I’ve been busy with work lately so I haven’t had a chance to talk about all the exciting things happening on the book front:
1. I got to see the final cover for Above World.
The cover is gorgeous and I love it. LOVE IT. I look at it constantly. I printed it out and have a copy on the fridge and one in my moleskine for travel ogling. I can’t share it until Candlewick unveils their Spring 2012 catalog, so until then, I will have to love it enough for all of us.
2. I got to see the interior page design for the book.
The pages are beautiful. I love the design — it gave me chills. When I can show you some samples, I will. I hope you love them, too.
3. Above World showed up on Amazon, B&N, and Indiebound.
Yaaay!!! And so far, I am enjoying watching my seven-figure Amazon rank. Will it get better than 1.4 million? Only time will tell!
4. The book got an actual release date: February 14th, 2012.
That’s right, my book is coming out on Valentine’s Day next year! That’s a quantifiable, countable number of days away… not some nebulous future season. It’s an actual concrete moment in time, and we are inexorably moving toward it!
When you put all of this together, it adds up to this growing sense of excitement that makes me grin, giggle, and occasionally break into dance at odd moments of the day. I’m not sure what’s going to happen when I get first-pass pages or an actual ARC (Advance Reader Copy). I guess we’ll find out soon!
You rock! Can't wait to see it. :)
Thanks, Rick — I really hope you and you family like it!!
Eeee!!! I am giddy with excitement for you!
You've been helping me with this book for so many years — it'll probably feel cathartic for you, too, when it comes out.
YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!
THANKSTHANKSTHANKSTHANKS!
Bravo! We're so excited for you, Jenn!
Thanks so much, Phyllis — you have been so wonderfully supportive. I really appreciate it!
I preordered my copy!
You rock, Lisa! Thank you!!
Awesome, Jenn! :) Thank you for all your support at Lambda this past week and congratulations on your terrific news! :) A woman of many talents.
Aw, you are too kind!
Congrats, Jenn. Can't wait to read it!
Thanks so much, Alan — hope we’ll be celebrating a novel sale for you soon, too!!
This is all WONDERFUL. I can't wait to ask for this as a Valentine's Day present :)
Hee hee! Thanks, Eugene. It's been such a long road, but a great one — couldn't have done it without friends like you.
A date is good — now I know when the book is coming. In Emma's school district they have this thing called the "Accelerated Reading Program" in which kids read certain books and take quizzes on them. This is 10% of their grade in English. I wonder what it takes to get on the list.
I'm not sure what magic is required to make it on those lists, but I'm positive there's nothing I can personally do. (I have to focus on things I can control — to do otherwise is madness.)
Super stuff!
Make sure you get an advance copy to the alumni magazine. Send it by early November if you can, to get it into the Jan/Feb issue (if they can fit it), which comes out in early January to pump up the publicity goodness!!
I don’t know when I’ll get ARCs or how many, but the alum magazine is on my short-list! Thank you for the reminders and the solid dates — I really appreciate it!!!
Ask your publisher about things like Accelerated Reading programs just for heck of it. I'll try to check it out on my end.
Proud, I am! Proud!!
Congrats! That's awesome news!
Bounce!!
Bounce indeed!!! And hey, I’m keeping my eyes out for good fares to Dallas just in case money magically appears in my bank account. I miss you!
Awesomest of the awesome sauces! Can't wait to see it!
Well, when are you going on submission? I owe you a dinner!
This is so truly AWESOME, Jenn! It is REAL! And I am going over to the Amazon listing for the book and click "Like" and add tags and otherwise decorate it! YAAAY! :-)