It's Pub Day!!!!

Oh my goodness! I am really wishing I'd had the good sense to put waterproof mascara on today, because I have been a big old mess, and every time I think I've pulled it together, I get an e-mail or a tweet or a phone call or someone posts a picture of their dog with their copy of STAY and I lose it all over again. I feel like the luckiest person to know such kind and supportive people and I am completely humbled (and yes, I'm crying again). Today has been amazing.

I got to stop over at the Greece Barnes & Noble today, have lunch with Linda, who runs the Titles Over Tea book club (which is WONDERFUL), and her husband Roger, and I got visit with some of the booksellers. I'll be reading there tomorrow, and I'm thrilled. Everyone there is so welcoming and kind.

I bought a copy of my book. I don't know if you're supposed to do that, as a writer, and quite frankly, I don't care if you're not. Of course, I have my author copies, but I wanted to have that experience of walking into a store and buying my very own book for the very first time. Mike, one of my friends at B&N, sold it me, and I had HIM sign it. That's the copy I'll be reading from.

I'm over at Penguin's Blog today, blogging about how publishing a book is a little like skinny dipping, and I am completely honored to be there.

This is all, absolutely, a dream coming true. I heard COME AS YOU ARE by Nirvana on the radio today, and burst into tears (again). I had NEVERMIND on cassette when I was in high school and would listen to it over and over again. None of this would have ever seemed possible to me then. I am so completely and totally thankful for today.

J is taking me out to dinner to celebrate, and I don't have time to put all the links up before our reservation, so I will post a big long link post tomorrow. Promise!!!!