(🐿️ Parentheses = us. The Squirrel Committee. We comment on everything.)
So here’s the funny little twist I didn’t expect.
After fixing files, resizing pages, arguing with the KDP previewer, questioning my life choices, and clicking buttons that looked like they worked but absolutely did not…
(🐿️ This seems like déjà vu… and not the fun kind.)
Amazon decided my book needed another round of corrections.
Which means the original release date I thought I had?
Yeah… not happening.
(🐿️ She stared at the screen for a solid 20 seconds.)
(🐿️ We thought she might throw the iPad.)
Instead, I did what any perfectly reasonable human does at 1:30 in the morning.
I lay there staring at the ceiling.
Then at 2:00 a.m. I got up to check the files again.
Now, normally, when I get up in the middle of the night, my three dogs are immediately on my heels like furry security guards.
This time?
Nothing.
Not one dog moved.
(🐿️ Even the dogs were like, “You handle this one.”)
So there I was at 2 a.m., double-checking files, zooming into pages, and trying to figure out how something that looked fine yesterday suddenly decided it wasn’t fine anymore.
The glamorous life of first time publishing, right?
But honestly… yesterday had started pretty well.
I received the corrected paperback copy showing the correct ISBN. I mean, that was the only correction I had to make after all…
I spent some time outside working in the yard, enjoying the quiet, feeling like maybe things were finally settling into place.
And that’s when I discovered the squirrels.
Apparently, the squirrels in my neighborhood have decided that my plastic flower containers and wooden patio chairs are part of their personal chewing collection.
(🐿️ Allegedly.)
(🐿️ We deny everything.)
Two of my wooden seats on a metal ice-cream-style patio chair now look like someone tried to carve modern art into it.
The plastic containers?
Also chewed.
Because of course they are.
(🐿️ Fiber. It’s important.)
I also took a few more rounds around the property, following the dogs, to investigate that portal I believe we have since Ivey disappeared, that one day.
The only portal I found evidence of was the moles’ tunnels I nearly disappeared into out back. I’ll continue my investigation until I find the real portal at a later date.
Somewhere between yard work, squirrel damage investigations, and late-night publishing fixes, I realized something.
(🐿️ She means early morning publishing fixes)
(🐿️ Seriously, what would she do without US?)
This whole book journey has been a perfect example of something I talk about a lot:
The messy middle.
The part where things don’t go exactly how you planned.
The part where progress happens… but it doesn’t look neat or polished.
The part where you fix something, think it’s done, and then realize something else needs adjusting.
Publishing a book turns out to be a lot like life.
You think you’re ready.
Then something needs fixing.
You fix it.
Then you learn something new.
Then you fix it again.
(🐿️ Repeat until snacks are required.)
But even with the delays, the corrections, the learning curves, and the occasional 2 a.m. troubleshooting session…
Something really good is still happening.
A story that started as a tiny idea during a very difficult season of my life is turning into a real book.
And even if the launch date shifts a little while everything gets finalized, that doesn’t change the part that matters most.
The story still exists.
The characters still exist.
And soon, kids will be reading about them.
(🐿️ We supervised the whole process.)
So for now, we wait one more round while the files finish processing.
In the meantime, the squirrels will probably continue their landscaping projects.
The dogs will continue napping throughout the day, since I’m sure I ruined their sleep schedule.
And I’ll continue learning how publishing works… one correction at a time.
Because if this journey has taught me anything, it’s this:
The messy middle is still part of the story.
And honestly?
It’s usually the most interesting part.
One more thing before I forget:
The Kindle version is officially live, and it will be free for three days — March 11th through the 13th.
(🐿️ Free is our favorite price.
That part, at least, is moving forward exactly as planned.
(🐿️ Miracles do happen.)
The paperback will follow soon, and I’ll share the exact date the moment I have one that’s truly locked in.
Oh, and that I’m up for the day! Because that is just the way it always seems to go. I wonder if anyone would suspect anything if I were to head outside with a headband flashlight to work in the yard. I still have a lot more to do.
(🐿️ Do it.)
(🐿️ We’ll guide you.)
(🐿️ We have night vision.)
(🐿️ The neighbors have running bingo cards: skeletons, mannequins, metal critters, mysterious digging, or squirrel‑related incidents. A headlamp at dawn would complete their row.)
(🐿️ It’s all fun and games making “People Watching Bingo Cards” for her husband to take to car shows… until one is made about her!)
It’s now 3:20 a.m. I can’t even argue with the squirrels or deny the above comments; too many people would agree. However, in my defense, I did not create “People Watching Bingo”; I only made adjustments to the boxes accordingly… They have to evolve with the times.
Well, if anyone sees me outside later, I’ll be doing stuff… just not as fast as yesterday, I’m sure.