Today I will work my cookies off to get the book put together. My lovely editor is going on holidays soon and mentionned she’d bring the manuscript with her provided I had it done by tomorrow. Hm.. I don’t think that includes edits but at least she can give me some feedback because although I “think” it’s good, it might not be as good as I think it is.
We had a most interesting conversation about the second print. I never knew what that meant. What second print means is once the bookstore sells out and orders more copies. They only print what has been pre-ordered. So I’ll have a new cover. Hm. And a tagline. Which is a sentence they put on the cover of the book. I was asked to come up with a tagline for the second book and I was like, “hm.. ah… huh.” I don’t think they’ll print that.
In other news, my book comes out soon.
Ohmygoodness.
reading: Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck (for a review)
watching: pathetically, Bachelorette. I thought it was hometown date and I wanted to see if Ally brought them to her dead grandmother’s house.
eating: greek salad with couscous
listening to: strangely nothing. I usually have music going but at the moment, I’m not noticeing. Does that mean I’m changing? Oof, I hope not.
Posted on 20 July '10 by Jenn Kelly, under observations. 1 Comment.
So the news is:
the book won’t be in Canada until August 31st. BOOOOO!!!! Not terribly happy about that, but I can’t do anything about it so I’ll just sneak down to the US and gaze at it fondly at the bookshelf at Barnes and Noble.
I ‘think’ I’ve figured out my whole ‘Miss Flaversham’ thing. Which is very cool for me but crazy for you because I can’t tell you any of it. Except that it’ll be good.
My sweet, darling, wonderful husband bought me a prezzie. The new Kindle. Oh I was so excited and not expecting it at all! It took me a little while to figure out how to work it, and to find the free books area, so now I have 10 books downloaded (all free and classics) so now I get to read with it. But at the moment I’m reading Harry Potter in paperback. I love that book. Not just because of the story but because it’s the first book my husband ever bought me. It was on the way to a show I had to do for Almonte Valley Players and we’d always stop in at the Mac’s Milk and get a grape crush so I could burp away my nervousness before starting. (I am amazing on stage, but before I go on? I’m a mess.) And there it was, sitting by the cash. We didn’t have very much money, but he bought it for me. It was 10$. I married well. That man knows my heart, inside and out.
Ok, I have some writing to do. Many chapters to meld but I’m up to 34,000 words! Yay!
Listening to: the clock ticking behind me. It’s making me a little crazy. Need music, I think. CBC radio?
Reading: Harry Potter, first book. And my Kindle!
Watching: tonight? So You Think You Can Dance!
Eating: crackers and brie. And a venti, soy, no water, no foam, tazo chai.
27 days. Holy toledo. It’s blowing my mind.
However, it won’t be coming to Canada for three weeks after that. Which makes no sense to me at all. Which means I will be dragging my husband down to Syracuse to the nearest Barnes and Noble to see my book on the shelf. I’m sure a trip to ProBass will be in order as well. But the really cool news? My book is going to be sold at Costco! Isn’t that amazing? I don’t even know how that happened. Brilliant editor Kathleen said it was because of the video. Which I actually didn’t think was that great, but aren’t we all our own worst critic? I’ll post it once I figure out how.
Today I have a sales marketing meeting. In 5 minutes. To talk about the marketing plans. So why am I so nervous? I have nervous poops. I hate that. Granted, I always feel better after going (is that too much info?) but it still sucks.
The writing: going well I think. I’m sorta stuck on the tree fort part. Should I take it out? Should he find another room in one? Should there be a fight scene? sigh.
I was reading my book last night (did I mention they came??? I have to download the photos but they are currently stored in hubby’s phone and can’t find adaptor) and man… it’s good. I don’t want to brag but it’s soo good. And now I am suffering from ‘this isn’t goodenoughitis’.
Or something.
1 minute to meeting.
wish me luck.
Posted on 9 July '10 by Jenn Kelly, under observations. No Comments.
Did I mention the book comes out soon? 44 days.
That seems a bit crazy to me. It’s like waiting for Christmas but you know you’re going to get this super awesome present that you’ve been waiting your whole life for.
I’m not nervous. I’m not really concerned if people will like it. Because I know some people will and I expect some people will not. I expect some fan letters (actually, I’m hoping to get fan letters … for the sake of answering, not vanity) and I expect some un-fan letters. Which is fine. I created something amazing with God and in no way could it ever not be special to me.
I’m beginning to wonder about marketing. Yes, I should be wondering about my book (hey! I wrote 1,000 words today!) but I’m thinking about bookstores. How does one contact a bookstore to do signings? What if they don’t want you to come? How do you even ask?
Me: Hello? Can I speak to the store manager please?
Clerk: Doubtful. What do you want?
Me: Um, I want to speak to him so I can discuss doing a book signing?
Clerk: Why?
Me: Uh, so people will come buy my book? You’ll make money too from it.
Clerk: And who are you?
Me: Jenn Kelly? I wrote, ‘Jackson Jones: The Tale of a Boy, an Elf and a Very Stinky Fish’.
Clerk: Never heard of you.
Me: You can check your database. I know I’m in there.
Clerk: (puts me on hold for ten minutes. Can swear I hear her laughing in the background with a colleague which immediately makes me wonder if she’s laughing at me or if I’m being paranoid again.) Yah. You wrote a kid’s book?
Me: Um, yes. Actually, it’s for pre-teens.
Clerk: Well, I’ll tell the manager you called. Thanks. (click.)
Would it really go that way? Do bookstores like authors calling them up and offering to do a signing? And what if no one comes? Granted, I don’t really care because I’m in a bookstore for goodness sakes! I’ll just drink my venti soy no water no foam tazo chai and enjoy the ambience. Except I’d have to nail myself to the seat as I’d get up and start walking towards that bright pink covered book.
And then what about local bookstores? There’s one just a few blocks over, but I’m tentative to go in because they aren’t terribly nice. Maybe I should be contacting the local newspaper about this.
I need a rep.
Watching: sadly, Sex and the City movie. I actually cried. I blame hormones.
Reading: Vogue from three months ago.
Listening to: Machine by Portishead… and Christmas music
Eating: brie and crackers and green grapes and a litre of water
Posted on 22 June '10 by Jenn Kelly, under observations. No Comments.
