Category: Reading

Three

#books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, cover art, Fandom, Geek, Learning, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Stress, Time, Writing

Three more days! Abnormal will be available for Kindle download and to order for paperback and hardcover on Amazon and in bookstores in three days! (Kindle preorder link right now is mybook.to/abnormal if you want to preorder it now.)

I’ve recovered from last night’s embarrassment of not comprehending what exactly a “release date” entailed, and I’ve decided to go ahead with both the private and virtual release day parties…I just have to rethink how I’m going to do them. I obviously can’t do signings that day, so that part’s out. I can’t go visit bookstores and take selfies with the book on the shelf in the background. Those will have to wait. But I can still have some friends and family over for snacks and drinks and a good time.

It’s been a long journey these past two and a half years or so since I started writing Abnormal. When I wrote the first words I had no idea that I’d end up with a series on my hands, and I just assumed I’d have to self publish. I even started sketching a rough cover design mockup on my Wacom tablet. (RhetAskew Publishing came up with a much better cover. Lol)

To the writers out there keep dreaming. Keep writing. Keep at it. It might take a while, but it’ll come. Just keep going.

Naive

#books, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, Learning, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Stress, Time, Writing

Well, don’t I just feel about ten shades of stupid.

So Abnormal is my first traditionally published book. The only other novel I’ve published was self published through Amazon Kindle and a print-on-demand company called Createspace (which I think is also an Amazon company). With Kindle, my book was available the second it was approved by Amazon. Upload the file, wait a few hours, boom! Instant ebook. The Createspace file took longer to approve, so it was maybe a day or two before it was available for order.

That is not how release dates work in the traditional publishing world.

So here’s how it works: the release date is the date when the ebook goes live, but it is NOT the date when the book is in stores. 

It’s the date when stores can order the book. That’s it.

I guess I’ll have to eat a big ole plate of crow and share this post everywhere I’ve said that Abnormal will be in stores September 1. Except Kindle–it’ll really be available for Kindle. Just orderable in stores.

Sorry for any…I don’t know. I’m probably the one most upset about this realization.

Long and short of it: be patient. Abnormal still will be downloadable on Kindle September 1. And you can go to the bookstore and order the physical book September 1. You just have to wait a few days for that new-book smell.

Six

#books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, Celebrity, Fandom, Geek, LGBTQ, live reading, Marketing, Novel, Parties, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Stress, Time, Work, Writing

 Six days until this gorgeous book can be in your hands! Whether you preodered through Kindle or whether you requested your physical copy from your local bookstore, Saturday is the day.

I’ve been trying to rev up interest, and all day Saturday I’ll be running a virtual release party from my Facebook page — there will be guest authors, live snippets of my day, potential selfies at bookstores (depends on if I get time to run around and see who has it), and a chance to win an autographed paperback, courtesy of RhetAskew Publishing. 

I also found out today that I’ll have access to merchandise soon. Pens and stuff–I don’t exactly know what yet–so I’ll soon have my own giveaways and maybe some grab bags of sorts for whatever. I’ll figure it out.

Today I have a few hours to myself, so I’ll be revising Book 2 according to my mind mapping and whatever else comes to me as I go. I have until November to get Book 2 submitted to my publisher, so I’ve got to get cracking. It’s not all fun and games, kiddos, there’s work to it. Revisions, edits, more revisions based on what you found in the edits, alpha reads, etc etc etc. So it’s nose to the grindstone today. A little alternative music on in the background, not too loud, and some intermittent laundry and kitchen cleanup breaks.

Now, if I could only tear myself away from the Internet for the above listed chores….

To the bookstore!

#books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, Fandom, Friendship, Geek, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Writing

I got an amazing selfie from a friend of mine yesterday who had just ordered a few copies of Abnormal from our local bookstore!

How cool is that? Look at that huge grin on her face as she went to order her copies of Abnormal! That could be you looking that happy! Just go to the closest bookstore and ask them to order it 😉

Yesterday was a long and draining day. This photo was my highlight, and it kept me going when I just wanted to go home. I tried to post this from my phone, but my phone was having none of my shenanigans last night. Luckily the draft saved, so here you go: one happy customer.

Incoming

#books, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, anxiety, family, Geek, Home, Marketing, Mental Health, Novel, Parties, Promotion, Reading, SCA, Sci-fi, Social Media, Stress, swordfighting, Time, Writing

The weekend is upon us, and it’s Crown Tourney weekend for those SCA folks in Atenveldt. That means lots of fighting and fun–except there was a minor major hiccup with the site, which means I suddenly have lots of houseguests incoming. 

