Release Day Recap...Did That Really Happen?

I expected a sale or two.  I expected to watch my rankings for a couple of hours before they dropped, and I expected to have a slice or three of birthday cake. (Or five)

What happened on October first was so much more.  I began the day doing dishes.  Complete glam life, am I right?  But dammit, I wanted some Boo Berry cereal, and we had no clean spoons.

I love Halloween for giving us Boo Berry.

Then I did what any new author would do.  I scampered to my computer and checked out my rankings and ratings.  I watched them climb higher than I would have ever hoped for.  I am not a known player in the writing world.  I am nobody, but I was so lucky to have some amazing people at my back.

Then the super amazing things happened.

I broke into four digit rankings on Amazon!  Sure it was only #9250, but I can tell you that is now my new favorite number.

I moved up the best-sellers list at Samhain Publishing.  I actually hit the top ten for the whole site! 

Then the shoutouts.  OMG the shoutouts.  I got so many birthday wishes and happy release day posts, that I could not possibly name them all.  What I can say is that I slapped my husband frequently that day and squealed, "Holy CRAP! {insert amazeballs person here} just wished me Happy Release Day!"

Then someone knocked on the door, my hubby answered it, because it was my day, and I was wearing comfy pants to enjoy it.

These beautiful flowers were what was at the door.

With a note from a woman I consider an idol in the Erotic Romance Industry.

I won't say who, but if she happens to be reading this I hope she knows that these flowers were an amazing highlight for me, and who they were from made them even more beautiful.

I am still smiling at the pretty pink bouquet.


So my day can't get much better, right?

WRONG.

It was my birthday as well as my release day, and hubby, being the amazing man he is surprised me with this...

That is a damn near life-sized framed poster of my book cover.  It's hanging right next to my signed books shelf.  He told me that when he sets up my writing office, that is going right behind my desk.  He said it's to remind me where my writing career started.  I think he might be enjoying Amber a bit, too, but the sentiment was so sweet, and the fact that hubby walked into the store and printed out a huge erotic romance book cover and then walked out with my cover blazing earned him big brownie points.

Needless to say, I am on a major high by this point.  The day is winding down, and I am trying (very unsuccessfully) to tear myself away from the computer.  Then my cell phone dings to give me a notification.

It let me know that the Kindle Smut group on Goodreads, had chosen my book as one of their Featured Reads for October!

It was a good thing Hubby stayed home to feed me, otherwise I wouldn't have left the couch to eat.

The next day was just as incredible.

A lovely woman sent me a message.  Just three sentences, but it told me she read my book, she loved it, and she was waiting for book two.  Just so you know, dear reader, you were the icing on my birthday cake...that I totally had for breakfast the next morning.

I got reviews!  I had people talking about my book.  And many of them enjoyed it.

Now.  This is when it winds down, right?  This is when I slide back into obscurity?

Not yet, at least.  I get the Samhain Publishing newsletter.  My own cover is staring back at me.  I AM ONE OF THE FEATURED BOOKS FOR OCTOBER!  *dies*

***NOTE***  If you buy my book through Samhain Publishing and enter the coupon code "FALLREADS" you can have 30% off the price through October 31st.

Then I get a DM on Twitter.  Did I see the newsletter?  Well heck yeah, I saw the Samhain Newsletter!

She tells me, no, not that one...the All Romance Ebooks Newsletter!

Nope.  Not joking.  Off to the right hand side of that email blast was my book, tagline, and buy link.

So here I sit today.  My mouth is slightly ajar, and my eyes are fuzzy from staring at the screen, but I am insanely happy.  Thank you everyone for the start you gave me.  I could never pay you back, but I hope I can pay it forward.  Just know that you all had a huge part in this.  All I did was let the voices in my head hit the paper.

For everyone that read my little corner of crazy...words will never express my gratitude.  But words are all I have so...

Thank you.

Roxy