Where’s that bloody Rouseabout got to?

Any day now and the long awaited printed version of my book The Rouseabout should get here! My publishers said they’d have advance copies to me by the end of the month.

Here I am — the last day of February — wondering if I should take a special drive down to our mail box cluster to see if it’s there!

It’s an incredible moment, meeting your book for the first time after it’s been bound and printed. I know I won’t be able to stop clutching it, stroking its covers, getting to know the feel of it.

All that work and emotion, all wrapped up in a book. If I do drive down, I don’t think I could stand the disapointment of finding the mail box empty.

I think I’ll sit tight until mum collects the mail on her way past tomorrow. If it’s there I’ll be able to show it off at playgroup — after all, writing a novel is as painful and as joyful as having a new baby!

The other mum’s can coo and fuss over it and I can stand there feeling all exhausted and yet proud.