Livin' the dream - Thought Leader

To all those struggling writers out there, desperately sipping cups of cold coffee and dregs of red wine, smoking cigarettes until the ashtrays overflow and typing furiously until 3am, I have a message of hope: the dream is true.

And to all those un-exotic writers waking up at a reasonable hour and studiously sitting down to write as they sip their chamomile tea and eat rusks: the dream is true.

And to all those exhausted, harassed, nine-to-five writers who somehow manage to squeeze in half an hour of writing between kids and spouse and sleep and stress: the dream is true.

I know, because I’m living it.

There will come a time, when you’ve finished your book and sent it off, and had it accepted, and edited it until you hate every last word, and approved cover and layout and proofs; there will come a time when you are holding a book in your hands that a complete stranger has just paid for and asked you to sign; and then you will know that the dream is true.

On Sunday I had my first reading. A whole group of people (at least half of whom I didn’t know) listening to me reading from my novel, Strange Nervous Laughter, in hushed silence! Even though I’d lost my voice and was croaking more than reading! It was one of the Moments of my life.

Especially seeing as it was followed by said people buying my book and waiting in line for me to sign it.

Truly, I’m done. My life goal is achieved.

Well, almost.

Allow me to set the scene a little better …

The Sunday reading was at Euforia, the most charming little coffee-shop-vintage-clothing-rare-books-organic-produce-and-other-assorted-wonders-spot in Davenport Road in Durban. It was a cool, blustery afternoon and the courtyard was filled with cool, interesting people.

(I know they were cool and interesting because a. many of them were familiar to me, if not friends then acquaintances; and b. I eavesdropped on many of their conversations. Very interesting, let me tell you!)

There were abundant (free!) freshly baked cupcakes (with green icing and hundreds and thousands) and sherry, piles of books on sale, 1940s music tinkling from indoors and a generally happy atmosphere. I did a short reading, chatted to many people as I signed their books (all heartfelt and meaningful messages, of course) and beamed. Nonstop.

It was the dream come true.

And considering today was my first newspaper interview (for the Daily News, with the delightful Lindsay Ord) and tomorrow is my second newspaper interview (for the Sunday Tribune) and tomorrow evening is the official Durban Struik book launch at Exclusive Books Gateway (do pop in if you’re in the area), I would say I’m pretty much floating on air.
Although I am unable to communicate this airy floatiness due to the fact that I’ve lost my voice.

Still, I’m saying “Yay!” as much as I can in my frog-like croak.

And I’m livin’ the dream.

You could, too.

For more opportunities to sample my delicious free cupcakes (with green icing!) visit www.bridgetmcnulty.com, or check out my daily blog at www.blog.bridgetmcnulty.com