Another post already?! Yep! A rare “double header” from Ilsa.
I wanted to touch on that other half of my blog’s title for those of you who care more about news from the writing front.
Let’s just take a moment to let the fact that there will be an audio version of Wish I Was Here in the world, and how cool that is, sink in.
Okay. Now continuing…
Here’s what happened.
Friday night was the school’s football homecoming game. Usually Hubby takes the kids, and I chill at home alone, blissfully. Ah, introversion. I was also super tired, so a low-key quiet night sounded great.
But, I wrote this book…
Apparently it’s harder to sell books if you don’t talk to people???
The funny, talented, and inspirational Cheryl said she keeps a box of books in her trunk (can do), and then SELLS them to people. (Wait, wut?) She even stops at garage sales and gets the sellers–sellers!–to buy her book!
That’s next level salesmanship. I could never.
But, I chugged some caffeine, put a box of books in the trunk of the family van, and the six of us hauled off to the game. I ambitiously put four books in my purse with Hubby saying he could run back to the van if I needed more.
HAHAHAHA!
Cover me.
I’m going under cover.
Cover your mouth when you sneeze?
Okay, fine. I was trying to be unique and not do the standard announcement, but…
The email from the publisher began:
“We have now begun the production cycle for your book, Wish I Was Here. Your submitted final manuscript has been professionally formatted into a custom PDF bookblock and attached here for your review.”
I had been texting with a coworker when this email popped up, prompting me to hastily exit that conversation and clock out of my day job.
The cover was also attached. Naturally, I began there. Oh, how I wish I could show you the cover, but it’s still a work in progress. When I saw it, I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love it.
I sent it to my Faithful Few for feedback. (Isn’t it wonderful when alliteration happens naturally?) I got varied responses:
The deadline looms for turning in my final-final manuscript of Wish I Was Here to the publisher. The feedback I’ve gotten from beta readers has been good, but that’s mostly been men in their fifties. Clearly, I need to expand my friend group.
But the harsh reality is, I should get the reaction of my target audience: teenage girls, especially ones who are well-read.
Gulp.
I needed to let my own children read this thing.
The Last Bookstore in L.A. is where our family went over Thanksgiving break. (Maybe, eventually, I’ll get around to posting about our Christmas break).
But before I get to that, a followup to my “Best laid (sneaky Christmas) plans” post. Originally, I was hitting up thrift stores because I meant the coat for Mrs. Instructor to be a gag gift. But then my focus shifted.
Now on to the blog post!
The Last Bookstore was featured in the blog of my homegirl Janis at Retirementally Challenged (clever!) My eyes lit up when I read:
You may or may not have noticed I’ve done some site upgrades, including a new title to reflect the blog content, new about/contact (which is sort of funny), and a page called My book.
At My book, I have the synopsis and a few early reviews from kindly fellow authors. One guy wrote me in October saying he would read the book in December. A few days later, he wrote, “Got hooked. Will finish it this weekend.” The next day, he wrote, “What a fun read. Loved it. I think you have a hit on your hands.”
I didn’t mind that.
My kidlit author buddy, Mike Allegra, is currently reading it and said, “This book is fast-paced and fun!” He has been emailing as he goes, making predictions, which is both great and frightening, depending on how close to the truth he gets. I’m gratified that his guesses at plot twists are not the same as another reader’s.
This other reader emailed with subject line, “Wow,” followed by:
Writing and Martial Arts 