It’s been six months since Summer, in Between, my award-winning YA novel officially hit bookshelves. It’s a cliche, but what a whirlwind, and what a rollercoaster! As I said to a friend, it’s surprisingly terrifying when a long held dream comes true. Writing the novel was the easy part compared to the vulnerability on crack that comes with it actually being out in the world, but my debut author experience was one of incredible highs. At this six month mark I thought I’d put together some words sharing some of the pinch me moments from launching my novel, you know, those surreal moments of wonder and joy.
Seeing my book in a bookstore
This was a big one, and let me tell you it never fails to give me a jolt of surprise: hey, wait a minute, that book looks a whole lot like mine! Oh, right. That’s right. I wrote a book and someone published it and now it’s on bookshelves and there’s shoppers right there and they’re looking at it because the cover’s so gorgeous and should I introduce myself? Gah! I’ve had the most wonderful chats with booksellers who are so supportive of Aussie authors. I’m so appreciative of their efforts in putting my book in readers hands.
My book launch (es)
Oh yes, I had two launches for my book. One was a pre-launch launch in beautiful Brisbane, the home of my publisher. I was there to sign preorders and thought while I was there, why the hell not have a pre-launch launch? It was so completely joyful, meeting friends and fellow authors who I’d only ever seen on Instagram.
And then there was my official launch where 100-ish people came along to celebrate the launch of Summer, and my dad cried through the whole thing. Six months later, whenever I scroll through the photos I fill with tears. It was magical and something I’ll never forget.
Connection with other bookish people
One of the most blessed side effects of this author life is the connection I’ve felt with other book worms and word nerds. It’s been so incredible to watch friendships that began online transfer across to the real world where I do believe I could walk into any bookish event and have someone there I genuinely consider a friend. Special mention must go to the Debut Crew of 2025, particularly the Melbourne authors. Writing is so solitary and professionally isolating in many ways, and so having people at the end of the line (and being at the end of the line for others) was a level of support and scaffolding against the vulnerability slams and confidence gaps that I couldn’t have imagined.
Seeing teens clutching my book
Ah, this. This, this this! I work in a school library as a librarian, so have seen teens perusing the shelves, picking up my book, reading the blurb and then borrowing it, having no idea that the old bat in the corner is the author. I tell them, and their eyes light up. I remember meeting authors as a teen and it feeling like spotting a unicorn or a mermaid or some other mythical creature and so giving that to kids feels amazing. And then when they tell me that I’ve got them through a reading slump? All the feels!
People: real, live, breathing humans are loving my book
This is everything I dreamt of: that people would read my book and like it! I would have been satisfied with people tolerating it, as long as they didn’t flat out hate it, but loving it is the absolute best. I had people messaging me as they read, almost scene by scene, giving me their responses in real time. I have beautiful goodreads reviews, and equally beautiful Instagram reviews. I’ve had people at events pull me aside to tell me they loved it, and even friends of friends feed back their enjoyment of it, and of reading, which is the very best outcome I could imagine.
Six months is a blip in the lifetime of a book, especially when you consider it took me a fair number of years to get Summer from first draft to a book. It’s only the very beginning for it as a story and for me as an author.