When I was growing up, the excitement that built up before Christmas was an important part of the holiday fun. My brother and I spent hours imagining all the wonderful things Santa would bring us, and when my little sister came along, we played our parts in that happy fantasy. I helped bake cookies galore and my brother did his part to keep the tins from overflowing. Day by day the anticipation built until we were just about jumping out of our skins. 
Ah, yes – it's the books! Last Friday we finally received the shipment of Margaret Rome's book – my company's first published title. Every time I see that cover I get a thrill. Sure, there is still much to do with sending copies to the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office, a contest to enter, and orders to fill. But all those hours of working to get it right, and then the weeks of worrying that it would actually be what we envisioned when it came from the printer – all that's done now. And yes, The Silloway Press has three more books for other people to get published in the next few months, but Real Estate the Rome Way is my first. You never forget the details, the emotional attachment of your first, do you?
As my friend Margaret says, "WIN?" What's important now? Time to do what always worked for the 10-year-old me on the day after Christmas: play with my favorite toy (a new 22" flat screen monitor – yay!), have a cookie, and start again.
