KILLER COWS are here...in Paperback!

The paperback copies of Killer Cows arrived at my doorstep today. Aside from the birth of my children, they are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Two years of writing, revising and submitting, wrapped up in a glossy package with the title and my name on the cover. The only member of my family who didn’t care was my dog, who barked incessantly when the UPS driver dropped off the package.


It was almost surreal, opening the boxes and seeing my lifelong dream become a reality, neatly packaged in bubble wrap. This was different than receiving my acceptance letter from Echelon Press, different from reading the ebook edition of the novel, which has been out for months. Holding these books in my hands made all the hard work and toil worth it.

In an act of nepotism, I autographed all my own copies.

And, of course, like all flights of fancy, I'm already thinking who should be cast in the movie.

I’m now reading the book, sitting outside on a lawn chair with a Coke, the way I always envisioned other readers doing. And for the first time, I’m reading Killer Cows as a reader, not the writer, concerned with whether or not a particular scene or passage could have been written better. Unlike my wife, I didn’t skip to the last page (pointless, since I already know the ending), but knowing I could is cool.

Whether I become the next Jerry Spinelli or dwell in obscurity, I’ll never forget this day, and I have so many people to thank for it: Karen Syed (who said yes), Jenny Turner (who made a good book a great one), Melanie Stitch & Kelli Hernandez (both of whom read this in its rough form and gave valuable feedback), Laura Queen (my Yoda), Francie (my muse). Then, of course, there are my two girls, Natalie and Lucy, to whom Killer Cows is dedicated. I love you two dearly.

What a great day. I never want it to end.

I guess I should get cranking on that sequel now.