Life After Publishing !
Hello my favorite people,
It happened - that thing I’ve been talking about for the last year and a half! On November 21st, I became a published author!
Earlier this summer, I submitted my manuscript to several contests and last week I learned my book was the 2023 category WINNER in the American Writing Awards
‘LBP’ - Life Before Publishing…
was devoted to working with the editors at Vine Leaves Press, followed by the many different tasks that claimed my attention: seeking podcast opportunities, recording videos, designing promotional content, and writing short pieces. I had the privilege of working with some extremely talented people. Although Vine Leaves Press isn’t huge, it appears to be growing fast. They recently joined Publisher’s marketplace! Although I didn’t know how to do any of this before, I learned to navigate the landscape. I am so grateful to my book launch team - who made a huge difference by reading advanced copies, mentioning my book on social media, and posting reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and their blogs. Thank you and thank you to all my early readers—as my book makes its way into the public domain. I am grateful to all of you for continuing to support me, for purchasing my book, and for the amazing feedback I’ve received.
‘LAF’ - Life After Publishing…
has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Someone asked me how I felt now that the book is out. That seemed like an invitation to rant, so I let loose. I told her what I felt - confusion! It is like the expectation to succeed is 100 times increased. Alia, my daughter the librarian, told me I should just be grateful the book was published. She’s right. However, my internal response went like this: I am not sure if I am doing enough or the right things to help sell and reach my target audience. In other words, I hate the task of promotion & feel it’s exhausting. I don't like spending hours trying to post on social media. Maybe that’s why I avoided writing this newsletter. On the other hand, I have been invited to speak at a few events and I am interested in that. Meanwhile, it feels like I’m at a standstill. Not writing. Not hustling. And checking reviews every day. Speaking of that, I want to share some of the good (and bad) reviews, posted on Amazon and Goodreads.
This was the most recent:
“I read this book in an afternoon. Cathy Shields’ courageous memoir tells the true story of what it’s like to parent a special needs child and two other children by showing us the nitty gritty struggle, rather than resorting to platitudes or easy answers. In the best memoirs, the author interrogates themselves, and this is exactly what Shields does, spilling her feelings—even the taboo ones (why can’t my child be like all the others?) onto the page.
How many of us have seen parents of children with special needs and felt as if we’ve dodged a bullet, or silently the fates that our children were “normal” and well? The Shape of Normal gives us an inside look at what it’s like to parent a child who doesn’t follow the usual milestones and will require care throughout life. We get a close look at the stress of raising a special needs child alongside others, the guilt of never being able to do enough, and the wrenching decisions to make.
What makes this book so compelling is its uncompromising honesty. Shields has no interest in presenting herself as a saint. Rather, she dives deep into the cauldron of emotions that come with her situation—feelings of inadequacy, self-pity, and rage. In the end, this is a story of self-reckoning. It was Shields’ willingness and openness to face herself and share her journey with her readers that kept me turning the pages.”
And although I now have 14 wonderful reviews on Amazon, I didn’t know how to react to this one posted on Goodreads. Here’s an excerpt:
“…This book definitely provoked a plethora of emotions in me, but not in a good way. The Shape of Normal includes information that is outdated and inaccurate medical information.
…I'm not sure if it was intentional to make the protagonist so unlikable. I absolutely could not relate to this mother, she's a cruel, cold bitch. ~She's pretentious and judges everyone
…Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading this book. I had a hard time relating to this mother, and all the misinformation or medically inaccurate retelling. The first three chapters were the worst. I don't want to risk spreading false medical information, as a behavioral health nurse.”
Seriously I didn’t know whether to laugh or get upset. What do you think?
If you bought my book on Amazon and enjoyed it, I would be grateful if you would post a product review. https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Normal-Motherhood-Disability-Embracing-ebook/dp/B0CG3RQF1X . I’m aiming for 50+ reviews on Amazon to give the book credibility and entice potential readers. Whether in the app or online, under Account, go to your Orders, select the book, then click on “Write a product review.” Amazon gives more weight to reviews linked to purchases. They're showcased in front of other reviews and included on international sites. It would be great if you could also copy and paste your review on Goodreads! Here’s the link. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/188665382-the-shape-of-normal
PS: If you know someone who might enjoy Motherhood In The Margins, please forward it to them. They can also sign up on my website:
https://www.cathyshieldswriter.com
Reading your writing made me feel validated and normal as mother. I cried with the relatability of just the day to day experiences. If you’re a cold bitch, than I guess I am, too. But my guess is that your critiquer is scared of raw vulnerability. I can’t speak to the medical portions, but this was about what you experienced, not a medical journal. Keep putting it out there!
You’re always going to have a few to say unkind things so just skip over those posts and carry on 🥰