Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday Filler! Tell Everyone You Know

Last night I was supposed to take a last look at the laid-out Variations on a Theme anthology and tell Michelle if I saw anything she'd need to tweak. Yes, the book is in its final round of page proofs! And no, Michelle, I didn't see anything, once I finally got around to actually looking at the file. I admit that for the first half hour (or longer) of my dedicated "proofing" time, I was actually watching youTube videos of the great English punk band, the Stranglers. If you don't know the Stranglers, you don't know great English punk music. Gosh, they were fabulous. Now I feel old and nostalgic. Well. Anyway.

So the Variations anthology is coming soon, and I know you're all excited to buy a dozen copies each, and I know you'll forgive us if it doesn't actually make it to the virtual shelves on the 15th as promised. It might be a few days late. I warned you, I really did, so no complaints. Don't make me turn this car around.

I've been sort of half-looking at the MS for my book The Astrologer (previously titled Killing Hamlet), which someone foolishly wants to publish. I'm gearing up to go through the whole thing once or twice more because I keep seeing things that I'd write differently today and since I have the opportunity to spruce up the prose, I'm taking it. Mighty Reader warns me that that way lies madness, as I am liable to rewrite the whole damned thing once again, which is unnecessary and would, you know, only add to my growing writerly madness. So I'm going to try to keep it to a minimum. Besides, I have a new book I'm writing, don't I? Yes, I do.

I've also been gathering examples of book covers I like, to send to the cover artist who'll do my book. There'll be a cover by this summer, I'm told. Which is soon, you know. I confess that I'd thought I'd be insouciant, blase, laid back as it were, about this publications process: "Oh, cover art? Whatever, I don't care. Just spell my name right." And so on. Turns out I was wrong, and the process is pretty cool and fun and, dare I say it, exciting. I am also telling everyone I know that they have to buy my book when it comes out. That sort of thing gets easier to say each time you say it; you just have to start. If you've got a book, or you've got one coming out, start telling everyone you know to buy it. This means you. And if, say, you were the author of a story in a certain anthology that comes out next week or so, I'd also tell everyone I know to buy a copy of the anthology. This means you.

18 comments:

  1. I'll be uploading the anthology this morning! YAY! And a proof copy will be on its way to me. Double yay! Too bad I'll be out of town for a week. That means at the earliest, the book will be available the week of the 19th. Still close to when I said. I'm done with giving exact dates. Yes I am.

    And it's really hard not o rewrite your whole book. I so get that. I want to rewrite THE BREAKAWAY completely. Right now. But I can't. It's being uploaded today by Rhemalda, and I have no control over it anymore. At all. It's a done freaking deal. Which is awesome and frightening at the same time.

    Covers rock. It's a really fun process!

    And yeah, get used to marketing. It's also awesome and sucks at the same time. It's a rush when people buy your book, but a huge downer when the whole world doesn't. Hah. :)

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  2. Mighty Reader is a wise, wise might reader. And you should listen to her. And you should make new art!

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    1. That Domey is a brilliant writer and wise, wise co-host. You should listen to him.

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    2. I'm so glad Scott likes to be told things he already knows. He must be all smiles right about now.

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    3. I'm clearly not firing on all cylinders this morning. I actually wrote, "...that way lies madness...to add to my growing madness." Where's my red pencil?

      Anyway, I agree with all this agreement with me! Yes, I do!

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  3. I'm so excited! I'll be plugging the anthology every which way once it comes out. No worries about the turnaround time. Compared to traditional publishing, you guys are greased lightning.

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    1. Oh yeah, and hello, I'm the Genie of the Shell unmasked. I did that connection to Google+ thing, so I go by my real name now. It remains to be seen whether I will be stalked by the government and/or assimilated into the Borg now.

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    2. How do we know you haven't already been assimilated into the Borg, and this is your way of getting to us, hmm?

      Davin Malasarn is not a CIA operative. Honest. I can neither confirm nor deny the status of Agent Argyle.

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    3. Agent Argyle sounds sweetly dark and cool. It is good that I go by that in the real world.

      Look out, Jeannie!

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    4. OK, this thread is definitely being monitored by the government now.

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    5. I'm always looking for the Like button under Blogger comments.

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  4. This is the kind of thing, like making jokes in the security line at the airport, that will get me in trouble one day.

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  5. I will be plugging the anthology every way I know. I'm really looking forward to seeing it and reading it and talking about it. Michelle did such a wonderful job with the last one.

    I know what you mean about rewriting. I can't keep my hands off anything, even when it's supposed to be done. That writerly madness must be a fairly common disease.

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  6. I just read the post you linked to at Tara's blog. I felt like she was talking about me. Hey everyone! If you've ever felt insecure about your writing, read Tara's post.

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  7. Yay for Variations - late or not.

    Hey Scott; don't rewrite The Astrologer :) I'm sure, after reading your posts and excerpts, its already publishing perfect.

    Can't wait to see your cover art.

    ......dhole

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  8. Looking forward to the anthology! I'm pretty sure my mom has been doing all my marketing for me. Every time I call she asks when it's going to be available and has been telling everyone about it. I think I may be onto something great here...

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