Now That I've Popped My [Reading] Cherry...

I'm hella serious this year about getting published. By 2010, somewhere, somehow, my words will be in print with a literary journal so that by 2011, somewhere, somehow, my words will be in print backed by a book publisher and available for purchase at Barnes and Noble.

My mom spent A LOT OF MONEY on Greta:



and I WILL use this pen to sign my contracts, and then use it again to sign books at my B&N appearances. I will. Not, "I want to" or "I hope I get a chance to" but I. WILL.

There will be a book release party in a beautiful loft in DUMBO catered by Mami and Titi Gloris with an open bar and TWO DJs, maybe I'll even get Mari's padrino to perform with his salsa band, and Papi will be my plus one (because, of course, my book will be dedicated to him and Grandma). I will wear a tiara the entire night and hire a photographer to take candid photos of me with my guests.

And you're all invited.

So make sure that you're in the NYC area, or a short plane ride away, sometime in 2011. Consider this post your "Save The Date" card.

I can't even explain to you how I felt up there on that stage, reading one of my babies to the crowd, many of which were there specifically for ME. I was nervous, my mouth was sooo dry, and I was too afraid to look up and make eye contact with the crowd. I almost lost my shit a few times because the story is based on my family and I kept thinking about Grandma and y'all know how I cry whenever I think of her. But I HATE HATE HATE to let anyone see me cry so I held it together.

But even with all that trepidation, I felt at home. I belonged there. This is what I've been working towards... this was it. All the sleepless nights trying to capture all the words The Voices were throwing around into a coherent tale; the $20K I borrowed for graduate school to perfect and enhance my craft. All of the times I isolated myself from the world for the sake of my writing. It all lead up to that moment, which gave birth to this feeling that I can now truly conquer the literary world.

I have some stories to tell, and gosh darnit, they are going to get told.

*smooches...armed with a confidence I've never known before*
----------
I think right now I'm at level 8. If I reach 9 before the summer I may just haul off and get a man and fuck his bra... wait... that's none of your business...