New advances along the journey

By Heather Justesen

Lots of fun and exciting things going on in my end of the world. I just got notice that my author's copies of "The Ball's in Her Court" shipped to me from the warehouse today so I'm going to be jumping every time the front door opens at work on Monday wondering if it's the UPS guy.

I've set up a big book launch at my hometown library on Saturday the 24th, then realized today was the deadline for getting the advertising in the paper this next week, so my notice there I'll only appear three days before the event! But I'll spend some serious time that week hanging up signs and passing out postcards with my cute book cover on front and the party details on back (if anyone reading this is going to be near Fillmore that day and wants to come, by all means--we'll have giveaways and refreshments and lots of fun. 10 am to 1 pm.

I've also gotten hooked up for a signing in Sandy at the Barnes & Noble at the South Town Mall on November 7th--where I'll be signing with Aubrey Mace, Linda Chadwick, and Ronda Hinrichsen.

And November 20th I'll be at Confetti Books and Antiques in Spanish Fork for their celebration, though I don't know who all will be signing with me that day.

And December 5th I'll be signing at Barnes and Noble in Orem along with a bunch of other authors.

Oh, yeah, Tristi Pinkston and I are signing at a holiday boutique in Salt Lake on November 14th too...

All of the details for all of these signings will definitely be posted on my website and blog as they get closer.

It's really rather exciting, but writing the list of everything I still need to do reminded me of a dozen other details I need to iron out in preparation (besides digging out the room my friend Danyelle is going to sleep in when she flies into Utah for the first party--she's awesome, I know).

The point of this post (besides total celebration) is that when I first thought I wanted to be a writer I didn't take into account the fact that there would be promotional stuff to do as well, or that it would take up so much of my writing time. All of the arrangements that have to be made between now and the next couple of weeks seem overwhelming, but at the same time, I'm really looking forward to everything too.

This is all totally out of my comfort zone and normal behavior (I'm usually pretty introverted and hermit-like), but I look forward to the opportunity to meet people and grow into something more than I am right now--and hopefully if any of you see me at my table you'll take a moment to swing by and say hello, even if you only read sci-fi or westerns and wouldn't pick up a romance on a bet. =)