Picking Up and Letting Go

     Things are certainly picking up on the "Midnight to Morning" front. Today, The Daily Journal out of Vineland, NJ posted an article about the novel. Being that it is from my hometown, I was so very happy to have the chance to let others know about the book. It was also the perfect outlet for me to say thank you to those who have encouraged me. Of course, it also brings back memories. Nearly every afternoon for quite a few years, my father would hand me the change to go into J&J's to purchase The Daily Journal. It wasn't until I was a teenager that we started to have it delivered. To those who are visiting this blog due to that article, a warm welcome and I hope you hang around The Mania awhile. Also, here is a direct link to the sites where the book can be purchased: Click here for the lulu site and here for the Kindle one.
    This Saturday will be my first book signing. I'll be down in Charlotteville, VA at the Family Christian Store in Seminole Square from 10am to 2pm. Frank, the owner, has been wonderfully supportive of this project. While the novel was written for the "mainstream" there isn't any doubt when it comes to the main characters faith. There are just enough references for the Christian marketplace to pick it up. Frank will even be sending a copy to the regional office to see if it can be sold in the other Family Christian stores.
     As to the "letting go" reference, we are now only 7 days from the death of my favorite creative outlet. Last night I actually started to cry over the loss. My skills as a writer, especially the ability to get into a characters head and develop him or her, grew exponentially because of the time I spent in SWG. I wasn't there to shoot-n-loot or run the near endless quests and instances. I was in the game to roleplay, to make a character from scratch and see just how far I could take her story. She is at her highest point though and will spend her last day contentedly sitting on the top of the hill which sits in the middle of her town. As for me, I'll be mourning. It will be hard to let go. There are people I'll miss, those I know who won't keep in touch as much as others. There are two things I'll cling to though. One is the fact that I will put Amandiona's story down into book form, along with those she shared her life with. The other is the wonderful friendships that will last through this virtual ending. We will hold each other up and perhaps meet up again in another virtual world.