Savannah's 2012 Summary

My last goal in 2012 was to reach 500 sales before the New Year. Every year Bree and I write out what we accomplished in the year and also what we hope to achieve in the next. Also, since 2009 I have made a picture frame collage to sum-up Kees and my year together. This is the one I did for this year. This idea was inspired by Mom, who used to do this when our whole family lived at home. She would make a frame with the highlights from each year as a family.

Savannah 2012 Summary:
January: We went for an exciting two weeks to Suriname where we took tiny airplanes into the middle of the vast jungles. I swam with, ate and fished piranha, one thing off my bucket list.
February: Mom, Maria, Kees and I hopped in the car and went to Switzerland to ski. Maria’s first time ever seeing mountains.
March: Mom and I went back home to visit and brought Maria with us for a wonderful 10 days of sightseeing our beautiful hometown. PS I love Vancouver.
April: We went down to Belgium with Kees’ whole family to celebrate his sisters 12.5 year marriage. Apparently a big anniversary, halfway to 25. We rented out an old chateau in an almost non-existent village in French Belgium right next to a tiny railway station. We had the entire place all to ourselves, played games, took the quad in the forest and had a great time.
June: I completed the writing of Sihpromatum and sent it in to the editor just before my 22nd birthday.
July: Mom, Maria, Kees, Kees’ sister Anita’s family and I, went to a resort holiday in Dominican Republic to celebrate Maria’s 80th birthday. We zip-lined through the jungle, snorkelled, sun bathed, parasailed, flew in a flying boat and went Scuba diving.
August: I officially became an author when I published my very first eBook online at Amazon where I’m now having a 99 cent January special.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sihpromatum-Grew-Boobs-China-ebook/dp/B008YZ0184/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357576153&sr=8-2&keywords=sihpromatum
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=sihpromatum
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/216650
September: Mom and I flew home to Vancouver for my book release. Because of the editor delay, the printing was also late but luckily I was able to order in a small batch for my time there. October - December: Book promotion and marketing with the amazing help of my siblings and mother.
A big article in North Shore News and Hollands Newspaper, interviews, guest posts, magazine features, reviews, sales and Christmas markets!
I’m hoping to see much more of this in 2013 and maybe even Oprah? =) Let’s get the Jack Rabbits out and hopping, eh Bree!

2012 Sihpromatum Update:
Sihpromatum has been read in 22 countries:
(In no particular order)
1. Canada
2. U.S.A.
3. Germany
4. Holland
5. U.K.
6. Australia
7. Hong Kong
8. Philippines
9. Afghanistan
10. Mexico
11. Italy
12. India
13. South Africa
14. Nicaragua
15. Belgium
16. Cote d’Ivoire
17. Ecuador
18. Iran
19. Kosovo
20. Switzerland
21. Denmark
22. Haiti

People in 90 countries have viewed the website www.sihpomatum.com
In less than half a year we managed to sell a total of 570 books/ebooks in 2012!! Not only did I reach my 500 goal, the entire year has been more successful than I could’ve hoped for. As an unknown, self-published author, being in bookstores alone is an accomplishment so I remember to always be grateful.
Also, according to those in Vancouver, people have even started to recognize our story. That is fantastic because at this point my main focus is exposure!
So many authors have to face the likely reality that they will never even pay off their debt, let alone earn any profit from their project. I am so happy that I am already nearly halfway out of my debt, and if I continue at this pace, I’ll be able to start putting my profits towards book #2.
My whole life has been book book book, to the point where Kees is nearly fed up with my talking.
A typical day looks like this:
6:15 a.m. - “Sweet!! I sold a book” or “Sweet!!! I got another book photo.” Or “Sweet a 5-Star review!!!” -SV
“Sweet…. It’s waaay too early for book talk.” – K
Two hours later:
“Ok Savann, tell me.” –K
I promptly give him another 10-hour ear-full about my book sales, book #2 planning, self-publishing, Twitter comments, how many new followers I have etc. etc. etc. By 8:00pm.
“Sweet…. I know I’m not supposed to, but can I say one thing about that thing I’m not supposed to talk about.” “You know that thing I’m not allowed to talk about?....” With a smile on his face he opens his ears and endures another couple hours.
I don’t know what I would do without him… When he was gone for a 5-day ski trip last week, I think I spent the whole time talking to the wall…jumping up and down to release my excitement or exploding altogether.
I have learned so much already from this publishing journey and I am so glad that I chose this route in the end. I never thought I would say it but I am so thankful that I was rejected over 100 times by agents, thus forcing me to self-publishing. What a sihpromatum!!
I would say life is fantastic! And it’s so important to remember that every single day. Despite all this progress and excitement, I still manage to guilt trip myself, seemingly unable to reach my personal expectations.
BUT in the last few days I have really started to get the feel back and have put a lot of time into the second book. I am halfway through the outline/first draft. I’m just not exactly sure what defines a draft… but I am definitely back in the game! Thank you so much to everyone who has made this possible. I have met so many people through social media and I am so grateful to all the people who have stood by me and for those who have come into my life.

For those of you who haven’t yet seen, on my website www.sihpromatum.com I have started a collection of photos from my readers holding Sihpromatum – Around the World. If you have a copy of Sihpromatum and would like to contribute please send in your name and location to sihpromatum@gmail.com. I appreciate and love every single photo that comes in!!! Though, my poor Kees might not, if I receive it at an early hour and spring out of my bed with joy and disturb his restful sleep….again! Thanks to everybody who have been here watching us! Wishing all of you the best in 2013 and don’t forget to follow your dreams!!!

Savannah
PS. One of my goals for 2013 was to start up my journaling again. Ever since I stopped which was a shocking 2 years ago, I feel like I’ve lost a piece of my soul.
Feel free to add me if you’re on:
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6520230.Savannah_Grace
Twitter: @Sihpromatum
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/savannah.grace.549
And to LIKE my FB if you want =)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sihpromatum-I-Grew-my-Boobs-in-China/367565703312088?ref=ts&fref=ts
My latest interviews and appearances:
An ostrich post on the Global Grazers site, one American family living in Cote d’Ivoire : http://globalgrazers.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/ostrich-riding-in-south-africa-the-experience-of-a-lifetime/
Andy at Backpacking Diplomacy : http://www.backpackingdiplomacy.com/interview-with-savannah-grace-sihpromatum/
Aylin “One Young Traveler” : http://www.oneyoungtraveler.com/2013/01/featured-traveler-savannah-g.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+oneyoungtraveler%2FplgK+%28Young+Traveler%29
Real Family Travel Magazine for Ipad:
http://issuu.com/realfamilytravel/docs/jan2013-marketplace?mode=window&viewMode=singlePage

One of many interview articles I've done.

Robert Schrader at Leave Your Daily Hell : http://leaveyourdailyhell.com/2012/12/05/sihpromatum-savannah-grace/