This time last year, I was both humbled and thrilled when dear friend Sarah Potter invited me to write a short story as a guest post. As a mostly non-fiction writer, I was way out of my comfort zone, but the encouragement she gave me, and still does, is something I will never forget.
And now it’s my turn to encourage her, for after years of harbouring her dream of book publication, I’m absolutely delighted to share with you, dear friends, the news that Sarah’s wish has come true – but only because of months of sheer hard work and learning how to self-publish from scratch, having never ventured down such a path before. I am immensly proud of her.
Desiccation, a young adult, urban fantasy novel, the story of which takes place in the late 60s at an English boarding school, looks to make for an engrossing, hugely entertaining read. What a fabulous cover too!
I’ll post as usual this week before winding down for Christmas, but I had to share Sarah’s fantastic news with you first, and I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing her many congratulations on this incredible and exciting accomplishment and every success with her book launch. Time to get out the bubbly and raise a glass to you, published author Sarah!
Still pinching myself to check that I’m awake, but somehow I’ve managed to achieve publication of my urban fantasy novel Desiccation. It is now available to buy in Kindle or Paperback format at Amazon.
You may ask what a yellow teapot has to do with publication day. Anybody into dream analysis around here? Personally, I think it indicates that writing, editing, formatting, and publishing can take you to the brink of insanity. It also indicates that I watch too much Nordic Noir on television, not that I know if the Scandinavians are into yellow teapots.
In my dream, I was inside a giant yellow teapot manoeuvring it into a parking space outside a golf club. Once I’d parked it, I climbed out of its top (the equivalent of a sunshine roof) and magicked the teapot down to normal size, after which I proceeded into the golf club to search people’s coat…
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A View From My Summerhouse 
Congratulations to Sarah, and what a sweet tribute you have given her, Sherri!
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Thanks so much for sharing in the good news with Sarah Patsy…I’m just so happy for her, she has worked incredibly hard and learnt so much about self-publishing. I know she is thrilled to have a book so close to her heart published at last. What a fantastic feeling that must be. I hope things are well with you my friend 🙂
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Thank you Sherri, my dear friend. You’re so sweet 🙂 xxxxxxx
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My honour and absolute pleasure dear published author friend Sarah 🙂 xxxxxxx
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Congratulations, Sarah! Lovely tribute, Sherri…I think we’ll need more bubbly! ❤
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Thank you Jill, I’m so happy for Sarah, and I can’t wait to sing from the rooftops the news of publication of your debut novel too! We’ll need a lot more bubbly for sure, I’ll keep an eye out on the Christmas deals to stock up in advance 🙂 ❤ 🙂
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Thanks, Jill, for the congratulations 🙂 And yes please, pour me out a glass of bubbly, too!
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I loved the yellow teapot dream. 🙂 Great shout out to Sarah. I think it’s wonderful when writers promote one another’s successes. I’m sure her book will be very popular.
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Haha…I know, I do too 🙂 Thanks Sylvia, I know you already knew Sarah’s wonderful news from her blog, but it’s really lovely of you to show your support here too, means so much 🙂 xx
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You know, Sylvia, I find it easier to promote my fellow writers than myself. Am finding the marketing a bit daunting, but must kick myself into gear or nobody will know my book is there — apart from my wonderful blogging friends, of course 🙂
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Congratulations to your friend Sarah! Not being a writer myself, I can only imagine the elation and sense of accomplishment that comes along with finishing a book!
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Thanks so much Heather, your support is wonderful! I think I’m safe in saying that Sarah is still pinching herself…but thankfully she is no longer inside that yellow teapot 😉 I love her wild imagination, which makes for fabulous stories!
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No, I’m curled up like a dormouse in my racing-car green teapot today, Sherri, parked in a cupboard 😉
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We’ll hold off on the bubbly then Sarah until you’ve recovered with lots of good sleep and cups of tea 🙂 ❤
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Thank you for your congratulations.. I think my elation is punished by exhaustion today. Lots of tea needed 🙂
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Congratulations to Sarah from me too, Sherri!
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So kind of you Tom, thank you so much, I know Sarah will be thrilled 🙂
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Thank you, Tom 🙂
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See, how tired I am, Sherri. I just liked my own comment!
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Ahh Sarah…I hope you can hibernate for a while and recouperate from all your hard work…
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The hard work continues, but I am intending to get back into my blogging routine from today, and hoping to catch up with post reading tomorrow 🙂 xxxxx
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Congrats to Sarah. I know full well what it’s like to become a published author from scratch. It was overwhelming, but oh so gratifying. Lovely of you to share your friend’s triumph here Sherri. 🙂
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Thanks Debby! And you certainly do, I am in awe of you and Sarah and all you have accomplished. Hugely inspiring… 🙂 xo
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Aw thanks Sherri. xo 🙂
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🙂
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Thank you for the congrats, dgkaye. Yes, I’d agree, that it’s an overwhelming but gratifying experience. Sherri is a dear friend and always lovely 🙂
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Well now that you’ve gone through the gruel, everything is up from there. 🙂
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Am very much hoping so 🙂
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🙂
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Ahh thanks Sarah…I would say the very same about you and I’m honoured to share your fantastic news here 🙂 xxxx
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Hope you had a fabulous publication day, Sarah. As to the dream, if in doubt, assume it’s all about sex!
