Its been a really long time since I wrote here in this blog but an awful lot has happened in my life. I launched my book, “The Wombat Stole My Shoe” and then 2 days later I left Singapore and moved back to Australia. The launch was great fun even though I was absolutely terrified and shook like jelly when I read my book. All the same it was a success and I sold some books, it was well recieved, and worth every minute of the blinding fear.
Public speaking is a bit of an issue for me. I am terrified of it! Its not just getting up and speaking in front of a group of people its the thought of doing it that freaks me out. If it isn’t planned, I have very little problem. Take me by surprise and ask me to say something at a gathering, and its just fine. If I know in advance, whether its weeks, days, or even minutes I just cannot bear it. My whole body shakes and my lips tremble and its just horrible! Does anyone else have this? I do know that speaking in public is up there at the top of the list of phobias, but why is it ok to impromptu public speak but having a prepared talk is enough to scare the life out of an otherwise confident person? I went to “Toastmasters” as a visitor the other week which was really very interesting and nice but I spent the whole meeting privately freaking out about somebody asking me to get up and say something. Toastmasters is fabulous by the way, not for everyone, but fabulous all the same. I am deciding whether to go back again and throw myself in the deep end. Or maybe not. So, all of this is not much good for me as an author trying to promote my book. I need to be able to read my book in libraries and schools in front of an audience but I am scared of kids too. Thats not true. I am not scared of kids ha ha. For those of you who know me, I bet you didn’t know I was a wuss when it came to speaking in public! The thing is, I know I am not alone…
