On May 24th 2019, Dust and Glitter, my debut short story collection was released upon the world. This is it, I thought, this is my moment. My time to shine. I wasn’t expecting to hit the bestseller list by any means but I was hoping for a few sales and some of the feedback that came with that. For everything I did expect though, there were a hundred things I wasn’t and they have thrown me completely for a loop.
I had thought the hard work was over when I submitted the final manuscript but I swear I have worked harder for the book than I ever worked on it. It is my constant motivation, my load to carry. Everything I do as Elizabeth Montague (and even somewhat in my personal life) is done in the view of how can this help Dust and Glitter find its place and gain the readers it deserves. It is something that has worn me down, made me doubt, made me want to give in. I have felt crushed under the weight of the book I have created. I have felt out of control and out of my depth. I’ve begged, pleaded, cried over how I can achieve all I need to achieve. I have fallen dramatically out of love with it.
I could so easily have given up, even after only two months the temptation has been there. Dust and Glitter has almost reduced me to nothing more than the first part of its name.
I have always said Dust and Glitter is about life, about the bad and the good. Boy have I seen the dust. I have felt like dust but then, as I wrote myself in its pages, along comes the glitter. I have had to search for it. Strive for it. I’ve had to seek out those tiny shining moments in the storm that has been the last two months.
This week an interview I completed just after the book’s release was finally published in the local paper. It was a wonderful piece about the creative progress, the meaning of the book and about me as an author. I was really surprised to see it, least not because I only found out it was being featured when the day job tagged me in a Facebook post about it. Their pride in me, so publicly displayed, and then the response I began to receive from friends and customers was overwhelming. I don’t know if it will lead to more sales but it’s nice to be known. For people to see what I have done. This is my glitter moment for the month, the part I’m going to hold onto because the journey is not yet over and the road is still bumpy.
I have to remind myself every day that I have done more than so many in just getting the book to publication and I need to enjoy the ride.
If you would like to read the article from the Bishops Stortford Independent (our amazing local paper) you can do so here
Elizabeth Montague 