Sometimes I think anticipation is more fun than fulfillment. When you're looking forward to something, the possibilities are endless and the future shiny. As long as the lottery numbers haven't been drawn, you could be a millionaire. When your birthday is still five days away, you might be getting that $300 American Girl doll bed.*And as long as your book hasn't been released, you can still envision eye popping, life changing, job-quitting sales figures.
Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. But until your book drops, you can fantasize about glowing reviews ("This is the romance novel that will put werewolves ahead of vampires once and for all! So long, bloodsuckers! Woof, woof, baby!") and sales figures that make your editor read your future submissions ahead of everyone else's.
My first full length book comes out next Tuesday, Feb. 8. (What? You want to know where to buy it? Aw, shucks, you don't have...well, if you insist: Yours, Mine and Howls.) It's been reviewed once, and favorably. Another reviewer, after reading the first chapter, tweeted that she loved it and couldn't wait to read the whole book. So of course I immediately began to fret that I'd just set her up for huge disappointment. The Hub said, "Honey, why do you assume she'll be disappointed in your book?" I replied, "Hi! I'm your wife! You're telling me you're just now noticing this tendency?"
I am a confident optimist in most every area of life, but not when it comes to my books. My impending sophomore release has me just a wee bit petrified. I go from:
Oh, it'll be great! Reviewers will love it, just like Blessed Mary, Editor of My Dreams, says they will! Readers will flock to it!
to
It's weird. It's not like other werewolf books. Western romance lovers are gonna say "What are all these werewolves doing in my romance?" and paranormal readers are gonna say "What's with the horses? And why aren't there more Fae?" and Mom's gonna say "ORAL SEX? You write about ORAL SEX???" Oh, wait, no she won't, because she still doesn't know my pen name...
Then I take a deep breath, pour another glass of wine, and read old fan email from people who liked Kiss and Kin. Yes, it's pathetic, but the Hub and the Sisters-in-Law just can't listen to me whine anymore.
Okay, let's do a contest. The first commenter (to be determined by time stamp) to tell me who Carly Simon wrote "Anticipation" for will win a copy of Yours, Mine and Howls. (You might find the answer surprising.)
*Or not. Sorry, Diva.
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11 comments:
Cat Stevens
And Jaye wins it at 7:18 in the morning!
Y'know, back before he thought it was cool to murder authors whose views offended him, Cat Stevens was kinda hot.
Jaye, send me your email address (kinseywholley@live.com) and I will send you your free copy on Tuesday. And thanks!
YAY!
My knowledge of 'usually' useless trivia payed off!
I've been wanting/waiting to read 'Yours, Mine, & Howls' since you put the first prequel on your website!
THANK YOU!!!
BTW-- the prequel idea = great
Ha, I clicked through because I had no idea what the answer was.
I'm someone who wrote fanmail for Kiss and Kin, I really loved the dialogue in that one, and I'm hanging out for your newie.
Actually, I think I might just buy two copies, one for a friend who I think will like it.
Good luck, don't freak out too much!
Thank you Jade! I don't think I ever added you to the list of people I stal-- I mean notify when stuff is coming out. I'm doing a contest among that group to give away a free copy of YMAH. If you want to get in on it, email me to be added to the list - kinseywholley@live.com. I normally add everyone who drops me a note.
Kinsey, you're too funny-- this book is awesome! And maybe Diva can get the bed "just because" after mommy's first royalty check comes in (it's all about her anyway right?! :))
Erin
Can't wait for next week Kinsey!!
I'll second Erin's suggestion. And readers and reviewers are gonna love Yours, Mine and Howls.
Western fans will say, "werewolves! Dagnabbit, that's what's been missing from the cowboy stories I've been reading!" Paranormal fans will say, "Horses--cool! Rhiannon would approve." Your mom will say, "Aw, you got Diva that American Girl Doll bed she's been wanting. Your books must be selling really well!!"
But werewolves topping vampires? Naaaah.
PG - LOL! I knew you'd disagree with my Team Werewolf fantasy.
No matter how many books I sell, I'm not paying 300 dollars for a doll bed the Hub could make in a couple hours. Granted, he'd probably never get around to making it, but still -- Hobby Lobby has wooden doll furniture she can paint herself.
And thanks. Now I've got the damned Fleetwood Mac song in my head. She is like a cat in the dark and then she is the darkness..
It's a good song. Of course, it's got nothing to do with the horse goddess or her story, but I guess you can't have everything.
I miss my daughter being young enough to play w/ American Girl dolls. Which one does Diva have?
Right now, just Lanie, which she got for her bday. She also likes Kaya and the new Hawaiian girl. I bought some doll clothes patterns, b/c the clothes are ridiculously expensive. Lanie's "accessories" which fit in the palm of your hand cost 40 bucks.
Got her a bunch of AG books for Christmas and she loves them. Next Nov we're going to Dallas to stay with good friends and I'll take her bday shopping at the AG store.
I wish I'd invented either AG dolls or Build a Bear.
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