Debut Novel, Debut Contest!

Surprise, Readers!

We’re going to start the countdown to publication with a good, old-fashioned contest. Who can resist a contest with free prizes? You’ve never won a contest you say? Well you’re in luck, because there will be several winners, and it could be your lucky day!

The prize: Any current New York Times Bestseller novel (a book of your choice!) and I’ll refund you the price of my debut book, Song of the Orange Moons. Pretty sweet deal, huh?

It’s as easy at pudding pie. All you need to do is pre-order my debut book (you knew there was a catch, didn’t you?), become my Follower of my blog (you can create a comment to this post, too!), and email your confirmation receipt to loriannstephens[at]gmail[dot]com, and you’ll be entered into the giveaway. That’s it!

1. Pre-order my book (or two or three, for your best friends) from Amazon, Borders, or Barnes&Noble
2. Follow me by clicking on “Follow” on the left
3. Email your receipt to me so I know where your order originated.

Then start browsing the bestseller list, because you know you’re going to win. You’re just lucky that way.

Please feel free to share this post with your friends, family, and colleagues. The more the merrier (and the more prizes I’ll send out!) And I promise to exercise fair drawing practices.

The contest ends in two weeks, on August 4th. That's when I'll email the winners and ask you for your specialized NYT book order. Good Luck, book lovers!

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!

The Cover Art!

Last night, I was wrapped in a blanket, sprawled on the couch with a box of tissues and cough drops on my right, and my laptop on my knees, grumping over this February virus when Miriam sent me the cover art for the book.  When I saw it, I felt overwhelmed. I think it couldn't be more perfect or more beautiful. Amazon's already uploaded the new cover image, too.

 

Because this blog is meant to track one writer's experience publishing a debut novel with a small publisher, I should address a few things now.

1. What's with the gap in time between my blog posts?  There's a lot of waiting involved in publishing.  You have to be patient, no matter how much your hands are itching to email your publisher and write in your most nonchalant tone, "What's up?  How's my book coming along?" Resist.  And trust that your publisher wants your book to be as much of a success as you do and is working hard to create the most beautiful product possible. Which leads me to...
2. My novel happens to be not only my debut novel, but also Blooming Tree's debut novel in its new adult division.  Blooming Tree Press is a successful small press that publishes beautiful children's books and gripping YA (Young Adult) novels.  I am fortunate that my publisher is trying to release my book more "like a larger press than a smaller press," i.e., I'll have more help in the marketing of the book than the typical author with an independent press.
3. What is a small press (or independent press)? It's a publisher that is not part of the larger conglomerates or corporations.  They're the smaller guys trying to survive in the world of Walmarts and biggie bookstores.  So, if you like to buy your books in person, like to feel the paper and examine the binding before buying, like to smell the coffee from the adjacent coffee shop and linger among other book lovers in person, feel free to ask the local bookstore manager to order Song.  I promise to sign it when next we meet! (And you'll be supporting a great small American business!)  Of course, you can order it online in your jammies, too.
4. Miriam has asked me to publicize the upcoming novel by printing up postcards to hand out at events, so, as soon I can get off this couch without the aid of Nyquil, I'm off to Kinko's to create some postcards. 

Next week, I'm doing a creative writing workshop for the Highland Park Literary Festival. I'm looking forward to meeting up again with the talented writers and artists.

Exciting Development

I just heard from my publisher today, and after a long discussion with her "team," they've decided to push back the release date from spring '10 to fall '10.  Now, normally I'd be crushed by this news. MORE waiting?  I have to tell people yet again that the book will come out later than I expected?!   But I'm curiously exhilarated, because what she said after the words "fall of 2010" made my heart skip a beat. 

She wants to generate interest in the book.  Pre-publicize it before publication.  She'll send me an image of the book (wheee!), which I'm to place on any-every-thing at whatever-literary-public event I attend. Can do that at the AWP conference! Check!

She said to start the blog.  Check!  I'm way ahead of her.

She said something about serial rights, where magazines like Redbook print excerpts of my novel.  (Really?  I'm thinking. Maybe in Seventeen! I'm starting to feel like a coddled author.) 

She said to make a Christmas List of any place I'd like to be interviewed.  Like on NPR.  What?  What!! Now my heart is pumping hard.  And possibly a television show. Huh? Like Good Morning, Texas?  I start to wonder if they even interview writers.  And why they would possibly do that.

But I toss my skepticism out the window because I'm full of "Wheeee!"  And it feels good.

The Ball is Rolling

That's what my publisher said: The ball is rolling. For the past six months, I've been sitting on my hands to keep me from pestering her via quirky, impromptu (but carefully crafted) emails. Like the bad trenchcoat guy from The Iron Giant: Hey Scout! Where you going? Whatchyou up to? Hey now! Want to talk? What's up?

Sometimes I toyed with the frightful possibility that she'd lost interest. I worked myself into a fit of doubt one evening, and the only way to get myself out of it was, you know, to do what I should have been doing all along: keep writing the next darned novel. I kept telling myself that she was just busy because she's a publisher. Publishing books. And tonight, she thanked me for my patience, attributing it to my professional background. I felt like dancing.

She's given me a little "to do" list, and I couldn't be more thrilled. What does a novelist with a small press do? Think of all the ways to publicize the upcoming book. It's all about dissemination, getting the book into the hands of the person who will love it. Because let's face it: not all books appeal to the tastes of all people. My book is literary fiction from a small press. Publicity is a tall order for a debut novelist. I wonder if I can rely on the seven degrees of separation. Surely someone I know knows someone who knows someone at Publisher's Weekly...

By the way, if anyone's interested in what a successful fiction book proposal looks like, I can post mine. Now I have to stop blogging and do more research. Anybody know magazines that publish excerpts from novels?