It's a Book Baby! Welcome to the World, XVI!

Wow! Just like giving birth to a baby, I don't think anyone could've prepared me for the actual birthing of a book baby! Welcome, XVI! With human babies, you pretty much know that nine months after conception, you're gonna give birth. With books -- nuh uh...

Here's a peek at the conception-to-birth path of XVI.

Conceived: November 1, 2005 (in the back seat of NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month!)

Formative milestones:
1st complete draft, November 30, 2005
1st revision, January, 2006
Made mistake, tried to birth, March, 2006 (we will not talk about that!)
1st showed to critique group, October, 2006
2nd revision complete, July 2007
Queried possible midwives (agents), July through October, 2007
Found midwife, November 2007
3rd revision, complete, December 2007
Midwife began querying doctors (editors), March 2008
Possible doctor found, September 2008
4th partial revision, complete, October 2008
Hospital, declined, January 2009
5th total revision, complete March 2009
Same doctor, still interested, June 2009
New doctor, interested, July 2009
Both doctors want to birth, August 2009 (tough choice!)
Choose original doctor, September 2009
Pre-natal surgery, April through June 2010
Obligatory waiting period

Birth Announcement -- It's a Bouncing Baby Book!
Name: XVI
Mother: Julia Karr
Doctor: Jen Bonnell
Midwife: Kate Schafer Testerman
Hospital: Penguin, USA
Delivery Room: Speak
Date of Delivery: 1/6/2011

Mother and Baby - exhausted, but doing fine!

This week has been an amazing roller-coaster of emotions -- hopes, fears, dreams, joy, and tears -- all tumbling out at various times, sometimes simultaneously. Just like having a baby (and I know of whence I speak!) Thanks to everyone for attending the birth of my book baby! She's already everything I dreamed she'd be!

17 comments:

Mrs. DeRaps said...

Yippee! I can't wait to buy a copy of this book--I read it as part of an ARC tour but need my very own. Hope it's up for adoption??

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Julia! What a great way of telling the book's story, I was grinning.

(I have just ordered my copy from The Book Depository, yay.)

Julia said...

Definitely up for adoption, Mrs. DeRaps! :)
Emily, thanks! and I hope you love it!

Mandy P.S. said...

Congratulations, Julia! I'm so excited for you and can't wait to read XVI. (I actually own it but my project manager told me I'm not allowed to read any more books until after our research deadline. Jan 17th never seemed so far away!)

B.E. Sanderson said...

Congratulations. I can't wait to snag a copy for my very own. =o)

Pam Harris said...

LOL, what a great analogy! Congrats! :)

Jenilyn Collings said...

Congratulations on your bouncing baby book! Also, thanks for sharing your time frame! It's nice to know that it's not hopeless if things don't happen as fast as they did for Stephenie Meyer. :)

Jen Bigheart said...

Love this post! Congratulations!

Jen

Holly Hill said...

Congratulations! I have my copy in hand and plan to read it this weekend!

Anonymous said...

I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive! Congratulations. And thanks for sharing your timeline - it's always fascinating and encouraging to see a book's timeline from initial idea to publication.

Elisabeth

deltay said...

Woohoo, congratulations on the release! :)

Caroline Starr Rose said...

What a fabulous way to share your journey! I feel like 2011 is going to be one year-long celebration.

nutschell said...

Julia,
What an awesome analogy! I've never given birth to anything but stories, but after sitting through that "birthing film" in High School, I have to say the process is just as long an painful.
Congratulations!
warm regards,
nutschell

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Wow, I'm exhausted just reading it! Congrats!!! I have it on my list to read! :)

Julia said...

Thanks everyone for your great comments. I hope all of you enjoy it!

Bittersweet - hope the 17th comes quickly for you! :)

Jessica E. Subject said...

Congratulations Julia!

I'm waiting for my copy to arrive, although I believe they will ship it along with AtU.

Elizabeth Briggs said...

I'm reading this now and can't wait to get off work to finish it!