Museum of the American Indian, courtesy Smithsonian Institution

Writers know that working on a book can be both exhilarating and frustrating, but at least at this point, most of the outcome you desire depends on you. Once the book has been published, though, much of the control leaves your hands and seems to fly out into an indifferent world. This can also be exhilarating and frustrating.

There are several wonderful things that happen when a book launches: You get a box of books in the mail or via UPS that contain “x” number of copies of your masterpiece, which you are then free to inscribe and distribute to your nearest and dearest. Everyone you know is interested in the book and promises to help you publicize it. You know your publisher/publicist/mother–whoever–is trying to get reviews for you. You may or may not be waiting anxiously to read those, but the world is pretty exciting at that point.

After awhile, though, your publisher moves on to other things, and no one seems to be that interested in helping you get the word out. That’s when you have to take delight in the things that do happen. My husband and I took a trip to Washington, DC and visited the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian. I wanted to give the bookstore manager a copy of my publisher’s flyer if the store wasn’t carrying the book. When my husband spotted Vanished in Hiawatha on the bookshelf already, my face probably lit up enough to illuminate the store! I, instead, went over and thanked the manager for carrying it.

Not too many exciting things have happened since then, but I make sure that I remember that moment. Nothing is too small to enjoy or be grateful for, and I’m grateful for the moments I’ve had.