What I found out after getting my first book accepted

It's been a week since I announced a publisher picked up my book--almost two weeks since receiving the email.

I figured I'd know what to expect since I've been studying the publishing market for so many years. I've read the blogs of other writers who became authors. I've read all the agents' blogs. Yeah, I figured I did my homework.

Not.

First I heard from my editor. The one who originally gave me the chance and sent it to committee. She said she'd start on my edits. Good. I liked that. Then I got an email introducing me to a portal for authors on the publisher's site. I liked that too. All I had to do was open Tasks and see what my part meant.

That's when my heart first started to race. I needed to write a blurb, tell what I wanted on my cover, write my dedication, my author bio etc.

Now I stink at writing tag lines. And blurbs. So I contacted some of my Beta readers who calmed me down and got me started with  wonderful advice and help. For  thecover ideas, I skimmed the ones that the publisher created and coveres on Amazon. I narrowed it down to a few.

But a few? Was that enough? I started to panic.  This might be the only cover I ever get. Was I sure what I wanted on it? Was I sure about the tone and what my character look like? I pulled out my book, (I hadn't looked at it in months) and tried to discover details in the story that might work.

Then last night, I opened the portal again. That's when I found some pdf files that contained all the information I needed. Guess I should have looked around first as it provided email addresses to all the staff. Explanations for many of my questions and most of all assurance that I wouldn't be doing this alone. They wanted the best book they could get and their job would be to help me make it that way.

So I breathed again.

Until I made another blunder and sent out an email asking author friends if they would like to endorse me before finding out the policy. Call it beginner's denseness but I did it.

This morning at church, it hit me. Calm down. I'm going to make mistakes and maybe regret how I go through this or the selections I make. But I will get it done.

I will hold my first book in my hands and thank God for the chance.