When People Start to Read My Work
It’s amazing to me how quickly things happen. . . I send a file, and within hours, people can buy my book. Then, friends share the link, and people start buying it.
Me, in the slave cemetery.
Also, people start reading, and the kindness in them – the love they have for me – leads them to write amazing emails and post great reviews. And also to point out typos – which I correct for the new version. I’m beyond grateful.
Some folks also send commentary – “corrections” – to what they think I have misunderstood or gotten wrong in history. They do this without knowing me and without knowing what I know. They do this – I don’t know why – to help maybe, to feel superior, to feel a part. I am not as grateful for this commentary but I try to be.
It has been two days since the electronic version of The Slaves Have Names became available, and already, I am stunned by the response – almost all of it profoundly kind and supportive.
Today, I will input those corrections to the typos I still had after three rounds of edits. We will finish up the formatting of the cover for the print version. We will hope to see the print version available in the next few days.
Meanwhile, I will revel in the support and hold close the useful twinges of commentary. I will do my best to muster kindness when readers are less than kind.
This, then, this is the first days of publishing. Glorious and hard. Like the writing itself.
Last night, we drove through Bremo, and I couldn’t help but marvel – again – at the way this land carries the footsteps of these people – Primus, Malvina, Letty, Ned – and at the honor I have of walking it behind them. This – this makes all the work of the pages worth it beyond measure.
What is the most wonderful part of having people read your work? The hardest part?