Oh boy, this is going to be a long post - I can feel it. I was chatting with a reader lately and she asked why I'd not been writing on decor8 like a mad woman as per my usual. I told her that my book was taking all of my time and she replied, "Didn't Decorate release one year ago, what else is there to do?" and it was in that moment that I realized something. I may have hinted at it or mentioned it in passing here and there but I never wrote an official post to tell you my exciting news and though I have no clue why something SO IMPORTANT slipped my mind I have to tell you -- I'm writing my second book and it will be called the Decorate Notebook! The cover you see here is not the final cover, but it's already on Amazon and ready for pre-sale.

In case you've not seen me on decor8 as frequently, that is why. I promise to pick up the pace again soon, but I'm on deadline until mid May so my schedule will be upside down for a few more weeks before posting is back to normal. Thing is, I've been working since January on it and lately the deadlines have been keeping me up late at night and robbing me of time, showers, family gatherings, you name it - I'm under the gun and working hard to deliver a book that you will love. It's a labor of love, tears, pacing the hallway, scribbling notes all over the house, late nights writing until the wee hours... It's a very passion-filled adventure, for sure!

After Decorate I had to really think about whether or not I wanted to write another book. The last thing I wanted was write one after another after another - I'm not interested in doing books just to do books, you know? I had to give a lot of thought to what was REALLY missing out there in the sea of decorating books and it dawned on me the moment I did one thing and I encourage you to do the same when you are trying to develop a new idea. I asked what I would want out of a decorating book. That's what you have to do, right? Ask what is missing, and what you would like to see. This applies to almost everything. I got busy with a pen and for weeks I created list after list. After listing, I found my answer and while I knew that I would have my work cut out for me I felt ready to write book #2 and put my heart and soul into it. I trusted my instincts, put my ideas into a proposal and pitched it to my publisher and a deal was struck over a period of months as the pitch was delivered shortly after Decorate released. My vision with this book is to create an approachable guide written in my own blogging voice that you can learn from but beyond giving you tips and ideas, it will be a book that makes you really THINK about your own ideas, style, and to really dig deep and explore what makes you tick and how to translate all of that into ideas that work.

In February, March and April, I scouted locations that put me on flights and trains in both the US and Europe. I met so many lovely homeowners and had a lot of fun with photographer Debi Treloar who shot Decorate with me in 2010. Last week, we did a shoot here in my own home so you can see how I live and work because doesn't it make sense to share that in my own decorating book? So in book #2 you will see my home.

Blogging has brought me so much. It has helped me to make some of the most wonderful friends and to build an entirely new career from the ground up. It has helped me to build my confidence, develop courage and to really pinpoint exactly what I'm good at and how I can use my talents to make a bigger contribution - to my family, my friends, my readers and beyond. I want you to know that I am forever grateful to your love, support and encouragement. I'm not one of those bloggers who gets a book deal or becomes a success and forgets where she came from - my roots are always close and dear to me. When I first started decor8, I was a cocktail of passion and fear, a younger version of who I am today who had just left behind her career to embark on the unknown. Fear aside, I knew back then that I would have had huge regrets for not trying so I went for it not knowing where blogging would lead me. I gave up the great job and benefits and threw myself into blogging and decorating under the name of my little decorating practice called decor8. Over 7 years have passed and my life has changed so much. I'm still scared at times, especially now because Decorate is a very hard act to follow but you know what, I have decided that I don't need to be scared - that I need to simply trust my gut and do my best work from the heart. In the end, isn't that all any of us can do? Our best?

Last week I spent the day in London - I literally flew in for a meeting with my publisher that lasted from 10-6 pm, jumped back on a plane at 8pm and flew 50 minutes home. It was a whirlwind day, in fact I've had a lot of whirlwind days since beginning my second book but I am determined and look forward to taking you with me for the ride - as we finalize everything over the next few weeks including the text (there is no co-author this time, only me), font decisions, layout ideas, cover ideas... It's been a really complicated and emotional process to say the least. Like all authors who work on very visual books, I'm very attached to the overall design and feel of the book - aside from the words in it - I want it to be pretty and special and to offer something different. That is why, and I'm so happy to be able to finally tell you this, that each book (at least the UK copy, unsure about the US) will come with a special surprise. I can't tell you what it is yet, but I'm guessing you will really like it. I've never seen it used in a decorating book before so I'm hoping it will set a trend and that other authors will include something like it in their own books in the future, too.

Some of you who do know about the book have asked about another tour. I'm not sure if I'll do a book tour with this one, it depends on sponsorship and ideas and who really wants me to come to their shop to present my book, teach a class, I'm open but also just unsure at the moment! My first book tour was sponsored by Anthropologie and Chronicle Books but we've not discussed a tour for this book yet so I'm unsure as to whether or not it will happen and when, how, etc. I'm thinking to have a launch party in London again (Liberty did the Decorate launch for me along with my publisher, Jacqui Small)  when the book releases in the UK and who knows, maybe I'll have a launch in America too. I want to see everyone again, the first tour was so great - 20 cities total in both America and Europe - I would love to visit some of you again so I'll definitely keep you posted. I hope to tour + teach again as I did the last time but we'll have to wait and see...

BUT SERIOUSLY....I haven't even thought through all of that yet, because in addition to this baby (my book) I am also trying to create a real baby! I finally felt the baby urge and though it's a little later than I hoped, I'm just happy that I'm finally ready to have children and hope that I've not waiting too long. I'm staying positive though and so who knows, if I do go on another book tour or have a launch party, I may show up with a baby in my hands (my book) and another in my belly. Fingers crossed, that will be the case! But for now, one baby at a time -- first, the book which will be born in October... Then, who knows? :) Maybe decor8, jr.?

So, I will end my little post with this. THANK YOU because I am so happy that I can finally really TALK about my book on my blog and I hope to share the news of it as it comes along.

(photo: holly becker)