It's 99% out

I've announced it to the world.

Well, almost the world. I've sent an email blast out to far-flung family and friends. I still have to contact local newspapers, hometown newspapers, etc. I figure I'll do that as I get closer to my release dates, which are {drumroll} ...

June 28 for Your Saving Grace and November 1 for Every Rose Has Its Thorn {insert new title here}.

I've met one person so far (thank you, Karen), who has expressed knowledge of e-pubbed books and their advantages. I'm hoping other techie friends will hop on the bandwagon. I really believe it is the wave of the future, although a part of me still wants that hard-back book in my hands. Can't take the English major out of the girl, I guess. And many family and friends are of the older generation, who wouldn't consider downloading a book. I'm hoping my nieces and their friends will swamp the web sites on release day for downloads.

In the meantime, I'm finishing up another rewrite, waiting to hear on 3 books sitting on my editors' desks, and getting organized to be VP of Communications for my local RWA chapter. Oh, yeah, and working full-time.

If only I could get by on less than 6 hours of sleep ...

Happy 2007! Onward !!!

J

P.S. Feel free to comment. That's what it's here for.

The secret is out ... mostly

Yep, I told 'em.

Everyone was amazed, happy and a bit perplexed when I said that the books would be coming out in e-format. I can see there's a lot of education ahead of me (what is it? where do I get it? how do I read it? why would I want it? when is it going to be a Real Book). They were reassured when I said the books would be in print later, but you and I both know that the real release is the E-release -- that's the biggie, at least for me.

But it was fun to tell folks and see their reaction.

Now it's on to the Business stuff: I started making lists a month or so ago of who to contact, when. And this week I want to send email to those people I don't see often, but who I think would be interested (old college friends, ex-co-workers, etc.)

The juggernaut begins. I'm looking forward to it, but I also wish I could just hole up and write. I've got a great idea for a new book about a woman stuck in an airport during a blizzard and there's a killer loose, stuck there, too. It's sort of Die Hard meets Home Alone. Throw in a cowboy who's stuck there, too, and it could get really fun.

You read it here first ... now if I can just carve out some time to write it!

J

The secret is almost out ...

Yes, it's getting close.

You see, I haven't told all my family and friends that I've signed a publishing contract.

My mom knows. She's been kept in the loop all the way.

I told my closest friends at Thanksgiving. See reaction in the picture. They were all thrilled. And I told my boss the other day. She was equally thrilled, especially after I assured her I wasn't quitting my day job. I plan to tell my co-workers in January, when everybody is back in the office, and I'm going to send out an email at the first of the year, letting far-flung friends and family know. And I just did a big Christmas mailing (see "Tussles with Technology", previously) where I announced my upcoming publications. I waited to mail them until this morning, so the word wouldn't leak out to my siblings. This is the first year my Christmas cards will be late, and I can honestly say I planned it that way!

But the rest of my immediate family is scattered around the country and to be honest, I wanted to see their reactions. So I planned to have the big unveiling tomorrow night, in Iowa. I printed copies of my synopses and my sisters were going to open them in Iowa. My nieces, out in California, would open theirs at the same time. Sort of a simulcast.

Well, Mother Nature may have put a whammy on that. Yep, there was a blizzard in Denver, so my Denver niece won't be going to California. I'm not sure if my Denver sister can meet up with my Kansas City sister, to drive to Iowa. So we may have multiple mobile phones open to Denver and California. And the niece in Denver won't have her 'package' because I'd mailed it to California, hoping she'd be there with California Girl. And my Denver sister's package is in my spare room, waiting to be driven to Iowa tomorrow.

Oh well. It'll still be a big surprise, although perhaps not quite as well-orchestrated as I'd planned. It's family -- they'll love it, no matter what.

You know, it's got the makings of a good plot. But instead of a Big Secret being revealed, maybe it's a clue. And the killer gets socked in at Denver airport during a blizzard, and only using wireless mobile technology can the heroine ...

Hmm. It has potential.

Have a great holiday, everybody.

Wouldn't you know????

I had just finished Tussling with Technology (see previous blog post) and printed all my Christmas cards, the insert-letter that describes my books, little postcard-thingie that describes my books and web site. All, of course, with the book titles in BOLD and RED and EASY TO SEE.

Yep.

They want to change the title. The Pig Book will no longer be The Pig Book, er, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

I'm not sure what it will be, but it won't be "Rose". I can understand why the Powers Who Be want to change the title. They want something more indicative of the plot. I suggested "Candy, Corpses, and Classified Ads". I think that's kinda catchy. We'll see if it flies.

Well, I'm mailing the cards as is. I can always update folks later as to the new title. I mean, I've got time -- it won't come out until November.

But seriously, I had just sealed the last envelope and stamped the last stamp when I got the email from my editor.

Argh.

J

P.S. For those keeping track, I'm going to be posting on Tuesday and Saturday now. I post to my other blog on Wednesday & Sunday, so I figured I'd spread it all out a bit.

Yes, there can be too much technology

Actually, it might have been user error.

I was trying to get envelopes to print. Not regular envelopes, of course, but a custom size.

Agony, trial & error, agony. They printed fine on one printer, but that was the one with the gunky cartridge. I could not get them to print on the cheapo but serviceable printer.

Okay. Fine. After mucho trial and error, I chose another envelope size that was close. {whew}. Done.

Nope. When I loaded the envelopes, they went in wonky and came out crinkled.

{{{FUME}}}

I even RTFM (read the f*cking manual). Could not get it to work. I think it was one of those arcane gotchas that was buried in fine print somewhere.

I took the coward's way out. I printed mailing labels. [Cue sound of angels singing]

It worked.

I have made peace with my devices again and we are once again friends.

Until the next time.