Our Book Has Arrived: Excitement, Jitters, and Gratitude
Tuesday afternoon brought a little over-sharing and a big moment: the very first hot-off-the-press copy of our book arrived by FedEx yesterday, and seeing it in person knocked me sideways a bit.
We kept grinning at it and saying things like “It’s real! It has pages! It has a cover! Our names are on it!” But alongside the happy dancing was a surprising slice of fear. I’m thrilled, yes, but also genuinely nervous.
I tend to be open—I’ve shared things like 14 months of breastfeeding, my unglamorous pet quirks, and even an embarrassing teenage moment caught on video—so I’ll admit it: this book has me jittery with sweaty palms. I wouldn’t call myself particularly brave; I have the usual insecurities and doubts. A book feels different and heavier than a blog post. It’s permanent in a way a web update is not.
Keeping a free online DIY journal is one thing, but publishing a book that will exist on bookshelves forever feels far more daunting. On the blog we can fix a sentence or correct a typo with ease. The words we wrote in our manuscript back in 2011 are printed now and soon will be on countless shelves. That permanence adds a new kind of pressure.
There’s also the fact that people will pay for it. We fought hard to keep the price fair, and though books can be returned or resold, it still feels bigger and more complicated than a blog post by a long shot. The book totals 336 pages and contains 243 suggestions, tips, and projects—basically 243 posts bundled into a single, fixed publication. That’s why the stakes feel higher: once it’s out, we can’t go back and tweak a project or clarify a line.
Planning the entire book over three years was intense. We finalized the outline 18 months before publication—locking every project in place—and shot all the projects nearly a year ago during an exhausting three-week marathon at our house. We barely remember eating or sleeping during that period.
There were the usual creative anxieties—what if we regret certain color or fabric choices later?—and the late-night “what if” spirals. I’ve even had nightmares about typos on every page, blank sections, or some magazine publishing our ideas first with the exact same fabrics and colors. My brain can run wild imagining every possible misstep.
When the nerves hit hard, I find comfort in a silver lining: gratitude and pride. It’s not ego-driven—“I’m an author!”—but a real sense of accomplishment. I can’t quite believe we persuaded ourselves (and each other) to take this leap. We know not everyone will love the book, and that’s okay. Blogging taught us that you can’t please everyone, so we’re focusing on the positive. When the perfectionist voice pops up, I remind myself that no book is universally adored—favorites often have five-star and one-star reviews alike. Imperfection equals real life.
On the days I feel like crawling under the covers, Burger is my go-to comfort companion. But don’t let that fool you—I’m also thrilled about the book tour. Meeting readers in person is something I can’t wait for. We’re so excited to say thank you face-to-face for the support you’ve shown us. And yes—they added four more signings!
You can find general tour information on our book page, but here are the new dates we have so far:
- RIDGEWOOD, NJ: Friday, November 2, 7pm – Bookends, 211 Ridgewood Ave, book signing.
- WASHINGTON, DC: Saturday, December 1, Time TBD – Living Social, 918 F Street, talk, holiday crafting, and book signing.
- RICHMOND, VA: Sunday, December 2, 1pm – Mongrel, 2924 W. Cary Street, book signing.
- CHARLOTTE, NC: Early February – details to be announced.
*There’s also serious discussion about an Atlanta stop while we’re nearby in Charlotte, and other cities like Philadelphia and locations in California are still being considered. Scheduling largely depends on local partners and availability, not city size.
Thank you for being so excited and supportive throughout this book journey. It’s a big milestone for us, and you’re the best readers we could ask for. We’re burning the midnight oil to keep producing projects for the blog even while we travel—expect makeovers, new DIY ideas, house-crashing features, window-shopping adventures, and another before-and-after post coming tomorrow.
Not sure how to wrap this up, so… word to your motha. $herdog out.