indie book girl

So I have been thinking about using my blog to follow this journey of being an indie book girl. In November 2008 I published my first book that I had both written and illustrated (Nuptse and Lhotse in Nepal). The release was awesome, little shy me had to face a packed bookstore and remember to breathe! Afterwards, the creative demons marched along beside me in high step all the way back to the house, taunting and teasing me. Had I thanked everyone I should have? Did I call that person by the right name? Had I sounded silly as I read my children's story to a room full of adults? These were just a few of the voices tumbling washer machine style through my head those first few days. 

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It is now five months since that wobbly day, yet I still feel so new in this. I think this is a good place to start because the honeymoon of books is over. I have awesome days when I feel so motivated to contact bookstores and sell! sell! sell! myself. And then there are the shadow days. The days where my cartons of books loom over me. As an indie, you need to be confident! and market yourself! and network! and research opportunities! Baaaaaah! 

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Today, it is snowing. I am not doing ANY of the things I am supposed to be doing. I am wondering if there are other indie book friends out there? A little lost, a little overwhelmed, desperately pretending to be a marketing jedi and feeling creatively crunched.