I always wanted to be a “real” author.  Long before I knew how to spell “synopsis” or understood the need for a rock solid query, I imagined stroking the cover of a book I’d written myself.

Now that I’ve stroked not just one but two of my own books, I understand there is more to being a “real” author than just writing a good story.  In order to give our creations the best possible chance at success, we also have to market and sell our work.  And apparently that concerns my subconscious, since last night it added a new anxiety dream to my repertoire.

Almost six years after the Olympics, I still have a recurring nightmare.  I’m at some distant regatta packing for a flight home that leaves in an hour, and not everything will fit into my luggage.  As I stuff and repack and turn to find yet another pile of clothes on the floor behind me, I know I’m Going To Miss My Flight.  Of course, my teammates are ready and waiting for me… and I HATE to be waited for.

It’s always a relief when I wake up.

Last night, I had a completely new anxiety dream. I’m having a glass of wine with a woman I barely know (and after last night, I’m not interested in getting to know her any better).  We suddenly realize I am ten minutes late for my booksigning that started at 5pm, the reason I’d come to town in the first place.  So we hop in her car and race off.  Since she’s the local, I figure she knows where she’s going… until we end up on the wrong side of town.

“Oh, it’s at that OTHER bookstore!” she says, and we speed off again.

One way streets.  Cars and pedestrians blocking the road.  Everything conspires against our getting where we need to go, even though it’s “just a few blocks away.”

By the time we finally arrive at the (other) bookstore, it’s 8:30pm.  Worst of all, I don’t even have a decent excuse. (“We were having a glass of wine and lost track of time” certainly doesn’t sound very professional.) I stroll into the empty store, determined to make the best of a very bad and quite self-induced situation.

“Sorry I’m so late,” I say.  “How many books did we sell?”

“Fifteen and a half,” the owner replies.

(Why my subconscious thinks you can sell half a book, I’ll never know.)

It gets worse.  The bookstore owner leads me to the back of the store where the last buyer is waiting patiently—and remember, I HATE to be waited for.  It’s a boy who can’t read, and he asks me to chisel my signature in the book cover, as if it were a piece of wood.

I want to reward the kid for being so patient, so I struggle with the completely inappropriate tool and hope I don’t cut myself.

Then I wake up.

Now I’m sure a psychiatrist would have a different interpretation, but to me this dream screams “real author.”  I’m no longer sleep-worrying about catching planes home from regattas, like an Olympic sailor; instead I’m worrying about book signings—forgetting to go to one, and dealing with an awkward situation when I finally remember.  I’m surprised my subconscious didn’t work in an aspiring writer who holds up the line to complain about how hard it is to get published.

My old anxiety dream had nothing to do with sailing, and this new dream has nothing to do with writing.  Maybe that’s because the writing is the easy part of being an author?

Anyway, I’m going to take this nightmare as a positive sign. I’m also going to take a nap this afternoon… and probably skip the glass of wine before tonight’s signing.

What a party it was! I heard someone ask, “Why isn’t the Boston Globe here?  This is an EVENT.”

On Thursday, July 1 2010 we launched Cape Cod Surprise. The weather was perfect; sunny but not too hot, and not a speck of humidity (by Boston standards at least).  The Sail Loft generously provided their delicious chowder and appetizers.  And so many writers and sailors bought books and helped us celebrate, I lost count. Thanks to everyone who came to launch CCS into the world, especially to USSailing President (and blurb writer) Gary Jobson.  He has probably figured out by now that Boston is NOT on the way from Newport to New Jersey.

Of all the decisions we made while planning the event, the best one by far was to make it a benefit for Piers Park Sailing Center.  MC Maureen McKinnon-Tucker made everyone feel welcome, even when I was occupied signing books.  The blue-shirted staff created a very friendly atmosphere (especially while hawking raffle tickets to people who’d just stumbled into the Sail Loft for a drink or two). And volunteer Steve Jewett played raffle host, inspiring the purchase of more tickets with his listing of the great prizes available. Lots of nice folks won some great stuff and went home happy. And even those that didn’t win supported a great cause.

When I first thought of combining the launch party with a fundraiser for Piers Park, I didn’t realize how much we had in common.  Now everyone will know, thanks to the video short “Where Books Meet Olympic Spirit: Learning Life Skills through Sailing.” Produced by Paul Cronin of WhiteCap Video, the five minute piece talks about the common goal shared by PPSC and my books. Thanks to Paul for creating a legacy piece, and thanks to Maureen for her patience with the extra takes.  It shines through that we had fun putting it together, and I look forward to more joint projects in the future.

The day after the party passed in a glow of nice emails and tweets from those who had been there and others who’d heard secondhand about the successful event.  The best compliment I received was via fellow author Nicole Bernier. Thursday had been a very special day for Nicole too; her book sold to Random House.  But she still found time amidst her own celebrations to send the following:

“What a stellar night. You were beaming. My kids were fighting over their copy of the book, and I had to break out one of the others I bought for friends.”

