It’s trite, but true. Launching a book is a lot like delivering a baby. After the pain of writing and producing the details for publication–and after those last few weeks when the book has arrived but I’m afraid to touch it–then comes a time friends and strangers start seeing the book cover, and oohing and ahhing over the pages, and Ta-Da all the good energy returns.

Harmon General was sent out to book bloggers/reviewers a few weeks ago and had a dry run through a fantastic bookstore in Kilgore, Texas, but now it’s show time. The reviews are rolling in, book signings and book events are scheduled, and readers are going to start posting comments to social media. Despite the tension I feel in my shoulders, there’s nothing to be done about the novel now but to hope that the book grows on readers and that they’ll talk about the story with their friends. Harmon General is the sequel to The Big Inch, and as such has some built in expectations that I may or may not have satisfied with those that enjoyed the first book. That was a risk I weighed when I pictured Emmie Tesco at the grand opening events of the Army hospital, Harmon General. But I hope the book is well received, and that readers fall a little bit more enchanted by life in WWII in an oil boom town, particularly as I’m itching to see if there’s a third novel to carry the series a bit farther.

If you’ve bought a copy of Harmon General and enjoyed it, post a picture with it to Instagram and tag me in the post–fish_writer. Or to Facebook and tag, Kimberly Fish, author. Like any mother, I’m curious to see where the book goes and what kind of company it’s keeping.

Thanks for sticking with me on this writing journey. If you’d like to receive news about future book releases or awards, please leave your email on the home page and I’ll include you the next time I send out a newsletter. And as always, I’d love to meet at the next “sip and see.”