Wednesday, March 24, 2010

When it rains, it pours

I was waiting on needles and pins (way to upend that metaphor, Lori!) for a word from my publisher about the release date, and today I spoke to her.  October 12, 2010 is THE date.  (Trumpet sounds are appropriate here.)

I received an email from an old creative writing mentor who is tossing the idea of a big book reading/signing event at "a local institution," but I don't want to jinx it, so I'm keeping mum about it.

Now that I have this release date, and I know that the Advanced Reader Copies go out in May, I'm supposed to begin doing some research on the conventions/conferences for ALA (American Library Association) and other book acquisition associations. I might (possibly?) be going to Washington D.C. for the big book expo in May--walk around a ginormous stadium of book booths, meet book buyers from around the world, get lost in the jungle, and feel both awed and intimidated--, but won't know about the likelihood of that little jaunt for a few days.

My dance-friend Jennifer Handy (yes, I do folkdance occasionally, and it's not as nerdy as it seems) has offered to help publicize the book in Houston come November, during which another huge book festival will occur. And a big thank you to Galit, my sweet friend who set up a fan page for the book on Facebook called "Prelude to Song of the Orange Moons," which will sort of carbon copy the events that will be posted on this blog, but may reach more Friends of Friends out there in cyber space. And, now is also the time to find someone to help me design an author website, as all the other authors with the publisher have one.  And they look darn good, too.

Oh, yeah:  and I need to keep up the writing on my third novel.  (The second one is under review--top secret stuff.)

So, all this to say, I'm feeling like I have a lot of work cut out for me over the next few months.  Whew!