1099-MISC

Quite a significant event occurred today. I received a 1099-MISC from Amazon Digital Services - for royalties paid to me during the past tax year on sales of my book - I am guessing this is for the Kindle sales, and no doubt I will receive a second one for the royalties paid on sales of the paperback version. There is absolutely no risk that either of these forms will in any way complicate my income tax returns this year, but nonetheless I couldn't be more excited.

I didn't write the book to be a best seller nor in the hopes it would be made into a movie, actually I didn't really intend it to be a book - a fact that will become obvious if you read it, it really is more a series of essays. I wrote it because I couldn't stop myself. It had to come out - and it was most definitely a very therapeutic exercise.

None of the milestones since I published it, gave me greater satisfaction than actually putting those words on paper. Of course I was excited when I received the first package of paperback books with my name on the cover I had designed. I was extremely excited when a few people actually purchased the book. Very grateful for the reviews some people went to the trouble of writing on Amazon, and taken aback by the nice things they said about the book. I was more amused than excited when I received my first royalty payment. But none of this can compare to the emotional benefits I received from putting those words on paper. Just as physically emptying a stomach of poison makes a body feel better, emptying the mind of all the unpleasant and traumatic memories allows it to heal. And to actually receive a few dollars (because I promise you, it is just a few) is most gratifying.