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Thanks so much Anne, I’m so inspired by all you amazing published authors…that publication day feel brushes off on us too 🙂 Haha…I’ll remember that next time I have a weird dream, and I suspect that Sarah will never look at a yellow teapot quite the same way again! 😀
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Lol, Anne. Sometimes I write about sex but seldom dream about it these days … or at least that’s what I thought, until you told me otherwise!
Most of my publication day was spent trying to iron out difficulties with my Amazon product page, i.e. my cover artist being listed as the author of the book and me being listed further down the page as the publisher. Still a few things to iron out, but nearly there.
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I’ll add my congrats to the many already expressed. Wonderful achievement Sarah! The whole publication experience is a beast, and you have tamed it. And I love the cover. Reminiscent of Golden Age science fiction. Sherri, lovely indeed that you highlighted Sarah’s accomplishment here. As for the yellow teapot, well, Anne’s interpretation is far livelier than anything I could come up with.
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Thank you, Jeanne 🙂 The book cover was the only part of the publishing process that I handed over to someone else. Jamie Noble Frier is an astoundingly talented artist. I asked him to produce a cover in the same style as those on Amazing Stories Magazine in the 1960’s … and obviously he succeeded, as you’ve recognised its vintage quality 🙂
If you’re interested in seeing any more of his art, you can find him here http://thenobleartist.com/. I will be interviewing him for my blog for a post sometime in the next month.
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Thanks Sarah for the link. Will check that out. Just learning more about self-publishing now. So many different tasks to master
…. My husband writes about science fiction. He has a large collection of SF books as well as about 300 vintage Galaxy Magazines from the very first issue in 1956 on. Of course Amazing Stories is the standard bearer. JNF
did a great job.
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Lucky husband having a collection like that.
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Thank you Jeanne, I’m delighted to help spread the word for Sarah and her fantastic accomplishment 🙂 I’m fascinated to read about your husband’s collection of vintage SF magazines and yes, Sarah’s book cover is wonderful isn’t it? I’m so looking forward to reading Jamie’s guest post on her blog, I’ve ‘liked’ his FB page thanks to Sarah’s recommendation, his artwork is incredible. And yes, Anne’s interpretation certainly makes for interesting thoughts … 😉
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I can see why you’re so delighted for your friend, Sherri – that is quite an accomplishment! As one who understands well the rigors of her journey, I’m on my way over to her site to offer another congrats!
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Thanks again, Shel, for the congrats and for visiting my blog 🙂
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Thanks so much Shel, Sarah will be delighted to see you over at her pad 🙂
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Thank you for introducing your friend and her publication. Congrats to Sarah!
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Thanks so much Amy, it’s my pleasure! 🙂
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You’re surrounded by published authors, Sherri! Must be your turn soon. 🙂 Wouldn’t that be a nice Christmas present? (I just glanced back at your last couple of posts) Hope you and the boys have a wonderful Christmas together. Sending lots of hugs!
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Thanks so much dear Jo…that would be amazing, hopefully it’s catching, and I’m working on it!!! 2016, the year, hitting the revisions hard in the new year 🙂 I hope you too have a really lovely Christmas and I’m loving those hugs…squeezing right back 🙂 xx
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Delightful post, Sherri! Now I want to dream of yellow teapots!
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Haha…take notes if you do Marylin!!!
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Well done to Sarah 🙂
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Thanks Marie 🙂
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How exciting to see a book come into fruition, especially someone you know who has worked hard at it! It’s a sign that you can and will publish yours soon. I once had a yellow teapot and I thought it was very “British.” Scandinavian you say? Guess that’s why I next ended up in Minnesota where I broke the lid. 🙂
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Thanks Charli! It is so exciting for Sarah, she has worked so hard. And yes, I do like to think of it as a sign for my own publication…Sarah’s story inspires you and me to keep forging ahead! Ha, that’s amazing you had a yellow teapot, I’ve had every colour except yellow, how weird is that? I have a red one now, but for years, and when I lived in CA, I had a big blue one! And I’m with you on the broken lids…oh if I could count them all.. 😮
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Well done Sarah that is an amazing achievement it sounds like a cool story too. All the best. Sherri thanks for the share and Happy New Year to you and your family.
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Hi Kath, thank you so much for your support of Sarah, so kind of you. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family also!
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Congratulations to Sarah and thank you for sharing her work with us!
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Thank you so much BT for your support of Sarah, she will be thrilled 🙂
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I’m late coming to this one – working my way back through my emails. Congratulations to Sarah. It is exciting news. I’m looking forward to your own exciting news in the near future, Sherri. 🙂
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Thank you so much Norah, for your wonderful support of us both 🙂 I’ll be over to you shortly, I promise 🙂
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No hurry. I’m not planning on going anywhere! 🙂
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