A couple of days ago I noticed that Second Wind Publishing, the company that will be releasing my books, has More Deaths Than One listed for sale as a download on their ebook page. How long had it been there? Did its availability mean that I was a published author?
My books still aren’t available in print form. I know publishing delays are nothing out of the ordinary, but I feel a bit foolish for having frequently announced the imminent publication of More Deaths Than One and A Spark of Heavenly Fire. It seems as if they are always two weeks away from being published. When they are finally released, I am going throw a huge online “Hallelujah!” party. (You are all invited, of course.)
Which brings me back to the point of this bloggery. I wasn’t sure if having a book available as a download qualified as being published. And if it does, how odd that I didn’t know. Shouldn’t it have been a momentous occasion? Shouldn’t such a milestone have caused a ripple in my life, a change? But no. Here I sat, doggedly de-was-ing another manuscript, not knowing I’d been elevated to published status.
Well, I can now truly say that I am a published author –an online friend bought the ebook. I received an email from her today. She wrote: “I got the prize! The first Ebook! I want the first book in print too! So see to it that someone sends me one first!”
So, not only am I a published author with one sale to my credit, I received my first fan letter.
Now this is a momentous occasion. I can already feels the ripples.
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
Bertram's Blog 
March 11, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Way to go, Pat!!
March 11, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Congrats! That would be one pleasant surprise. I hope one day to know what it feels like to be published.
March 11, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Congrats, Pat! I know you’re looking forward to holding a hard copy edition in your hands. It will happen very soon.
March 11, 2009 at 3:04 pm
You are published! Yay!!!!!
Congratulations, Pat. Enjoy. Sadly, the excitement does wear off eventually. Which presents a good question: why is that?
March 11, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I’m doing a happy dance for you, Pat! It’s been a long time coming.
Contratulations – bask in the glow for awhile . . . then get back to de-was-ing!!
March 11, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Of COURSE having an e-book is being published! Lots and lots of authors begin that way! I know when you have your sights set on having one in your hands, it’s not quite the same thing, but still, you are available, you’ve sold, and yes, you’re pubbed. Congrats!
March 11, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Pat, enjoy the moment. There will be another chance to celebrate when the editing is done and you get the hard copies. Then, back to the “de-was-ing”, an honorable chore.
March 11, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Thank you, everyone, for your comments. It’s been a very interesting day — this getting used to being a published author — and I’m glad you came to share it with me.
March 11, 2009 at 9:20 pm
You’ve been published this whole time. The minute you created a blog with your literary work you became an author.
Amazon will not accept any submissions for Shorts if you have had them published before.
A blogspot serves as an author’s platform.
I hate to disappoint everyone, I got the very first download! We could post bets on who gets her first print. I’m reading it right now. Can’t wait to find out what happens!
I hate to gloat but I do have the first ebook for Pat Bertram. I will have to blog about it after I read it all.
March 13, 2009 at 9:07 am
Awww Pat, this is awesome. Congratulations!
March 13, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Congratulations Pat! I love the way life’s little milestones can slip by while we look in the other direction.
March 13, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Congrats, Pat! Just in time for Read an E-Book Week!