Oh my friends!

My wall filled faster than I could keep up. Shares, likes, comments, tags...all helping me to announce Metaphysical Gravity.

Which I can't stop talking about.

But I will at the moment, because there's something else, buried under it all...

The book title is from a quote by Buckminster Fuller, "Love is metaphysical gravity."

I won't even pretend to understand the full context of that quote. My cousin in Missouri broke it down in a way that made me think I'm related to a cowboy philosopher. What I do know is that I have never felt so much all encompassing love as I have felt since Thursday. Like gravity, it was constant and sure.

"We support our own," Anne said.

I know I'm supported. I've written before about my circles of friends, that ever spiraling web of love and support. What I didn't fully realize was the extent of that support. I didn't realize some of them would wake up on Thursday morning and download the book at 5 in the morning.

"Your friends are awesomely exuberant."

"Aren't they?"

Not only did they share, post, like, share again, re-post, like again, but then they went and downloaded and reviewed in such glowing terms no one could doubt their bias.

All for a little short story that was only a little over 3,000 words.

"Doesn't matter how short it is, you're published!!" my sister wrote.

I was a little afraid my friends would read and say, "All that fuss for this little guy?"

But they didn't.

They raved and acted as if I'd written the Great American Novel.

My dad called all of his family in Missouri. His sister, in her seventies and not a computer owner, walked in the snow to her neighbor's house to be able to look at the cover on Amazon. She called my dad who was bursting with pride and said she wanted a paper copy.

My dad who told me my story was number one...until he read Kameko's. Then it was a tie. His words made my sisters and I laugh.

My mom shared it with all her animal rescue friends, proudly talking of her "author daughter". And those sweet, lovely people shared as well. Some of them are brick and mortar authors with agents and still they shared.

My friends' families shared, their mothers, brothers, sisters, friends sharing as well. I tried to follow the rabbit hole and couldn't keep up.

And through it all, my name was tagged next to the word "author".

And even though it was just a little short story, I realized it was the first step in fulfilling a dream I'd been too afraid to put into words until only a few years ago.

I wish I could hug each and every one of you. I wish I could bring you all to my house and cook you dinner and feed you home made ice cream  and ply you with wine to properly express my gratitude.

I wish I could somehow share this feeling I have right now, this bubbling full feeling that is pure love. My heart is full, my throat is tight, and I feel completely unworthy of this tidal wave.


"Will your words be read?"

The question splashed across my vision board, reminding me to write every day.

Now, I know, the answer is yes.