Trying to get my house/life ready for the release party and reading tour. If you're in the DC area and want to attend the party, back channel and I'll send you the info.

Had two dreams about the party. The first one, nobody showed up, not even PF or Bruce. The second one, people showed, but I had no books or food or anything to drink. Spent the evening explaining and apologizing. Guess I have some anxiety although I'm not conscious of it.

What I am conscious of is that my house is a mess and the floors need a serious scrubbing. But I did buy some book displayers to stand some copies upright, you know, for that professional look that tells folks I'm making an effort.

This week I've been a little self-conscious of being perceived as the crazy lady publishing out of her attic. Not that such a perception is so far off. First there was the bookstore placing an order and wanted a fax number (need to bite the bullet and get one of those Internet fax deals, ugh, faxing seems so 20th century). Then she wanted to pay via credit card (sans Pay Pal). I asked for a check, but she needed the books right away and couldn't get a check out until next week. No problem, I said, I'll ship them today. I trust I'll get the check. She thought that was awfully kind. Didn't bother mentioning that her 10 book order was my second largest order to date and that qualified her for premiere customer status. Oh and when the buyer called she thought she had the wrong number since I just answered "hello" because NTB's number is my cell and I thought it was just my usual 12:00 heavy breather. I explained NTB is a very new press and it was just me in a room in my house and she was like Oh wow.

Today I received good news that one of NTB's chapbooks will be reviewed in a regional style magazine (with a circulation of 100,000 -- woo-hoo), but became worried the editor was going to change her mind after she couldn't find the title on Amazon. I explained that it was a chapbook and how they generally don't have ISBNs but it could be purchased online, and how chapbooks are great for general and new readers to poetry because they're shorter and less intimidating, an inexpensive introduction, etc. etc. The editor responded positively so all seems well and good. I shouldn't be defensive, there's nothing to be defensive about. But when dealing with people who aren't poets, people with expectations of how bigger publishing houses are run, sometimes I get a little squeak!

Writing a big holiday shopping guide for The Happy Booker. Hope to finish it tomorrow or Thursday. Pushing for tomorrow.