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The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story. – Ursula K. Le Guin
I’M CELEBRATING MY BOOK DEAL. Can you hear me shouting? Woot! Woot!
My middle grade contemporary novel was acquired by Immortal Works Press, a small traditional publisher in Utah. Signing the publishing contract is, at once, a thrilling and overwhelming experience, especially for a first-time author, which I am.
The above quote by fantasy and science fiction novelist Le Guin aptly describes a story’s transition from writing to publication, although today most authors don’t make black marks on wood pulp, but instead produce a gazillion electronic letters on a screen. Your story only becomes a living thing when it is in the hands of readers and that requires publication.
Imagining people, who are not my critique partners, reading Swallowed by a Secret, is exciting. I hope they’ll fall in love with the characters, especially twelve-year-old Rocky, the star of the book. I hope the readers will turn the pages with great eagerness as the plot unfolds, and I want them to feel satisfied when the story ends that it all makes sense. Is that asking for too much?
As one of Immortal Works’ authors, I appreciate that I’m now part of a team. The relationship between author and publisher is a real partnership with a singular goal to make the book a success. The publisher invests considerable time, expertise and money to prepare the book for publication. This effort and financial risk means they have to choose books they want to publish very carefully. The publisher’s commitment to the venture must be respected. With all the competition out there, it is an honor to be one of the chosen ones.
Swallowed by a Secret will debut on January 21, 2020 as a paperback, e-book and audio book. I’m planning how to promote my book in conjunction with the publisher’s marketing efforts. Perhaps I will have book swag for pre-orders, do blog interviews about my writing journey and how this story developed, and of course, I will need a stellar book launch party at a local independent bookstore.
Exciting times. Is it January yet?