This week’s guest blogger is Elaine Fraser, author of the Beautiful Books: Beautiful: beauty tips for the soul, Too Beautiful: more beautiful tips for the soul; also the author of the Beautiful Lives Series: #1 Perfect Mercy, #2 Love, Justice (Out Spring 2014), #3Amazing Grace. Find out more at: http://www.elainefraser.co

Elaine is offering a copy of her book, Perfect Mercy, as a giveaway. Just comment on this blog and you will be entered into the draw!

My first book, Beautiful: beauty tips for the soul came out in the summer 2004. I had a beautiful book launch at a rose farm in the hills of Perth, Western Australia.

The sun set over the roses as the pianist played jazz tunes, wine was sipped and friends and family surrounded me.

After a busy year of working as the principal of a primary school, I was exhausted, and the night passed by in a happy blur.

Signing copies of the book felt embarrassing—as if I were playing the role of an author in a play. However, this wasn’t make-believe—it was real. Seeing the book in the hands of over a hundred people was thrilling.

Afterwards, getting orders for the book from bookstores, being invited to speak at schools and going on to sell out three print runs of the book all felt amazing.

However, opening the package of advance print copies— three weeks before the launch— was magical. Inhaling the new book scent, and seeing my name in print was a moment I will never forget.

There was a book, filled my thoughts and ideas—with my name on it, and it was beautiful.

We have those moments in life we cherish— graduation day, wedding day, the birth of a child, climbing a mountain, our first kiss, traveling to exotic locations—but the moment when you see your book in print for the first time is priceless.