my preorder link is live!
It's time to order Stop Waiting for Perfect
#WednesdayWisdom
“it doesn’t need to be your “best work” for it to be worth celebrating. the act of creating with intention is powerful, in and of itself.” ~
Morning Musings
I had a whole plan for the rollout of my preorder link of my first book, Stop Waiting for Perfect. I’d been sitting on the book cover since September and, under the guidance of my publisher, decided to refrain from sharing it until the preorder link was live so that people had somewhere to direct their excitement!
That was September. The link wasn’t scheduled to go live until January. And like a little kid eagerly anticipating Christmas, I was counting down the days. Then once we were all back from the holidays, I couldn’t help but refresh, refresh and refresh some more. Where was it?!
I was seeing fellow authors with the same pub date as me (or later!) share theirs with reckless abandon and I was having some serious FOMO. Especially as everyone was sharing their links with callouts for 2023 books. And don’t even get me started on all the “books we’re looking forward to” lists. I know those are mostly based on books that are coming out in the first half of the year, but again my FOMO was getting the best of me.
Then yesterday afternoon as I was wrapping up a recording with the Good Moms on Paper podcast when I saw my preorder link for the first time! The hosts Annie and Ellen were asking me what I was most looking forward to (or something like that—idk, I may or may not have blacked out with excitement) when I mentioned the preorder link, which was not live last time I had looked Monday night. But Annie said she had seen it earlier in the day, so I stopped, googled my name and the name of the book and lo and behold, there it was—up on Penguin Random House’s website like a real-life author! I could barely believe my eyes.
For the last several years this book has lived in my head and in Google Docs, but now it’s one step closer to being in stores and in YOUR hands. I started tearing up immediately and had to capture the excitement afterward in an impromptu video I posted to Instagram Stories (while waiting for V’s pediatrician to call back about an appointment to rule out pink eye #DaycareProblems). Little Miss Violet, however, remained unimpressed.
I’m so grateful to all of you who’ve already preordered and shared online—honestly I don’t even have the words right now because this all still feels a little (a lot) surreal! So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This book wouldn’t exist without you, seriously.
Now, without further ado…
Preorder Stop Waiting for Perfect!
Upcoming Events
Jan. 25 (TODAY!): I’ll be discussing my article about Black women and the glass cliff at Colorful Connections Brave Lil’ Convo series. Use the promo code NEWCONNECTION to register for free!
Feb. 18: I’m hosting a Galentine’s Day Pole Party at Fly Club in Chicago. It’s been a minute since I’ve hosted an in-person event and I’m excited to kick things off with this fun and flirty celebration. (FYI: Paid subscribers receive a discount on ticketed events. You can upgrade here).
ICMYI
Journalist Monica Judge featured my Soft Black Girl story in her newsletter,
, and in turn, I featured her newsletter in my new story about Black women and depression. I just love Black women.Also, I was a guest writer for The Broadsheet newsletter earlier this week where I shared a bit more of the inspiration behind my #SoftLife story and why rest is so important for Black women.
Links I Love
The Enduring, Visible Power of Blond (New York Times)
“That's So Raven” Costume Designer on the Show's Sartorial Significance 20 Years Later (Teen Vogue)
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Thank You
A special thank-you to Cait, Amanda, Harleen, Megan, Najja, Jessica, Priti and Cat for becoming paid subscribers and helping to fuel this newsletter. I truly appreciate your support!
Congratulations!
consider me preordered! can't wait for it to arrive xo