Erotica By Helen E. H. Madden

Well, here's one thing I know I should blog about. My erotica novel, Demon By Day, should be available very soon. I proofed the final galley this weekend and signed off on it. The publisher, Mojocastle Press, is trying to get me print copies in time for Balticon this weekend. Meanwhile, I'm now busting my ass getting ready to promote this puppy.

I spent a year and a half writing this book, and then six months finding a publisher. It's been another year and a half editing and getting it ready to publish. I remember very clearly the day I finished the first draft. It was a miserable winter day in February, and I was sick as a dog. I was so thrilled to have actually completed writing a book, a real book! But I was so sick, and I had a fussy toddler on my hands, and with the weather so lousy, there was no way I was going to get out to celebrate. That disappointed me a bit, but when you're a stay-at-home mom in addition to being a writer, that happens a lot.

I also remember very clearly the day I first sent the book off to a publisher. I sent it to Tor Books, thinking I'd try one of the major print publishers just once so I could have a rejection letter. I was nine months pregnant with my youngest and just waiting for my due date to come. I remember walking into the post office with my oldest child Cassie, handing the packaged manuscript to the postal clerk and paying my money, and then walking out of the post office and telling Cassie, "Now that's done, the baby can come any time now." Sam must have been listening because my water broke just a few hours later. I had the baby around 3 AM the next day. No celebration for getting the book out, but we did have a little party a few days later to celebrate the arrival of our second daughter. My party outfit consisted of baggy pants and t-shirt, a nursing bra and leaky boobs.

A couple months later, I got my rejection letter from Tor and I promptly set out to find a good small press/e-book erotica publisher. That turned out to be Mojocastle, and I can't thank Stephanie Kelsey enough for all the hard work she's put into getting Demon By Day ready and out the door. I remember getting the e-mail saying they wanted to send me a contract. I wanted to dance around the house screaming at the top of my lungs. But by then I had my hands full with a squalling infant, so I didn't get my celebration then either.

So here we are three and a half years later. My novel is about to come out in e-book and in print and once again I have no time to stop and celebrate because I've got to get the next several episodes of my podcast produced, pull together all my erotica writerly swag for my appearance at Balticon, and then get ready to head off to Florida for a week's vacation. I could call the vacation a celebration, but I know I'm going to spend most of it chaperoning the kids through Disney World by myself.
I think when I get back, I will take a whole day off to myself. Well, no entirely by myself. Can't leave Sam alone now, can I? Although maybe I could hire a sitter for the day? Hmmm... Finding a sitter for the baby. Now that would be cause for celebration.

Labels: My Books, Write-At-Home Mom

Monday, May 19, 2008

News On The Novel - I Really Should Celebrate