Saturday, February 25, 2012

Countdown to Publication-Week 5: I'm Ready for This Thing to Come Out

"I'm ready for this thing to come out." I've never had children, but I'm sure a soon-to-be mother somewhere has said these words at some point. It's been a long labor. No, I'm not pregnant, but it feels like it sometimes—all this planning, preparing, organizing, appointments and then the W-A-I-T.

You wonder what it will look like and if it will come out okay. You wonder if you've done enough or if you've forgotten something. You wonder how the world will perceive it. You are excited and freaked out at the same time! You wonder if you can handle something like this.

But there's no going back now. The bun is in the oven. The book has gone to print. It's cooking.

People give you all kinds of scenarios of what it will be like. They give you suggestions and tell you what you need to do. They tell you what to expect. They tell you the worst case scenarios and the best case scenarios. They tell you how surreal it is.

They might as well be describing what it's like to set foot on Jupiter. I won't really no what it's like until I've arrived. And it will be nothing like they've described anyway. Everyone has to go through their own experiences in this world.

But right now I want to put all the ideas, suggestions and expectations aside and take a rest.

I'm ready for this thing to come out, but it's due date is April 3rd. You can do all the preparing in the world, but I'm sure it's nothing like you imagined. It's nothing like the REAL THING!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Countdown to Publication-Week 6: I'm Currently in Hermit Mode

In six short weeks my book will be on bookshelves across North America. I feel like I should be doing something, but this past week I've been a hermit. I couldn't bring myself to the internet, this blog or even out and about much. I just wanted to go inward and be alone. I don't know if this is usual for someone who is about to have a book published. I feel like I have already put so much of myself out there and in April I'll be doing it again on book tour. I am so looking forward to April and all the events that are coming up, but I can't seem to shake this need to retreat.

Maybe I'm storing up energy for what's to come. Or perhaps I'm just plain tired. All I've wanted to do lately is fix myself a big cup of herbal tea after my classes at the college and melt into my bathtub with a good book. I've wanted to do simple things like cook a meal for my husband or gather all the loose paper clips from the bottom of my book bag and organize them into one location (trust me, this is not like me). Sometimes I just stand and stare out my office window at a bird and sometimes I sit at my desk and do absolutely nothing.

I wanted to do a vlog today, but my current "hermit mode" status won't allow it. I'm surprised I was able to bring my fingers to the keyboard today and type this post for week six. But I think it is important to share. Maybe other writers or even non-writers can relate. Do you ever feel just plain tired of being connected? Connected to the internet, connected to your job, connected to all your responsibilities—have you ever just wanted to step away from it all? I haven't wanted to go on Facebook and have even found it difficult to check e-mail. I even entertained the idea of a new blog: 365 days of Cave Living. I'd go out and live in a cave in silence and pen my blog posts out on paper to later be typed onto my cave-dweller's blog by someone else, because I'm not allowed to use electronics so long as I'm a cave dweller. I'd meditate, chase butterflies, live off the land, wake up at sunrise and go to sleep at sunset.

For now, I think I can live with the near-silence of my office. I'm warming up again to the sound of my fingers punching out the keys on my keyboard. I'll settle for the cup of tea next to me and the long weekend ahead with no classes. I'm grateful for this time to soak in all that's around me. I've forgotten what it feels like to do next to nothing. I've done all that I can do. I've laid down the foundations, I've written the book and it's gone to print. It will be coming soon!

While in "hermit mode," I noticed that the daffodils in my garden are starting to poke through the dried out leaves that fell from my camellia tree last fall. I can almost smell them, but I can't force them to bloom. I'll just have to wait. And I'm perfectly fine with that.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Countdown to Publication-Week 7: I'm Vlogging Today (Not Blogging)

Week 7—About 52 days to go until the book is released. Today I present you with my attempt at a vlog (video log). Enjoy! Please leave comments, as this is my first time to vlog and feedback is appreciated. Also, please view my west coast book tour schedule on Facebook and share it with your west coast friends. I just found out I'll be at The Book Passage in Marin County, CA on April 13 at 7PM. An RSVP to the events listed on my book tour schedule page would be much appreciated. More soon friends! Now for my vlog:


Saturday, February 4, 2012

Countdown to Publication-Week 8: A Surprise Visit from my Publicist

Somedays I feel a bit like a female version of Clark Kent: I'm a blogger/book writer by day and an ESL teacher by night. Last Wednesday, I was solely an ESL teacher because I was covering a day class for a friend. After snoozing in my car between my seven-hour teaching marathon, I decided to check my email.

Sitting in my inbox was a message from my publicist, Eva, that read,

"Lunch on Friday?"

Are you kidding me? Whatever I had plans for that day at the noon hour would have to wait. Eva was in town!

"Sure! What time and where?" I typed back.

"What about 12:00pm at Chanterelle in Edmonds?"

I had never met my publicist, who is stationed in California, in person. This was an opportunity I did not want to miss. Of course I knew we'd meet eventually, but she was here NOW! So on Friday, after having breakfast with a friend, I hopped into my car and drove down towards the Edmonds waterfront. I parked my car in a nearby neighborhood and walked towards historic Edmonds. It was a sunny day in Washington, quite rare for this time of year, and the Olympic Mountains and a ferry boat on Puget Sound created the perfect backdrop to our meeting spot.

From outside, I saw her sitting in a little window seat and we both smiled and gave each other a little wave. We had a lovely lunch and chatted about life and book-related stuff.

I'm so excited about all the events that are coming together and there will be more news as time goes on. I have created a countdown here to keep you posted on book readings and other news related to the release of my book in April. It's available now for preorder at the sites listed on the sidebar. So here's what I know so far:

Tuesday, April 3, 2012-My book's birthday!

Saturday, April 7, 2012-Book launch party at Yoon's Yoga Bliss near Seattle from 9:45-1pm (Yoga class from 9:45-10:45, book reading/signing from 11:10-12:10, mingling, cake, appetizers from 12:10-1). Book sales by East/West Bookshop.

Thursday, April 12, 2012 @ 7:30pm-Book reading/signing at Powell's Books in
Portland, Oregon.

(I will be in the Bay Area at The Book Passage in Marin County, but don't have dates yet. I hope to be there on Saturday, April 14, 2012)

Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ 7:00pm-Book reading/signing at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, Washington

(I also plan to visit New York and Chicago on tour, but don't have dates yet, will keep you posted)

Friday, June 1-Sunday, June 3-Open Up To Your Life's Purpose Yoga and Writing Retreat with Seong Yoon Lee (The monk I married) and Katherine Jenkins at The Yoga Lodge on Whidbey Island, WA. This is already HALF-FULL, so go to info@yoonsyogabliss.com to find out more about it and to reserve you space! (This is not a book event, but an event to explore life purpose through yoga, writing, collaging, etc.)

There will be many more dates, events, etc. To make sure you don't miss something in YOUR neck of the woods, it would be good to become a fan on my Facebook fan page or Twitter. That's where I post the most up-to-date info.

Anyway, this is all starting to feel a little surreal, but I'm excited and I really hope to meet many of YOU out there. Please leave a comment here and let me know if can make an event. I'd love to here from you. Please let your family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances know about this post. Thanks friends and stay tuned!

All the best to you,
Katherine