On December 17th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at Bow Valley Baptist Church in Cochrane, Alberta I’ll be celebrating the launch of Shoot the Wounded with my family and friends.  I’ve never done a book launch party so I have no idea what to do or expect, but I am going to throw the party like I would a birthday, with a cake, some refreshments and lots of great friends!  Should be fun!

The last couple of days I have been buried under poinsettias!  My son, Brett is heading to Guatemala on a mission trip with his gr. 11 class at BCS and I was one of the coordinators of the Poinsettia Fundraiser there.  I’ve been so immersed in “book things” that it was a pleasant task to do something totally unrelated.  I love interacting with the youth at the school.  It’s a close, tight-knit community, a family of sorts and I have the privilege of occasionally acting not only as a parent helper in that school, but also as a substitute teacher there.  It’s wonderful to have kids from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve acknowledge me in the hall with a hug or a “high five” and say loudly, “How’s it going, Mrs. Dove?”

On Tuesday, the shipment of poinsettias arrived at the school and I recruited all the grade elevens to help off load the truck and then help with sorting out the orders that would be distributed the next day.  In the middle of the off loading, one of the students loudly yelled, “Hey guys!  Did you know Mrs. Dove has written a book?”  (He’s one of my many Facebook friends so he knows what’s going on in my life.)  I think I blushed.  I never blush!

I have to get used to this new notoriety that comes with writing a book.  I don’t mind the spotlight, but this is slightly more intimidating and I’m still dealing with it as I strike out on a new career path.  I am comfortable being a mom and a teacher, but this new title: author, is a little foreign to me.  It’s fun, it certainly is exciting, but the “hat” doesn’t fit right yet.  I have to get used to this and I have to stop blushing every time someone says, “…Mrs. Dove has written a book!”