Shout Out to Estonia

My first book came out in August of 2004. I remember the giddy excitement of holding the finished product for the first time and the pride I felt when I saw The World’s Most Haunted Places on the bookshelves in the bookstores.

I’m not sure exactly what it feels like to be an author because every day on this job feels like something new. Though I’ve published five other books since, and I have seven and eight on the way in the next year, I still discover new thrills and challenges within the job — I’m still learning what it’s like to be an author.

Some days are really tough. I struggle to get work done. I fall behind, I get frustrated at what I need to accomplish in such a short time period, and I wish I was doing something else. Other days are pure magic. I learn something, gain insight into a tiny facet of a subject, and feel like I’m growing and getting better at what I do. In short, being a writer feels a lot like other jobs I’ve had. There are good days and there are bad days. I have bosses, some people compliment me on what I do (which always feels nice), and some people tell me they don’t like it (which always hurts, no matter how many times you tell yourself that everyone is entitled to their opinion). One of the main differences with this job compared to others I’ve had is that when someone didn’t agree with the way I did my old job, my boss would pull me aside for a quick and private one-on-one. In this job, people publish their disapproval in magazines and on Web sites like Amazon.com for all the world to see.

I recently experienced a good day on the job. A new thrill. In the mail, I received some author copies of my first book published in Estonian. Estonia is a northern European country just south across the Gulf from Finland. Check out the cover:

I flipped through the book. I don’t have a clue as to what it says and I can only hope that the translation is a good one, but holding that book, I really felt like an author for a few minutes. A similar feeling to when The World’s Most Haunted Places first came out.

My publisher told me that some of my other books have also been sold to foreign publishers, and I’ll also be getting copies of those books. I can’t wait. Thanks, Estonia!