Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Shadowlight Arrives



Shadowlight, my first Kyndred novel, officially lands on the shelves today. An excerpt from my upcoming June '10 release, Dreamveil, is included in the back pages.

I'll spare you guys the usual "Buy my book" post; by now most of you have heard it a couple dozen times. I've had a lot of help getting the word out on this one (your fault) and really, what more can a writer ask? All right, if everyone wants to support PBW and/or insure my future employment, I suppose you can go out this week and buy a copy, or request it from your local public library. But I'm guessing most of you already have, and I thank you for investing and requesting.

I've been brooding for some time about something veteran literary agent Georges Borchardt said in his interview with Poets & Writers:

The pub date used to mean the author would get a bouquet of roses or there would be a party. There was practically always a party for the author. The birth of the book was something to be celebrated. Now it's just the question of "Do we admit to the author that the actual printing is only one-fourth of the announced printing?"

I didn't know that releasing a book used to be such an event. Maybe back in the day publishers could afford to throw a party because there weren't that many books being published, so they didn't have to do it very often. Now release day for most authors seems to be focused on exhausting varieties self-promo, checking to see if blog ads and book videos go live, waiting for the lists and not much else. Publishers are never involved, and I think that's pretty sad.

I seriously doubt anyone in the biz will ever throw a party for me (maybe one to celebrate the day I retire, or whenever I drop dead), but I've always spent my pub dates with my family. We're pretty tame, so our idea of fun is going out to dinner or spending the evening with a big bowl of popcorn and a new movie, but we have fun together, and the gift they've given me is ten years filled with happy memories on release days. Publishing can never top that.

I hope you writers out there don't forget to take a little time off from the endless promoing to party on your pub date. Whether it's the release of your first or your forty-fourth, a new book should always be something wonderful in your life. When it arrives, do something special to celebrate it.

21 comments:

  1. Tosses confetti, cracks a bottle of Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz, unfurls a banner:

    Congratulations, P., on a job well done and an excellent book.

    I have to apologise: I did the review and posted it on my blog on 7 Sept. Unfortunately, I think I forgot to let you know... Totally, my bad.

    I'll just go and have a drink for you...

    Heh. Confirmation: reedn. I'm certainly doing that.

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  2. Well, I've got a release today and last night I bought a new ebook reader...does that count as something special? ;)

    Congrats on Shadowlight. Hope it smashes thru the lists clear to #1.

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  3. I got mine yesterday! Now what can I blow off so I can read it today?

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  4. We tend to celebrate in the same low-key way. Pizza, a movie, a new book, going out for coffee. It is something to celebrate, always. Although anymore I'm not sure what day to celebrate! : O Release dates being the slippery things they are.

    Congrats, I hope Shadowlight out-performs anything else you've released to date, and a host of new readers glom your backlist. It's one of the best books I've read this year.

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  5. It's too bad they don't have parties. At least a little cake, maybe.

    Hope your book does great :D

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  6. Is your mom freaking out about the cover?

    I'm thinking that I will send my husband flowers on my (someday) pub date. He has been so endlessly supportive, he deserves all the happy I can give him.

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  7. This is good news.

    I don't know if this will make you any happier, but most Australian small presses throw a kind of launch party. I got one on Sunday, with chocolate cake, lucky door prizes and a room full of people.

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  8. Congratulations, Lynn! I hope it rocks the charts.

    I spent my release day in bed sick with bronchitis. On top of that I was recovering from eye surgery. The whole day felt like a blur. Maybe I'll celebrate twice for the next one. :o)

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  9. Fingers crossed that Shadowlight does very well and brings you lots of new readers. A brownie has been eaten in your honour.

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  10. Congratulations!!!!

    I would really like to buy the book today, but unfortunately it has not yet been released for the Kindle.

    If it is not out by the end of the week I will probably end up buying it paperback so I can make my contribution to the lists!

    Again, many congratulations!!!!

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  11. Congrats Lynn!!

    It's hard to top family celebrations, IMHO. But, if I may, I'd like to add this little toast to your doings. "To you, Lynn, I lift my glass, for your imagination, and your blood and your sweat and your tears, have made my life a brighter more enjoyable place."

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  12. Cyber-congrats, Lynn. Love the cover, btw.

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  13. I will definitely be having a party, complete with champagne, on my first published novel. Maybe with any after that, I'll do the pizza and beer ;-)

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  14. Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate. After all, they supported you through the crazy deadlines and are probably as exhausted by now as you are :).

    For some reason I thought I had more time before release day, but I did get a cleaner copy of my review up at B&N, Amazon, and LibraryThing. I posted the one (okay, two) on my blog a couple weeks ago, but I wanted a better one for going public.

    Congrats again. It's a great book and I love what you've done with the Kyndred.

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  15. Tosses more confetti in the air and passes the whiskey bottle
    This is an event!
    I know I've gotten a tad blase about my release dates lately. I think it's good to celebrate them.
    *raises shot glass* Here's to you. Congratulations on your release day.

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  16. Congrats Lynn!

    I purchased my copy of Shadowlight today at B&N. Now to find time to sit down and read.

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  17. Congrats on release day, Lynn! I'm sure SHADOWLIGHT will be another smash hit for you!

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  18. Happy Release Day Lynn,
    And many, many more.
    I'm picking up my copy tomorrow.
    c.

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  19. Picked it up today and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

    Congrats!

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  20. Congratulations!!!!!

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