Thanks to everyone, and if you didn’t catch it Thursday night, check out the video to relive some of the great inspiration.

Ready for the splash?

On Thursday, July 1, 2010, with your help, we’ll launch my newest book, Cape Cod Surprise, at the Sail Loft in Boston’s North End. The invites have been sent out, the raffle prizes are coming together, the books are waiting to be signed… and the early summer weather has us all ready for another adventure with Oliver.

Best of all, proceeds from all books sold at the event will go to support Piers Park Sailing Center, a community organization in East Boston that provides the transformative experience of sailing to more than 1000 youth each year. I’ll be working with the kids at PPSC during the day on Thursday, reinforcing a shared goal: to teach life skills through sailing. I plan to approach that philosophy from a slightly different angle – by encouraging kids to go sailing inside their heads.  We’ll see how that goes; with the harbor beckoning, they may be as anxious as I am to go sailing with their bodies instead.

Thanks to all of you who have shared with me the process of bringing this project to press… writing and editing through the fall and winter, revising and finalizing a cover in the spring… until that delicious moment a few days ago, when I held the first book in my hand.

Gary Jobson once said that there’s nothing like seeing your own book in print for the first time, and I know that won’t change whether it’s book #2 or book #20.  We’re hoping to see Gary Thursday night; if so, compliment him on his blurb.

Thursday night will be a great chance to introduce my sailing world to my writing world, since both will be well represented.  Literary Guerillas, meet Frostbiters and Snipe sailors!  If you are struggling for a common language, remember you have one verb in common (“To Launch”). And you’ll all enjoy the video, as well as Sail Loft chowder, appetizers, and beverages.

Special offer:  If you can’t make the party but still want your signed copy of Cape Cod Surprise to support PPSC, post a comment below or email me directly:  carolncronin AT gmail DOT com.

Thanks to Oliver for bringing us all together, and see you Thursday night.

Launch party details

Directions/Map

Now for the fun part! The launch party for Cape Cod Surprise will take place at the Sail Loft in Boston’s North End on Thursday, July 1.  The event will be a chance to meet some new characters, reunite with faces familiar from Oliver’s Surprise… and best of all, raise money for a great cause.  Proceeds from every book sold will go toward the educational programs at Piers Park Sailing Center.

PPSC in East Boston gives over 1000 local kids the chance to go sailing every summer.  They also offer adaptive sailing programs for people living with disabilities, including a remarkable technology that enables motion-restricted sailors to control the boat’s direction with a “sip” or “puff” of breath. PPSC teaches life skills through sailing… just as Oliver and the other characters in my books learn about teamwork and self-reliance while grappling with their fictional adventures.

On July 1 I’ll spend the day at PPSC, sharing my enthusiasm for reading, writing, and sailing.  Hopefully the kids will help me create a few new stories.

That evening, the official launching of Cape Cod Surprise will include book signings, a teaser from the new story, introductions to a gold medalist, prize drawings for books and sailing delights, harbor views, and food and beverage.  We may also show a few videos courtesy of WhiteCap Video.  And both sailing and writing friends will have a chance to learn the ‘other’ meaning of the verb “to launch.”

Please put this “Surprise” party on your calendar. I look forward to celebrating with you all!

To read an excerpt, or RSVP, visit my author website.

I know, I know, I wrote a few weeks ago I was finished with the new book.  But “finished” has different stages.  And though the authorly part was complete, the graphic design work (cover and interior) weren’t quite ready to go to press.

It’s quite unusual for an author to design her own cover, but most authors don’t have graphic design experience.  Being able to use all of my talents to create a beautiful book (as well as a good story) is one of the great things about working with publisher GemmaMedia.  Gemma actually found the original map that we used as a background, so it’s been a team effort right from the start.  We sent final files in this morning, including a Library of Congress number; now that makes me feel like a real author.

Many of you have asked about the publishing date, which is July 4.  Stay tuned for updates on a launch party around that time too.  And of course I’m starting to plan book signings, so let me know if your local bookstore or book club would like me to come visit.

And speaking of launch parties, we put our Herreshoff Marlin in the water this morning.  So the season of summer evening sails has officially begun.

It’s not often that my book life and my sailing life overlap, but it happened last week.

Last Friday, I submitted a file (only ten minutes late) that represented almost a year of hard work.  Cape Cod Surprise, complete with layout and cover art, has been sent off to meet the sharp eyes of my publisher and editor at GemmaMedia. [Insert appropriate “cheer” word here, along with much overdone punctuation.]

Writing a sequel requires all the same effort as the original book.  1. Dream up enough story line to start writing.  2. Figure out what the REAL story line is. 3. Edit. 4. Re-edit, to make all the little pieces fit the big picture.  5. Ask “is it as good as it can be” over and over, until the answer is “yes.”

