Lessons I Learned From Publishing a Book

Lesson #1: Make life easy for yourself. 

Choose a title that makes the question: "What's the book about?" redundant.

Window front at Booksactually? Not too shabby...

Lesson #2: If you're serving macarons at the book launch, remember to also serve water. Otherwise,  the first question from the audience will be from your daughter:

"Can I have some water, Mom?"

Lesson #3: Get your hair done. There's always somebody with a camera.

Lesson #4: Expect the kids to want theirs done as well.

Lesson #5: At speaking events, make sure there are chairs.
People like what you say much better
when sitting down.

Lesson #6: If close family members ask difficult questions: "When is this book going to make money?" Keep your cool. Revenge is best served cold...at a company dinner, for example.

Lesson #7: Pick somebody to introduce you at events who knows more about the book than you do. That really raises the bar. 

Thank you, Veronica Manson!

Thank you, Leslie Lim!

Lesson #8: Have family (and visiting cousins) pose nonchalantly with your book.
Consider serving protein at breakfast to improve their stamina.

Lesson #9: Nobody gets a free ride.

Lesson #10: Have fun. Because, let's face it, when is this going to happen again?

Time for that durian pastry, Melvin Neo!