I don’t mind being hospitable to our chosen family (especially since our guests include my husband’s Peer and his belt brother/sister), but I’m wondering how the ol’ social anxiety will hold up for the weekend. I can handle people over at my house for a little while, but these people won’t be going home until Sunday. Two whole days of people in my house. Mine. I know, I know, it’s not the invasion of the Huns–it’s just a weekend. Still, the animal brain inside my head is in defend-my-territory mode, and I need to find a way to calm it down.

I also need to find a way to get this place presentable this afternoon. I’m skipping the contemplation hafla (drum and dance party) because A – I don’t dance and B – I don’t know the person being elevated. I’m going to be tired after work, and I’d rather have a smidge more time to myself before chaos reigns.

There’s laundry still to do, plus the aforementioned cleaning, plus figuring out what-all I’m going to wear this weekend, plus hostessing, plus plus plus. Oh yeah, and I have to keep up the work on doing my marketing workshop assignments, which means finding time to blog/tweet/Instagram/Facebook etc etc. Eight more days until Abnormal‘s release! Tick-tock, man, tick-tock.

Livin' for the deadline

#bipolar, #books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, anxiety, Celebrity, Critique, Education, Fandom, Geek, Learning, LGBTQ, Marketing, Mental Health, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Stress, Time, Writing

Yep, it’s another early morning for me, and now that I’ve been social on most of the medias, it’s time to get cracking on Book 2’s revisions. I’ve got a good idea of where I’m going with them, but it’s a matter of actually sitting down and getting from A to B. Then, once I’ve gotten the manuscript where it needs to be, it’s edit, edit, edit before I send it off for submission. RhetAskew Publishing has given me an early November deadline for submission, so I have some time but not, like, oodles. There’s a lot of life going on in those months…Abnormal‘s release, SCA events about every other weekend or more, book signing, work, more work, new certification for work…Yeah. All that and a bag of chips. Or something. I have no one to blame but myself, really….I asked my Editor-in-Chief when she’d like the manuscript, and she gave me a time frame.
The other day I had a mini major meltdown about Abnormal‘s release. That was fun (not). You see, as I’m revving up and getting ready for the release, I’m also taking a marketing workshop led by my Editor-in-Chief at RhetAskew. This workshop is pretty intense, and it’s left me feeling overwhelmed. There are things I’ve been doing that I guess are no-nos when it comes to marketing, and there are other things I haven’t done yet that are very, very important. I know that since Abnormal is the first in a series I have time to build my audience, but I was feeling an immense sense of urgency and anxiety that I’d never get all the things done before the release. Some part of my bipolar brain decided that I had to do every single workshop assignment ASAP to be ready for release date, and when I realized I was in overload I lost it. I’m talking red-faced, puffy-eyed, snot-nosed ugly crying. I was a hot mess.
I’m better about it now. I think I just needed to get it out of my system. Reached my boiling point, spilled over, and now I’m all good. Mostly…I still feel some anxiety, but nothing like the other day.
Well, guess it’s time to put the blog down and pick up my mind mapping. Gotta stay cool, calm, and collected as the countdown to Abnormal ticks down….9 days now. Single digits.

Battle royale

#bipolar, #books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, #TV, Abnormal, anxiety, Celebrity, Critique, Depression, Education, Fandom, Geek, Health, Interview, Learning, LGBTQ, Marketing, Mental Health, Musings, Novel, Promotion, Q&A, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Stress, Thoughts, Time, Writing

