The APW Book, Spreading The Word, And Happiest of Holidays

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Writing a book was full of surprises. Like, for one, I felt reasonably good at it (who knew?). Or, for two, I didn’t have a single meltdown during the process (not what I was expecting, to say the least). But I was much more scared about promoting a book and sending it out into the world. The day before APW Book Buy Day I said, “It’s hard for me to let go, and know that I’ve done everything I can do, and that I have to entrust this to your hands, and just let it fly, but here we are.” So the really surprising part about book promotion has been that so far, is that it’s been wonderful (stressful, tiring, emotional, scary, and wonderful).

One of the first surprises for me, was that when people got their books, they started sending me pictures on Twitter. First it was one picture, then two, then an avalanche. And when I mentioned this to APW Editor Kate, she said I had to make a montage of pictures, to keep. So, with APW Editor Maddie’s help, we did. And the picture at the top center? The one that has my heart? That’s one of the first readers of APW ever, and the first wedding graduates ever, with the book and her daughter. That research paper yesterday on how you guys stick around to create this community? You really do.

And now, I’ve been surprised again. As you guys are starting to read the book, I’m getting more and more thank you emails, which is completely unexpected and mindblowingly awesome. I love you guys.

So before we dive into proper book promotion (the book officially comes out on January 1!) I have a few holiday requests of you guys:

  • If you read the book and liked it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. Elissa R. Photo’s review is currently among the nicest things anyone’s ever said about my work. Plus, you’ll do an extra holiday good deed! My grandmother is closely watching all the Amazon reviews, so you have the chance to totally make her day.
  • Ask for your local bookstore to stock the book, and tell them why you like it. The next hurdle as a first time author is getting the book onto shelves where beleaguered brides and grooms will actually see it, pick it up, and then run holding it like a football under their arm, to the register (or that’s how I imagine it).

I’d be super grateful.

And finally: New York City, save the date for a book talk and after party in Park Slope on the afternoon and evening of Saturday January 28. More details to come, but it will be good. Excellent, even.

And with that, I’ll see you all on Tuesday January 3, well rested, and ready to do this thing. (Though, you might stop back now and then over the holidays. With a book out there, you never know when some interesting press mention or book tour date might come down the pipe. If it does, I’ll let you know. Otherwise, I’ll be napping with some eggnog within easy reach.)

All the love in the world, ladies. And peaceful, restful, holidays.

xoxoxoxo
Meg

Photos (clockwise from top left): @LisaRicePhoto,  Nicole, @PracticalAlyssa, @MEdgemont, @KoruWedding, @KalinKadink, @SmartyMagee, @ElissaRPhoto, @LoweHouse

APW in 2011…

I‘m sitting here, in front of a bank of holiday cards, trying to figure out how to sum up 2011, for APW and for me. It’s hard to put words to it because it was a huge year. It was a wonderful year, but also it was a hard year. I quit my job to work for APW full time. I wrote a book. David started a new job. APW doubled in size. (In content: Two posts a day now! And in readers: Hi all you new ladies! And in staff: Hello to Kate, Emily, and Maddie!) We threw a huge party in New York to celebrate marriage equality. David and I traveled. My book came out.

That, my friends, is enough for three years rolled into one. In case you were wondering if it was a brillant idea to write a book from scratch, and have it launch, all in the same year while running a business: It’s a CRAZYPANTS IDEA. And I don’t mean that in the “you should do it” kind of way. Uh-uh. This year didn’t stop coming at me, and through all of it I was trying to navigate through the waters of self-employment for the first time. It wasn’t easy, and I spent a lot of time looking wide-eyed and worried about just how I was going to pull any of it off. But I did. We did. Somehow.

But it was also a wonderful year. And the wonder of it all washed over me in the moments I was able to be still. In August, I realized just what we’d created while listening to a single cello play “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” as two grinning men walked down the aisle to be married legally in New York State. In September, I got to look at the pages of my book for the first time in the Istanbul airport, and it felt like floating on air. Earlier this month, I toasted with tequila and it sunk in that my book had made the Amazon bestseller list. In pre-orders. In the holiday season. Whoa. Last week, I opened a box from my publisher to find stacks of books, each with my name right on the cover and tiny fireworks went off over my head.

And this weekend. This weekend we had a staff party, and I was just generally enjoying myself, like it was any regular party. But then, toward the end, I looked around the Karaoke room as everyone sung along to the Dixie Chicks version of “Landslide” (Who requested that? For shame! Always request the original version of Landslide! It’s a rule!) and I realized that this wasn’t just any old group of people. This was the APW staff, APW sponsors, and the APW community. It was the community that grew out of something I started. And that was a huge thing. And blessing and a responsibility, but also a joy.

So now, I’m looking forward to spending some time quietly. Relaxing. Thinking. 2012 is going to be huge, judging from my travel schedule in January. And I want to go into it with a full heart, feeling replenished.

Thank you, each of you, for the crazy amazing joy and growth in 2011. Thank you for bringing your voice to APW and for making it a great place to come to work every day. We’ll have one more post this afternoon, but really, I’m wishing for nothing but the best for you and yours this holiday season.

Everything calm, everything bright…

Photos from the APW holiday party, by Hart + Sol Photo, first photo shot by Allison Andres Photography (you’re welcome!)