CELEBRATING THE BOOK LAUNCH OF UN-HINGED

UN-HINGED BOOK LAUNCH

My heart is full of joy as I celebrated my book launch of Un-Hinged this week.  I don’t even now where to begin or how to express my overwhelming feelings. But as of today, I am now a published author. I launched my book, Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, “It’s You, It’s Not Me” in the NYC Dating Scene this week. It was as if I just gave birth to a new baby. It has been two years in the making and all I can say is, dreams do come true.

On the day of the launch, March 1, 2022, I celebrated it by myself and with myself. I spent the day in the city with my higher self and inner soul. Knowing that I would never launch my first book ever again,  I wanted to soak in that moment. I refuse to just glance over and let it pass by. In this interview, I actually talk more about how I feel with the book launch and what my thoughts are when people ask me what’s next. To be honest, I’m not usually the type to celebrate my wins. I don’t know why, but I’ve always been private especially with personal matters. And I can see how that trait has bled into how I deal with wins. In my latest episode of The City Confessions, I confess that I haven’t felt proud of myself in the past, but I am changing it with this launch .

CELEBRATING THE MOMENT

As someone who believes in dreaming big and investing in myself, I thought it was only fitting to display my book in Soho and Times Square. For those who don’t know, Soho has a special place in my heart because it was my favorite neighborhood growing up. The cover of my book is also inspired by the corner of Broadway and E Houston Street. When I walked to the LinkNYC location in the morning, I was running to snap a photo of my book display. It was an unforgettable and surreal experience. I wanted to shout it to the world that that was my book, but I knew it wasn’t necessary. In that moment, I felt proud and that’s all that really mattered.

I also had the displays in Times Square in the evening. And to be able to see it come on in the city that I call home was everything my 10 year old self can ever dream of. Everybody who was walking in the streets probably had no idea who I was or why I was so happy to take photos in front of the ad, but I didn’t care. Seeing it come on with all the lights shining bright was a pinch me feeling. My mom and sister also joined me in our admiration of my book display at Times Square and I could tell, we were all aligned in happiness. When I went home that night, I was vibrating at a high frequency. And to be honest,I haven’t felt proud of myself in a really long time.

MY LAUNCH PARTY

I always knew when I published this book, that I would have a launch party to celebrate Un-Hinged. Visions of what I wore and who was there was very clear to me since day 1. And looking back at how it actually played out, it couldn’t have gone smoother. There were a few hiccups along the way, but that’s to be expected for any and all events. I was filled with both excitement and nerves throughout the day. A part of me was looking forward to celebrating this moment with my family and friends. But on the other hand, I had some insecurities come in like ‘what if nobody shows up.’ And what if people judge me based off my writing and what if I get bad reviews?

I had to center myself and remind myself why I wrote the book. And my answer was simple: I wrote the book for me. I have always been my own cheerleader and learned to believe in myself at an early age. These weren’t just sayings I was telling myself. I truly believed in them, which made me feel calm. As people started to roll in, I knew the night would be spectacular. I made it a priority to be present and enjoy every moment of it. It was so great to be surrounded by people that wanted me to succeed. I’m sensitive to energy and I was extremely happy to know that it was a safe space full of love, light and support.

APPRECIATIONS

The Moore was generous to host the party and JAJA tequila was so kind to sponsor the event, so I wanted to give both of them a huge thank you. I am also grateful for everybody who attended my launch party and celebrated this beautiful moment with me. For those who have purchased a copy, thank you. And I appreciate all the support, social shares and feedback/reviews. Those contributions as little as they may seem go a long way. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for me and I am excited to embark on this new chapter of my life as a published author.