but there’s huge excitement in the household – and it’s nothing to do with Team GB’s brilliant successes in the Olympics. My excitement stemmed from the sight of a cardboard box delivered while I was away visiting student son in Aberdeen – a box which I knew contained my author’s copies of Thousands Pass Here Every Day, my first full poetry collection.

I didn’t open it immediately. Deferred gratification, allowing the pleasure and anticipation to build, is always best. I left it in the hall for a while before hauling it upstairs to my study. I looked at it, I patted it, and I removed and read the delivery note before, finally, slitting open the box. By the time I did so and held a copy of my poetry book in my hands I don’t believe any of our gold medallists could possibly have felt the same level of joy and satisfaction.

It looks like a real poetry book, in a way I hadn’t been able to imagine while doing the proof reading, not even when Ronny Goodyer of Indigo Dreams Publishing had sent a PDF of the cover. He and his partner Dawn Bauling have been lovely to work with, and extremely kind and patient with this rookie poet – even when I started to think about changing the poems, adding commas, removing full stops, wondering if a stanza should be split.

I am delighted three wonderful poets – Andrew Forster, Sheila Templeton and Tom Pow – have written some lovely things for the back of the book and pre-publication publicity. The official publication date is 14th September – and it’s already on Amazon and can be pre-ordered.

I am now gearing up for book launches/readings, the first of which will be around mid-September. Once everything is in place, I will put dates and venues on my website at www.marysmith.co.uk

In the meantime I carry my copy of Thousands Pass Here Every Day around the house with me. It sits on my desk while I type, close to me so I can put out a hand and stroke its glossy cover. Every so often I dip into it with a sense of astonishment, mixed with pride and delight – I wonder if the Olympic athletes feel the same about their medals?

12 comments:

  1. Many many congrats Mary! So looking forward to holding a real life copy myself. Enjoy the moment, it's much deserved.

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    1. Thanks, Gill. I am indeed enjoying the moment.

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  2. You've captured that first publication beautifully, Mary. Many congratulations......I hope it sells well for you. The cover is very eye-catching, very 'pick-me-up-and-read-me'. So, enjoy your moment.

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    1. I'm glad you like the cover, Linda. It very much relates to the title poem of the collection. I hope others agree with your 'pick-me-up-and-read-me'line.

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  3. Oooh, no wonder you were drinking champagne today! Looks lovely, Mary, looking forward to reading it. Congratulations.

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    1. Thank you, Jenny. And, yes, the champagne went down very nicely today!

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  4. Congratulations Mary. Your excitement and pleasure is travelling down the ether for us to share. Does this baby mean more to you than No More Mulberries? Is that because it is poetry? Here's wishing you loads of sales.

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    1. Interesting questions, Gwen. I don't think it means more to me than No More Mulberries. I remember being very excited when I received my copies of it but then I was so upset because there was a horrible grammatical error on the back page blurb, which I had asked the publishers to change but they hadn't. That kind of took the edge of my joy at holding my first novel in my hands. But, yes, there is something different about having my poetry collection published. I shall have to ponder this further!

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  5. Well done, Mary. And so exciting. If I'd realised yesterday, I'd have raised my glass of bubbly (again!) to you. Looking forward to reading your poems.

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    1. Thanks, Joan. It is exciting. I'm sure we shall find another opportunity in which to raise a glass of bubbly again!

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  6. What a great cover, Mary, and I can imagine your excitement. Look forward to getting a copy of your poetry.

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    1. I'm so pleased you liek the cover, Rosemary. The official publication date is 14th September and I'll be having a launch in Dumfries soon after that. Maybe you could advise me on how to do an online launch as there are many people in far flung places who will not be able to come to that.

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