OMG…I Have a New York Times Bestseller!

I crossed my fingers. I knew there was a chance, albeit probably small, that it could happen. I prepared myself mentally for disappointment too, though in the midst of this amazing book tour disappointment should certainly be taken in context. I even allowed my mind to wander and dream a few times, especially on my long flight from Italy back to New York City in preparation for the book’s launch. You know, picturing “You Deserve Good Gelato” innocuously sliding in at like #10 or making some Honorable Mention notations or whatever. 

For a split second or two  I even pictured the book debuting halfway up, perhaps Top 5. But that little mind-wandering moment was merely the equivalent of my twelve year-old self, competing in one of those kid pageants, on stage receiving a participation ribbon and fake tiara yet pretending that I was being crowned Miss Teen America. 

You always have those random daydreams no matter their sheer audacity, in addition to the more grounded goals and ambitions.

And yet, despite the fact I had played out every scenario in my head, my mind initially seemed to go blank when I first got the news. And it definitely did when I saw this:

I mean, what?! 

You Deserve Good Gelato…debuting at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List in its category?!

It turns out that there is no amount of daydreaming or imagining that could have actually prepared me for seeing my name, my book, right there on the freaking NY Times Bestseller List. In its debut week. Not just an honorable mention or at #10. Number Three. Just…WOW. 

If you were in the room when I got the news it probably went something like this:

So many emotions. Even today, a couple days later, I still feel like I’m in a state of shock. It’s like I’m simultaneously living on cloud nine, feeling free of an imaginary weight upon my chest and gorging on the spoils of full bars on Halloween, all at once and rolled up into a supercharged emotional roller coaster.

Surprise.   Relief.    Happiness.

So many emotions. Strong, overwhelming emotions.

But you know what? If anything, this was a pretty genuine reminder to myself. That not only is it okay to dream big–it’s okay to aim for the “impossible”, too. If we don’t challenge ourselves to do more, to be more, we’ll never know WHAT is possible. We will never know what we are capable of and can achieve. 

I don’t fancy myself as a linguistic genius, I’m not a wordsmith, I don’t foresee Josh Grisham & co. asking me for writing tips anytime soon. Yeah, I had tremendous doubts to whether I could even write a book, let alone one worthy of someone’s time. Hell there was a few on social media that were quick to share their same doubts.

But I did know that I had a message I wanted to convey, and, in its own little way, it’s an important one. So I went outside my comfort zone and took on the endeavor.

Nothing worth having comes easy.

You know… Do the Shit That Scares You.

My first trip to Italy was solo, and I was terrified. But I embraced that fear and tried to use it as motivation, and did so again when I decided to start making videos. Fear, self-doubt, they are all natural emotions. What’s the cliche about fear? “Don’t let it contain you”, or however it goes. Hey, cliche’s exist for a reason.

As a 12 year-old pageant girl I never could have imagined that Kacie Rose would be a New York Times Bestselling Author. I mean, never imagined. It also wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t take on the challenge of writing the book, and certainly had I not went outside my comfort zone several years ago, in a cramped NYC studio apartment looking at online photo galleries of Europe, thinking “ahh, if only…one day, maybe.”

A big, BIG * THANK YOU *to everyone that pre-ordered a copy of “You Deserve Good Gelato”. Pre-orders are obviously a popular thing with any artist, whether it be an album, book or portrait, but they are HUGE when it comes to release by new authors like me.  They really did set in motion everything from the book tour, to positive word-of-mouth reviews to the eventual NY Times Bestseller list. 

Of course, thank you as well to everyone that has picked up their copy or downloaded the e-book version. I can’t express that enough. The support and reception for the book has been overwhelming and awesome, and simple words in a blog nor speeches into a camera can convey my appreciation well enough. 

If you haven’t got your copy yet, whaddya waitin for?! (just kidding haha).

I’ve had a blast on this book tour, and honestly it might be the best part of all of this. From getting to meet so many people I’ve interacted with on Instagram and TikTok, to hearing from people who don’t even use social media explain how they came upon the book, to just simply getting the opportunity to meet so many different  types of amazing people, it’s all been so awesome. 

Stay tuned, too, cause coming up in the next day or two there’ll be a “special edition” blog post where my brother will take you on a bit of a “Behind The Scenes” of my Ann Arbor, MI book signing last Friday, which is a mere 15 minutes or so from where I was born and raised. 

“Behind The Scenes: Kacie’s Book Tour in Ann Arbor” will drop this weekend!

I mentioned “Full Bars” at Halloween. Sorry, now this scene is in my head. 

Flood. Of. Emotions.
(No Apologies, either haha)