Proof of Joy

As you go through life, it’s important to retain your enthusiasm for things you do and enjoy.

I’ve been indie publishing for over three years now. I’ve released 12 books, and I’ve got a 13th on the way.

But I still geek out when I get a hard copy in the mail.

The print proof for Little Red Riding Hoodie: A Modern Fairy Tale arrived on Saturday. It looks pretty good, although Jill wants to tweak the cover a bit.

And, of course, I have to read the whole thing this week to proof it, so it’s clean when it releases next Monday.

But it’s still thrilling holding one of my books in my hands. Months of hard work, worrying over tiny details, and sometimes losing sleep have finally rendered something I can be proud of. Seeing a finished novel inspires me to keep working on the one I’m writing at the moment.

There’s a lot of misery involved with being an artist. Until you become commercially successful, the heartache and the struggles can make you want to quit.

But the little joys — like seeing your work in print — makes it worth it.

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Little Red Riding Hoodie: A Modern Fairy Tale is available for pre-order through Amazon.com. The eBook version is only 99 cents. Get it here.

Filed under: e-Publishing, Little Red Riding Hoodie, Writing Tagged: indie publishing, John Phythyon, Little Red Riding Hoodie, Red Riding Hood