Two weeks ago MaddyCakes Publishing attended our first event.  This was a huge milestone for our company, for me, especially considering ‘Maddy’s Little Tears’ was written over four years ago as I struggled to keep our baby girl from pitching a fit on her changing table.  Months before the event I designed our pullup banner, postcards, tabletop posters – staying true to himself, waiting to the last minute, Rashard created a series of short promo videos the night before! More than 10 years of marriage, I now know to trust his ways and let him do his thing…he always comes through. 

It was exciting to be doing something for our own business.  As I stepped into the show site, a large open event room with floor to ceiling glass windows and doors, I felt a jolt of electricity, excitement that I haven’t felt in a very long time for “work”.  I saw our table, right in front (yes!), and immediately started laying out our items.  Maddy sat herself promptly behind the table and got out her snacks, true to herself.  I was happy she was there – seeing Mom and Dad being entrepreneurial.  I felt proud too – I talked about having us exhibit for awhile and we finally were here and Maddy got to see her parents running their own business.  It didn’t matter how many books sold, what mattered is we did this together, while doing so many other things – and none of it was easy – hence the ‘four years in the making’. 

After the signage was displayed, our jars filled with crayons and lollipops (Maddy’s job!), we made small talk with other authors as we eagerly awaited the children and other attendees.  It was a breath of fresh air – meeting so many new people, hearing the stories that fueled their books, seeing the passion in their eyes and movements, and realizing how similar we all are.  I met a wonderful mom who was attending the event with her baby girl.  She too is a self-published author and proudly showed me her book ‘It Must be Make Believe’. 

So many parents, so many moms, inspired by their children.  A group of talented authors, whose books may never see the shelf of a bookstore.  Not because their stories aren’t fascinating or their illustrations on point, but because the opportunities may not align, because the support of the village is often gone.  My parents came to take care of Maddy as Rashard and I “manned our stand”, but had they not been able to, one of us would have sat the event out or left early.  Midway through the show, as I walked across the busy floor to hand Maddy her lunch box, it really hit me that my life will never be ‘either or’, it will always be ‘and’. In the midst of the book festival, I was still author ‘and’ mom.  I couldn’t see it any other way. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Maddy.  There will be opportunities missed by me in my professional life because I am a mom, but I choose that – and honestly that sits fine with me. 

I may not write my books as quick as I think I should, I may not dedicate “enough time” to our side business on the regular, or climb the corporate ladder as fast (or even at all) as others.  But nothing will ever come close to the joy I felt when our daughter excitingly bounced back to our booth…three separate times…to show me her face painted…with three separate designs.  Or when she felt herself get too tired, and needed to curl up on my lap for just a little rest mid-show.  No matter what I write or where my career takes me, she will always be my favorite and most loved creation. That is being true to myself.

When the show closed, we left with books sold, new connections made, and a vision of opportunities that lay for the taking.  Some opportunities we’ll grab with both hands and hold tightly, others we’ll try and “fail”, and some may just need to be put on hold for awhile or left aside for someone else...and that's just the truth.