From time to time, Archway Publishing turns over its blog to its authors, giving them the opportunity to share stories and perspectives about their individual self-publishing journeys. The following are the words of Abbey McCormack, author of “Mumpkin the Pumpkin.” Download the Archway Publishing free publishing guide for more information on our supported self-publishing services.

My publishing journey went a little like this:

Start children’s book.
Get hit by a car.
Heal.
Get pregnant.
Move to Japan.
Give birth.
Husband gets deployed.
Get pregnant again.
Lose a parent.
Give birth.
Husband gets deployed again.
Publish Mumpkin the Pumpkin.

A lot can happen that could derail you from your dreams. Don’t let it.

What would have happened if Steve Jobs decided that his ideas of intuitive technology were better left on the shelf?

What would the world be like had Mark Zuckerburg decided to focus on schoolwork rather than tinker around with his creation: The Facebook?

Ok… a self-published children’s book about a little pumpkin without a mouth is no iPhone or technologically redeemed tower of Babel – but it is my Holy Grail.

For this creative scatterbrain to actually accomplish something is flippin’ miraculous. I was employed as a nanny when the idea of Mumpkin the Pumpkin came into my mind. The little girl in my care had a habit of naming things with words that rhymed (think: Pog the dog or Mig the pig). Well, one day she named the pumpkin we had spent the afternoon painting, Mumpkin. Ding! There it was.

“Hey what if there was a little pumpkin and someone forgot to carve out his mouth? He could go looking for the right mouth and it could teach kids about their emotions! Wouldn’t that be a cute idea for a kids’ book?”

And four short years later Mumpkin the Pumpkin was born.

I could have been derailed by any one of the life events that are listed above but with the constant nagging… I mean… encouragement of my husband I was gently nudged further and further toward the finish line.

I worked on and off throughout the years as time and life would allow. Then finally, Mumpkin was ready. The illustrations were completed. The words had been parsed for the last time. Now what?

Enter Archway Publishing.

All I had to do was sign some paperwork, submit my materials, a little tweak here, an edit there and Poof! All of the sudden this little pumpkin searching for his mouth – that only existed in my imagination – was now in physical form, ready to share with my friends and family all around the world.

Now my little Mumpkin is one of Archway Publishing’s bestsellers and I couldn’t be prouder of him… and myself. The funny thing about accomplishment is that it’s addictive. Once you attain your dream you realize that sheer will is the only thing needed to attain another.

Be patient. Life happens. Slow down and give attention to those things in life that need it – but be persistent. Don’t give up. The world needs people to chase their dreams and better yet – to catch them – and share them with us all.

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