A Magical Day

Saturday was launch day - online and here in Idyllwild where I live - and the only word that seems to sum it up is magical.

I started the day by connecting with Steve/Duder/my late partner - the impetus for this book - in such a deep and powerful way that it flooded me with joy and gratitude and propelled me into the day such that I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my feet on the ground. Excitement built as I did this and that and a friend kept texting me with updates about how the online effort was going. The whole idea was to punch through the system and punch through we - you - did. Ultimately, after starting the day ranked 14,669 on all of amazon books, our hour of power got us up to the four thousand range, and we peaked at #201! If you searched "grief and loss," you would have seen that there were more than 25,000 books and at one point, we were #85 on that list! Now amazon updates every hour so the rankings will fluctuate, but thanks to all of you who generously chose to buy books on launch day. Mission accomplished!

Before long I made it over to the venue for the local launch party where, of course, we had no idea how many people to expect. Wendi Strebe did a fantastic job with appetizers and Scott Douglas and Doug Yagaloff provided the coffee and tea. Kate Sirkin and Kristin Ethier manned the sales table and then Trine Bietz got the ball rolling with an introduction of me and this project that really brought the crowd in and set the tone. She was incredible. I started with a thank you to Idyllwild - the place and the people - and then we did a quick little heart-opening exercise and invoked our loved ones from the other side. The energy in the room was so full and vibrant by the time I sat down to read - for the first time. Wow. I looked up and the large room was fairly full and getting fuller. At one point I noticed people reading along from their own copies and it was a trip to see people actually holding this thing that I've been talking about for so long.

After reading and answering a few questions, Wendi popped the champagne, we turned on some music, and I made my way to the sales table to sign books. I guess people were enjoying the food and the wine and champagne, but I hardly knew what was happening. What I did know, was that I got to visit one-on-one with people who gushed with love and appreciation and their own stories about those they love who have crossed over. I was so full of joy and felt honored that they would share so much of themselves with me. Vic Sirkin took pictures like crazy and made sure everyone knew what was happening - to the degree that he knew!

Later that night my friends Rhonda and Rick hosted an incredible celebration dinner for about 20 people that was so warm and welcoming. I invited several of my friends who had come up for the launch and some of my friends from here. More magic. And, yes, Duder was there for every single moment.

So I'm blissfully exhausted and grateful and humbled and ready for more and more.

Thank you so very much.