Book Report: Launch Day

Today, April 29, is officially launch day for the book although a reader in West Virginia emailed me to say she got hold of it a couple days early. Always jumping the gun, West Virginia, you!
After walking into the Barnes & Noble at Union Square I realized that I will never again just simply walk into a bookstore. In the pre-book launch days I would go to a bookstore because I needed a book. Or something. No more.
From today onwards, walking into a bookstore will be about more than just getting a book. It will be about anticipation, excitement, pride and – mainly – boosted or damaged self esteem. Where’s the book? you wonder to yourself as you meander about. Recommended reading perhaps? Reader Favorites?. There’s a buzz of anticipation, like when you’re standing on the stoop making idle chatter with a first date. You’re not quite sure if the kiss is going to happen but you know that in the next few moments you’ll either be charged with excitement or really, really disappointed.
So you glance around like a parent at the playground who knows the kid is around somewhere. Fortunately, whoever designed the book’s cover did a great job because all you need to do is look for the brightest, reddest book in all the land.
Then, voila. (French for “Yo!”)

It’s really exciting to see your book up there. Especially at eye-level and not tucked somewhere next to Monopoly – Bronx Zoo Edition. It’s tingly. There’s a tingle.
This kind of excitement will continue every time I walk into a bookstore for quite some time. But the pessimist in me fears that some day the electric tingle will turn into a dull, throbbing dread. Please don’t be in the dollar bin. Please don’t be in the dollar bin.
In the meantime, online retailers have been collected here.
Also today I’ll be over at Glamour Magazine, guest-blogging on Storked!, their pregnancy blog. Feel free to stop by.