The road to publication is really really painfully long. Until it’s not.
In just two months the book will be released. In about six weeks, the books will be shipped to stores. Reviews have been coming in, and more are expected soon. Advance readers’ copies (ARCs) are already out there, and some people have even left reviews. Ack!
Here are my most frequently asked questions during this time, in case you’re interested…
Q: Are you so excited?!??!?!?!!?
A: Yes! I am! Though, to be honest, it’s a long-term sustained excitement that I don’t wear on my sleeve (if you were expecting me to be jumping up and down 24/7). It’s a mix of anxiety and gratefulness and a constant computation: what can I do now to make this launch the best it can be?
Q: What are you doing now?
A: A bit of everything:
With the help of my awesome PR team, thinking of personal essay ideas and pitching them.
Writing said personal essays.
Consolidating contact lists.
Emailing and sending ARCs.
Working on fun campaigns (more on that coming soon!).
Researching how other authors have launched their books.
Keeping abreast of hot topics in fiction, food and fashion.
Improving website design and analytics.
Playing with paid advertising.
Scheming partnerships.
Creating visual assets (and teaching myself the necessary skills, if applicable).
Working on my second book!
I’ve worked in startups for my whole career and actually like wearing all these hats: creator, designer, brand strategist, social media coordinator, photographer, etc. I have 3+ to-do lists at any given time: one with weekly goals, one with daily goals, and others that are project-specific. Yes, I work all the time, but I think of it like I’m founding a startup: me.
Q: Are you going on book tour?
A: People love this question. Well, think of it this way. I’m a debut author. There are books out there, so let’s say about 100 people have read my book. Still. If I book an event in San Francisco… or Denver… or Minneapolis… who would come?
That being said, who knows what opportunities will pop up after the launch. So, to the book tour question, I say TBD. (ALSO, it’s well-known that book tours can be pretty ineffectual and needlessly depressing -- even for established authors. But there are of course exceptions to this).
I do, however, have events in my homebases: NYC, New Haven and my hometown, Pleasantville, NY. Check out the up-to-date event schedule here.
Q: Can I get a signed book?
A: Yes of course!!!! The best way to get a signed book is to come to a book event. Or, you can purchase from a bookstore that has my autographed books in stock (that info will come later). Or, I can send you a signed bookplate. Haven’t quite figured it out but rest assured, I will sign anything you put in front of me.
Q: Where/when can I get a copy?
A: You can pre-order a copy at the bookseller of your choice: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound. The book ships/ will be in stores October 27. Pre-ordering is definitely the way to go… soon we’ll be announcing a fun goodie for early purchasers.
Okay -- back to work! If you have any other questions, hit me up in the comments!