In addition, the sequel required a little extra effort.  Because this time, I knew I was writing for publication—not just to brighten the eyes of my nephew at Christmas.  This time, I was on a deadline.  And it had to be even better than “good as it can be.” Better than the first book.   I believe it is… longer, richer—yes, better.  I can only hope my authorly bias is not blinding me to the faults of my latest creation.  I can only hope you the readers will love it too.

I also checked off an important sailing goal last week.  Kim Couranz and I won the Snipe Women’s Nationals in Jacksonville, FL.  This is the fifth time we’ve won this event (though only our third as a team), so that victory alone isn’t necessarily a goal as worthy of shout-out as shipping off a manuscript.  It’s where that regatta victory will lead us that counts: we’re now qualified for the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient Championship in September, an international regatta that draws together the best sailors in the class.  (And for those who keep score by gender, we are likely to be one of the few women’s teams at the event.)

I’ve written before about the three hats a writer must wear as she works through a project.  I’ve also written about the many definitions of success in this brave new world of publishing.  For all these reasons and many more, I made sure to celebrate last week’s writing milestone. There are so few finish line tapes across the road to publishing that when we hit one, it’s critical to raise a glass and breathe in the heady air of “I did it!”  Because all too soon my manuscript will be back for edits, like a teenager who returns from college with fresh opinions based on his contact with others.

Kim and I should’ve celebrated our regatta win with a raised glass too.  Instead we jumped in the van to drive the 13 hours back to Annapolis Sunday night, so she could show up for work the next day.

And it didn’t feel so important to consciously celebrate a finite victory like winning a regatta. It’s so much more obvious that we achieved our goal when there is a printed scoreline of firsts (what we sailors call “bullets”).

Authors have no such scoreline; instead we single out the good reviews and positive feedback, building a moat around our egos to protect against the less pleasant comments.  There are always more books that could be sold, more readers that could be touched, more Amazon reviews that could be written.

Besides, Kim and I will be celebrating all summer, as we push to improve our skills toward meeting our new goal (a respectable finish at the Westerns). Because that’s what self-motivated people do: as soon as we achieve one goal, we look for the next.

But for a few days, while my new book is out of my hands being edited by someone else, I will savor last week’s writing victory.  Because whether or not this sequel is actually as good as I think it is, I’ve now answered once and for all one of my great internal doubts:

Can she do it again?

Yes, she can!

And that’s a victory worth celebrating.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about success. Not the standard question, “how can I be more successful?”  (which is usually just a tasteful coverup for “how can I make more money?”)

My question is completely different: Have I already succeeded, and just failed to notice?

From 2000-2004, one very specific goal defined success for me – winning the US Olympic Trials.  With that ultimate date and location in mind, my team made a detailed list of  improvements to focus on day to day during our years of preparation: Improve Boatspeed.  Perfect our boathandling.  Sail better tomorrow than we did today.

We won the Trials, and went on to win two races at the Olympics in Athens.  Yes of course, it would’ve been even better to win a medal… but I digress.

The whole setup was ideal for a results-oriented athlete.  We defined a specific goal, achieved it, and -  bingo!  I’m an Olympian.  I felt like I’d just passed a signpost spelling out in a blaring display font:  “Carol Cronin has just reached a pinnacle of athletic success.”

Four years later, I checked off another box on my life’s list of achievements by publishing a book. “Oliver’s Surprise” has been very well-received by young (and not so young) adult readers around the world.  The book has taken me into classrooms full of kids and into bookstores full of adults who’ve all come to know me through my work.  I’m sure the sequel, “Cape Cod Surprise,” due out this July, will take me on an even more exciting ride.

Recently, I was even recognized by Redroom as a “rising star.”

All of this is just fantastic.  Yet none of it feels like a signpost spelling out in a blaring display font: “Carol Newman Cronin has just reached a pinnacle of authorly success.”

As writers, we each define our own goals. (Susan Kushner Resnick wrote a great post on this on Beyond the Margins.)  For some, producing great writing is enough; others want that great writing validated by publication; a few achieve bestseller status and make a living as authors.

So I’m the only one who can say what the writer-equivalent is for me of that winner-take-all Trials.

And that’s what the results-oriented athlete still living within this writer’s body finds so difficult.  My eyes dart around me, ahead and behind, looking for that signpost.

I used to think my ultimate goal was publication, and that did feel like a great accomplishment.  But then I began sharing my story with readers.  Those readers then taught me something new, and that new idea grew into the inspiration for another book.  And now a previously unimagined sequel is almost complete.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve joyfully celebrated every step of Oliver’s progress, from idea to writing to editing to publication, and yes even to marketing.  As I will celebrate and enjoy each and every step of the sequel.

But I’m still looking for that signpost.

What’s your signpost of success?