It's a Real Book: Wish You Were Here is here!

A package arrived at my house on Tuesday — two packages, actually.

In one was a copy of my debut novel, Wish You Were Here, with a note from my editor, Jessica Wong, saying the book was "hot off the presses." That's a cliche any author will embrace.

The second package contained several additional copies of my novel — but not for me, for several influencers. So those copies of my book have already left the house.

But I still have my advance copy.

And the fun memory of my daughter, Amy, taking photos of me with my "real" books. Because, you know, me + a camera pointed at me = bloopers. And then there's my other daughter, Katie Beth, getting into the act. (She provided the bunny ears.)

Writing's been pretty serious business for me the past few months, what with a deadline looming for book #2. The whole "I must, I must, I must" mantra is driving me hard.

Sometimes I forget that I'm living my dream. And I that I love to write. It's fun. I'm b-l-e-s-s-e-d to be able to do what I'm doing: write stories that I hope will entertain and encourage others.  And then I have a silly photo shoot with my daughters (all three of them, because the youngest decided to hold a blanket up behind me as a backdrop) and suddenly the laughter is back.

In Your Words: Are you having fun yet?

*Join in the wedding dress fun! Please send me your wedding dress photos to put in my "album" as we celebrate the soon-to-be launch of Wish You Were Here! Email them to beth@bethvogt.com.*