Giving birth to a book is eerily similar to having a baby.   Creating the baby/book is the fun part.  And the easiest.  The next 18 months (yes, 18 months – my book is more like a baby elephant than a human baby-ugh.  How’d you like to be pregnant for 18 months? ) of editing, looking for an agent or publisher, and re-writing is filled with moments of hormonal euphoria followed by bouts of nausea.  Someone really should have warned me.  I gave birth to three real babies already; I wasn’t  planning on going through it again. 

SIDEBAR: I remember long ago, when I was pregnant with my first daughter (9 lbs, 12 oz; 26 hours of labor), going to all the birthing classes. I even made my husband go to a class to learn how to bathe a baby (hey – they are slippery!)  We did Lamaze where the instructor tried to convince me to give birth naturally, without painkillers.  I pretended I couldn’t understand her New York accent.  Then I started hyperventilating.   One fellow mom-to-be was even planning to deliver her baby at home.  This intrigued me because it was so far from where I wanted to be.    

 But then, just when you think you can’t stand this huge weight you are carrying around one minute longer and you are begging the doctor to induce_ labor starts.  Pushing a book through its final stages of production also has you tearing your hair; screaming at your husband about whose stupid idea was this anyway; and swearing you will never, never do this again.  It’s painful, it’s emotional, and it’s definitely not pretty. You want to give up on ever getting the thing published. 

SIDEBAR #2:  I distinctly remember telling Mike about two hours into trying to  push that 9lb 12 oz baby that I was giving up and we were just going to have to go back home.  I was okay with being pregnant forever.  I could eat whatever I wanted and wear a muu-muu.     

But I digress.  Sort of. I don’t want to be that forever-pregnant writer of a book that isn’t published.  So, like the mom giving birth at home – I too am taking matters into my own hands.  In the current turmoil that is the publishing industry I am joining in the fray.  As the proud owner of a small publishing company of my own, I'd like to introduce you to  Stone Croft Press.   

And coincidentally, here’s the first book that Stone Croft Press will publish: 

  Some will say that I gave up on the big publishers too easily.  Maybe.  But after all the research and discussions and workshops and conferences, it is pretty clear that regardless of who publishes the book, I’m the only one who will be doing the marketing, the school visits, the book signings.  Therefore, let’s get on with it!

A Colonial Adventure is slated for release November 15, 2010.

It makes a great holiday gift for everyone in your orbit.    Would you like a signed first edition?   ;-)   Pre-order a Copy Today!  Woo Hoo!!!