By JANET HART LEONARD
From the Hart
48,474 words … it is finished.
When the Hart Speaks is becoming a reality. That little girl who sat in Mr. Purvis’s English class in junior high is going to be an author.
She is scared. Will anyone buy her book? What will her readers think? What will Mr. Purvis think? Yes, that she is me. (Actually, she is I.)
Well, I kind of know what Mr. Purvis will think. He’s writing the Foreword to my book. He’s one of my beta readers, so he is also editing (grading my papers). Yikes! Can you believe that?
David (oh, how difficult it is to call him David) now has my manuscript in his hands. On Thursday, he sent me the Foreword. There were tears.
To think that a teacher’s words still stay with me some 50 years later is just mind-boggling … but they do. I feel like I just turned in a term paper … a really long term paper.
I have two other dear friends editing and checking on the gathering of my thoughts, experiences, and ramblings. Oh, my goodness, do they have their work cut out for them.
Donna Cronk is an author (latest book, There’s a Clydesdale in the Attic) and a former newspaper editor for over 30 years at The Courier-Times in New Castle. Cathy Swank Fuqua is a former teacher at Hamilton Southeastern Schools and a reading specialist. They are brave women who are wearing their reading glasses and reading boots as they trudge through the muck and mire of my life (a.k.a. book). They are doing their best to make me sound like I know what I am doing.
In April, my book will be sent to Typewriter Creative Company. They will format my manuscript for KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and tweak the cover, which Noblesville’s own photographer/artist Steve Witta has designed. Think Little House on the Alley.
When will the book be available? Stay tuned. If all goes as planned, which, for me, never does, it could be in May.
There will be a launch party. I will have book signings in my favorite shops in downtown Noblesville. I also have an idea for porch and patio chats and book signings at the homes of my readers. What are your thoughts on that idea?
Back to my being scared. I am. This is right up there with the fear I had when I walked into Don Hinds Ford in 2004 and asked for a job selling cars and trucks. I can only hope this works out the way that career did. My third career at age 66 as a writer/author/speaker.
Writing this book has been a labor of love. I feel like I have birthed another baby, without the actual physical labor pains. I want you all to like it.
I’m still that little girl in junior high. I want you to be my friend and like me and my book.
All of you who read my columns have been so supportive over the soon-to-be 18 years I have been writing them. I thank you for the thoughts you have shared with me. I’ll keep writing my column as long as the good guys at the Hamilton County Reporter allow me.
My brave and oh-so-smart editors are busy correcting my punctuation and grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and copyright errors. Who knew I liked the words “okay” and “actually” so much? Seems I can fracture a sentence as well as anyone, and that is not a good thing … but I still do it. They have given up on correcting me for breaking that rule of English grammar. They have done their best to chase my squirrels and follow my rabbit trails.
Who knew writing a book would be so complicated? Even the table of contents is a challenge. Don’t get me started on the copyright page. Ugh.
Thank you, Mr. Purvis, for believing in my ability to write all those 50 years ago and even more so today.
And to the teachers who think their words do not matter … there will be students some 50 years from now who are remembering the words you said and the comments you wrote on their papers. When you believe in a student, they learn to believe in themselves. They hear you. I know that well. Your words matter.
And so, it is with both fear and excitement I have finished my book and await its arrival into the hands of my readers. Stay tuned for its delivery date.
Coming soon … When the Hart Speaks.
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook (@janet.hartbaker) or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.