Days remaining to publication date – 37.

The Happiness Project is an account of the year I spent testing the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.

I hit a milestone this month – I actually got a copy of the cover of my book. There was no book inside, just the jacket, but it was thrilling to see it, nevertheless. Also, I recorded the audiobook, something I've never done before. I was dreading the prospect of listening to my own voice for twelve hours, but it turned out to be fun. To my surprise, I actually got choked up at several points, as I was reading -- especially as I was reading the conclusion. I had to stop a few times to get a drink of water, to collect myself. (In addition to being overwhelmed by emotion, I was also relieved that I spotted only one mistake -- a sentence that had an extra "that" left over from a re-write.)

With the passage of these kinds of milestones, at last I’m starting to believe that there is going to be a book. I feel so lucky to have a book coming out, because I remember so well the struggles of getting started. No agent, no proposal, no source of help except for the book I'd plucked off the shelves at a bookstore – something like How to Write and Sell Your Non-Fiction Book Proposal. And with all the crazy things happening in publishing and journalism right now, I wonder what the publishing model will look like by the time I write my next book. But rather than fret about the future of the media, I’m trying to focus on the next 37 days.

So what am I doing? I’m doing the usual things I do – posting on my blog, posting on Twitter and my Facebook Page, sending out my monthly newsletter to my 28,000 readers (sign up here if you want to get it). I’m emailing friends who have any connections in TV or public radio -- I keep hearing that public radio is the BEST way to interest people in a book. Etc., etc., etc. It’s really uncomfortable, but I’m trying to push myself to plug the book as much as possible. For me, as for many writers, this is tough, so I'm trying to find ways to do it that don't make me feel too awkward -- yet can be effective.

At the same time, I’m trying not to get too worked up – not to take everything too personally. Not sure if I’ll be able to maintain a mature attitude, but I’m going to try