Well... I did it... I got brave... :D

Well... I got brave today. :D I actually did something I've never done before... something I never even considered doing until about 6 months ago...

I am OFFICIALLY self publishing a book of my poetry through createspace... :D

Part of this project is an experiment in manuscript formatting for print.  Granted, I'm not actually planning to use Createspace's services for Magpie Eclectic Press books -- I have another printer in mind for that, and I'm very excited about it all! (Seriously, these guys are awesome!)  But I figured that Createspace would be a quick and simple way for me to test my formatting skills for a paperback book... I would need to do it sooner or later anyway.  Which leads me in to the second reason I have for going through with this...  I have a sincere desire to have my poems compiled someplace other than bits and scraps of paper strewn all across my room.  Notebooks are nice enough, but not when they are falling apart, and not when you have two or three (or more) poems in each one.  Then it just gets confusing.  And besides, I have family members I would love to give copies too. :D My uncle Jesse and aunt Geinnie for one, and my aunt Phyllis, and aunt Ruth and uncle Robert. They are my mom's mom's (my grandma's) siblings and live in Northern Indiana, so I don't get to see them a lot (though they are all awesome!)  And a lot of my dad's family live up there too.  :D

But here's the deal; truth be told, I never thought I would actually go through with it. The poems in this book were never really meant to be seen.  I mean, I think they are good enough to be seen (well, I did write them, so of course I would think that!) But truly... they were just bits and pieces of creative overflow leaked onto paper and stashed in an old file cabinet... and desk drawer, and book case, and anywhere else I saw fit to stash them. :P  

However, NOW all that's changed.  NOW the compilation will be available on Amazon for kindle and in paperback... just in case anyone else is interested, ya know. ^_^ It's not ready to order yet; I still have to pour over the proof copy and double check for errors. But hopefully it will be ready soon!

And I'm still trying to get used to the thought.  *draws in deep breath*

Now, this project is a bit different than other projects I've taken on and other books I've worked with.  When I self published "Blue Moon", it was only in ebook formats.  With "Blue Moon", anyone could download the story straight to their digital reader in no time flat.  Plus, "Blue Moon" wasn't really long enough to be put into print format...  But with this book, it's actually going to be physical... sitting in my hands.  Working with the books for Magpie is different too; sure I'm excited about them, and yes they are amazing!  But for the most part, they aren't my own writing... this is completely different.  And even though it's poetry and not a novel, or even an anthology of short stories, this thought is intriguing to me... that I will be able to hold it in my hands and read it like I would one of my favorite poet's books...

This book is called "Remembering Innocence". And here is a little bit about it:

(from the back cover):  

I’m writing this to help you understand exactly what it is this collection of poems represents, both to me and of me...  

It wasn’t until I started college in 09 that I began to understand just how blind I was to the darkness that permeates the world. Oh, there are still wonderful and amazing places and people and events all around this great blue sphere that the human race calls home, but there is also sadness and pain, darkness and regret, hurt and lies, etc… Now that I see all of that, I simply can’t unsee it… the images and the realization of what the world truly is has now been ingrained in my personality, and to some degree I feel as if my true, pure innocence has been lost. My naivety has been swept back, like the white veil that hides a bride’s face, and I am forced to view the world for what it really is. 

There is some pain I’ve felt at the realization of this loss. Nothing devastating, of course, but sometimes it feels like there is an empty void in my chest where my innocence once held residence. Now in my early adult years, these poems are reminders of that lost part of me, sweet memories and thoughts transcribed in notebooks years ago when a fit of inspiration took me by surprise and wrought wonders on blank paper. My childhood innocence forged these memories, and now they remind me that the world can still be beautiful..."

And yeah, that pretty much sums it up.  That's what these poems are to me... little pieces of innocence from my past that have been preserved, even though my life has changed so much and become something more.  My naivety -- my childhood -- is poured into this compilation.  It's all there... and I'll soon be able to hold all of it in one place with my own two hands!!! :D  The excitement mounds!!! ^_^