Wow. This week has been quite similar to having an actual baby: with all the deep deep emotions and not nearly enough sleep. And now that I’ve had two human babies, I know that as momentous as this week feels, that combination of exhaustion and full-on emotions will make it hard to remember later. So, mostly this blog post is for my future self, so I can remember what actually happened.

On Tuesday, the book came out! And then it sold out on Amazon! A great problem to have, especially when you have independent bookstores ready to step in and save the day. Bartley’s Books worked hard last week to get extra stock, and you can order online from them! (Plus, a whole bunch of the copies are signed!) Or, if you’re a Barnes & Noble fan, it seems like it’s still possible to get them there.

Then on Wednesday, I woke up to this tweet from the amazing educator Pernille Ripp who runs the Global Read Aloud program. (If you’re not familiar with the GRA program, it was “created in 2010 with a simple goal in mind; one book to connect the world. From its humble beginnings, the GRA has grown to make a truly global connection with more than 4,000,000 students having participated.”)

Needless to say, I spent most Wednesday crying. Even simply being a contender for the GRA means that so many people will read this book and hear Zoey’s voice!

On Thursday, I tried to dial my emotions back to normal, but I couldn’t stop looking at the pictures of other people with my book! It is so very exciting!

And then today, I was walking home after dropping my daughter off at Kindergarten, and I walked passed the middle school bus stop.

A 7th grade boy asked, “When’s the party?”

He was asking ME?

And then I looked and realized that he was in the middle of reading my book!

“Next Friday,” I said.

“Because it’s really good,” he said.

And my day was made.

For those of you in the general vicinity of Brattleboro, VT, you should come to the launch party, too! It’s Friday, September 14th at 5pm at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center. Here’s the Facebook Event. I hope to see you there!