It’s been a while since I’ve had a legitimate bipolar breakdown, so I guess yesterday’s little panic attack was overdue. Still, it would be nice not to have to go through that at all.
2gbz61
Yeah….
So the marketing process for Abnormal combined with the marketing workshop that my publisher is running on Facebook combined with general anxiety about the projected success or failure of said book all are working together to create that perfect environment for a bipolar freak-out. Last night was the first of what I hope is a minimal number of said freak-outs.
It all started with the sudden realization that the workshop assignments were leading up to us authors identifying and contacting our top genre influencers about our works.
Wait…I have to find out who the top sci-fi/dystopian/LGBTQ bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, journalists, etc, are, then I have to write out emails asking them to read and review my book or do an interview with me, then I have to send out those same emails? Like, actually send them? To people who have thousands and thousands of followers, who probably already lead busy lives and already get gobs of junk emails with the same type of requests? But–but–but…what if I’m bothering them?
Ah, yeah, there’s that irrationality. There’s the anxiety rearing its ugly head.
Fuck you, anxiety. You ruined my evening yesterday.
Fighting with this type of anxiety is a tough one. I can always go to friends or family or to my husband or my publishers with my unfounded concerns, but I can’t always take their logical, rational advice and apply it to the very much illogical and irrational fear I’m experiencing. The irrational fear eats logic for breakfast, chews it up, and spits it out in a sloppy wet wad on the carpet. I always end up stepping square in that wad. I hate stepping on anything wet, literally or metaphorically.
Why is it so horrifying to have to send out some nice, polite emails requesting consideration for myself and my book? I don’t know. Again, it’s an irrational fear. And no, it’s not the fear of them ignoring my emails or sending rejections–it’s the fear of being a bother. A nuisance. An annoyance.
It was difficult to send email requests to some of my favorite authors asking if they’d be interested in having an Advanced Reader Copy of Abnormal to peruse and maybe write a blurb on. I was terrified of annoying them. Of being viewed as spam–even if it was potentially some random assistant who was handling that day’s particular emails. That is what had me paralyzed yesterday. It’s still got me shaken up a bit, but so far this morning no fountains of tears. So that’s progress, right?
Another stressor to add onto these imaginary stressors is the feeling that I have to get all my marketing done before the September 1 release date–which is now ten days away. Ten. Short. Days. My publisher assures me that’s not the case, that I have the entirety of the series to build upon and market to my fanbase, but the timing of the marketing workshop is not helping. Don’t get me wrong–I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to have such a workshop. It’s just giving me a minor heart attack thinking about all the assignments that are being given with “just ten days” in which to complete the assignments.
Ten days…I’m almost in the single digits.
I had my freak-out. I talked with close friends, with my publisher, with my husband. I whined and moaned and misunderstood the assignments and cried and sobbed and overreacted. I did all the things except stay calm and look at it from a logical standpoint. Logically, the bloggers and vloggers and podcasters and journalists are there to build on their own fanbase, and they (theoretically) welcome the opportunity to read and review something that their fanbase might enjoy. Illogically, they’re going to view me as an overeager spammer nobody who needs to leave them alone.
I’m going to get past this. I’m going to finish this post, search for my genre’s “influencers,” and get started on a template to share in the workshop to eventually turn into emails to said influencers.
It may not be within the next ten days. But I have a whole series to get this done in.
Still, better now than never.
Off I go.
Kicking and screaming, but off I go.

I'm such a tease

#books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, embroidery, Fandom, Geek, Learning, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Thoughts, Time, Writing

Abnormal is ever closer to publication, and yesterday was kind of a milestone for me.
You see, I have only ever written one other novel. A one-shot, no-sequel, wrap-up-all-the-loose-ends-at-the-end kind of novel. But Abnormal? That puppy’s the first in a series. My publisher knows this, has known this since they first laid eyes on it, but it never occurred to me that they’d want a snippet of Book 2 at the end of Abnormal to tease the next book and let readers know that there’s more to come.
tease gif
I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me. That’s what “real” authors do with their books, right? So it makes perfect sense…I just hadn’t thought that far ahead, I guess. It wasn’t real yet.
It’s very real now.
I’ve set up my first book signing for two weeks after release, and I have a small, personal release party scheduled for the evening of September 1st. There will be drinking (probably mostly on my part) and book signings and possibly drunk live tweeting/Facebook live-ing and generally a good time for all.
The upcoming weeks will be quite busy for me. I have no “free” weekends for a while, so I’ve got to work in non-work work wherever I can. Sometimes during my work-work lunch break.
I’ll get back to Book 2 soon….then, when that’s done and edited and submitted and the whole process is starting over again, I’ll get started on Book 3. 🙂 Let’s see how far down the road I can take this show!

Supply and demand

#books, #dystopian, #nerd, #publishing, Abnormal, Fandom, Geek, LGBTQ, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi

Ok, folks, here’s the 411 on getting Abnormal to a bookstore near you:
Ask for it!
Don’t be shy. Go up to the salesclerk, the store manager, whoever, and tell them you want to buy Abnormal when it comes out September 1. Tell them you want multiple copies. Tell them your second cousin twice removed on your mother’s side wants a copy.
Not sure if you want paperback or hardcover? Ask for both! You can decide which you want when it comes in. Or you can buy both. The choice is yours, but you have to be assertive and request it.
The more demand we create, the more supply stores will order. Simple economics.
So get out there, do your best Veruca Salt impression, and say, “I want it now!” 😉

Ebook envy

#books, #dystopian, #publishing, Abnormal, book trailer, Celebrity, cover art, Fandom, LGBTQ, Marketing, Novel, Promotion, Reading, Sci-fi, Social Media, Writing

I’m jealous of my ebook. You see, it’s available for preorder on Amazon Kindle already, but the hardback and paperback aren’t…yet.
Yeah, I know, it’s not fair. You might want me to autograph your book, and how can I do that with an ebook? I mean, I’m not above signing a Kindle (on the back, of course, or if there’s a margin around the screen, sure–never over the words though 😉 ), but a Kindle also doesn’t come with that book smell. You know the one.
It’s only just gone live for preorder, so I know I should be patient, but when it comes to this book I’ve worked too hard to be patient. I’ll be stalking the Rhetoric Askew link all day until the other two versions are live, too, so don’t worry–I’ll let you know.