Yes! A year ago today, on August 20, 2024, Hurricane Baby: Stories debuted to the world! My first book ever published, and my life has not been the same since that day.
I had been doing some media events beforehand and had a nice little stack of pre-orders. The actual day was a little anti-climactic–I went on with my Tuesday workday routine. I got some emails and some comments on social media congratulating me on the announcement. What really sticks out in my mind is my MFA thesis director, Ellen Ann, sent me a vase of flowers–daisies and other greenery. I think I’ll remember that forever.
But then I had my first-ever book signing at Lemuria Bookstore in Jackson, MS. A moment I had been dreaming of for literal years was unfolding right in front of my eyes. I felt like I was floating a foot off the floor all day long.
Then the Mississippi Book Festival 2024. An event I had dreamed of being a part of ever since it first began in 2014–and I made it on to a panel! I mingled with the other authors; I walked around meeting friends old and new. I had a new appreciation of the volunteers and of the visitors, who love books and bookish people enough to keep this event going for over a decade.
And my tour plan kept unfolding–at least one event a month for the entire year. Many social media postings, many, many emails to publications for publicity, many, many, many phone calls to event organizers for other appearances. I traveled mostly throughout Mississippi, with one trip to Louisiana and another trip to Alabama thrown in there.
Two events I’m particularly proud of: in September, I went to the little county library where I had checked out so many books, read so many magazines, and worked at so many Saturdays and read my book aloud to a group of family, friends, and teachers who had known me just about my whole life. And later in March, I went back to my high school alma mater, not to read or sign my book, but to tell the senior and junior classes that I had been just like them–exactly where they were, in this same exact school. And I had decided what I wanted to do with my life and that I didn’t let anything, not disability, not bipolar disorder, not anything, stop me from achieving it.
So many people came together to make this year so special. If I start naming names, I’m going to forget someone. Just thanks to all the booksellers, festival organizers and volunteers, reading series organizers, teachers, professors, journalists, editors, blurbers, librarians who put my book on their shelves, and readers who have made this year so special!
I have a few events still on the schedule in the coming weeks. But I’m querying a new book now, and that will likely take up a great deal of time in the coming months. Soon my time with Hurricane Baby will draw to a close. But this year will be in my memory for quite some time to come. Happy Birthday!
Julie Liddell Whitehead 