My 52 To Do Week 18C

I am a best selling author!

August 14, 2025

I don’t know if you get this way, but I can sometimes get sucked into “the world is going to hell in a handbasket” mindset.  The news is filled with stories of all the bad in the world.  We are inundated with tragic stories about the horrors one human will inflict on another.   Of course, I bring some of this on myself because I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts, but that is for another day. (NCIS and Law and Order are not true crime podcasts)

If you are feeling this way, do something brave and vulnerable…put yourself out there and watch how the world reacts.  As you know, I co-authored a book which launched on Amazon in July. My co-authors and I really wanted to reach Amazon best seller status, so I told family and friends about the book and shared the information on social media.  The outpouring of support was beyond anything I could have imagined.  I knew my immediate family would buy the book to support me, but I never anticipated the lengths they would go to or the encouragement I would receive from people I haven’t seen in years.  Friends and family liked the post, shared the post, texted friends about the book, bought the book, and uploaded reviews to Amazon’s website.

Writing this chapter was a scary thing.  It is a daunting task to share your experiences and insights.  Imposter syndrome and self-doubt are real momentum and joy killers.  What if what I have to say sounds stupid?  What if my experiences aren’t valuable to anyone else?  I am not as accomplished as the other authors.  What if no one appreciates my writing style? (The only time I don’t appreciate your writing style is when it’s a “Honey Do” list. Maybe add a little more description?)  What if I share this post and no one buys the book?

As is usually the case, none of my worries came true.  I received so many kind comments about the book and my chapter.  One friend read the book and bought a copy for her granddaughter.  I can’t imagine higher praise.  (I’m holding out for the pop-up picture version)

To be honest, until launch day, reaching Amazon best seller status sounded nice, but wasn’t crucial to me.  As the day went on, I realized it was really important to me.  Thank you everyone for making it happen. 

If you are interested in buying the paperback, please reach out to me directly.  The book price on Amazon is $24.95, but I will sell it for $20.  No need to keep giving the money to amazon! If you are looking for a speaker, my co-authors and I are great options.  Comment on this post if you want to discuss speaking engagements.

Thanks to everyone for helping me reach a “52 To Do” of being a published author and getting to add best selling author to my list. 

Cheers!

Comments from the editor are in bold.