Tuesday, June 29, 2010

VIPER accepted by Sophia Press


VIPER was accepted today by Sophia Press. Here's the email sent by the acquisitions editor to the publisher and cc'd to me today:


Last night I just finished reading John Desjarlais's new manuscript VIPER (the sequel to BLEEDER). I really couldn't put it down. I hope to call John D. today with some suggested revisions, none of which are major.
When you return from vacation, I'd like to recommend that we bring this MS to contract as soon as we can. I found it even more compelling than BLEEDER and I strongly suspect our readers will feel the same way.


So I'm at work on the minor adjustments and we're aiming to promote the book at the August Catholic Marketing Convention and aim for a release in Fall.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

VIPER sent to editor


I finished a full draft of VIPER last week, received feedback and corrections this week (mostly re: Spanish language from my reader), made those adjustments over the last 2 days, and sent the revised ms to the editor at Sophia Press today, both an emailed e-version and a land-mail paper version. I'm certain there is revision work ahead - heck, the editor might not like it at all! - but I cannot describe what a relief it is to have the ms in the mail. I have been so stressed during the final stages that I was speaking Spanish in my sleep, according to my wife, and I don't speak Spanish. How weird is that? It must have been Selena, pictured here.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Barnes & Noble book signings in June


I'll sign copies of BLEEDER at Barnes & Noble, Green Bay WI, on Saturday June 5, 2-5 pm, and at Barnes & Noble, DeKalb IL, on Saturday June 12, 1-5 pm.


The era of 'the book signing' may be coming to a close, and not because printed books themselves may be passe soon (big piece in the Wall Street Journal today about ebooks). Have they ever been a good marketing strategy for non-celebrity writers? It helps if one is speaking to a book club on the premises, or offering a workshop of some sort, but to just show up and be shown to a table is ineffective. "Book signings," even if fairly well publicized, just don't draw a lot of people. A writer has to work the room, passing out bookmarks and initiating conversations with strangers.


At least it is a good opp to meet book sellers face to face and befriend them, since they will be your sales people long after you leave, making recommendations to customers largely because they got to 'know' you.


Book signings as public events also give you an opp to get your name and book title in local newspapers and radio 'community calendar' shows. Only a few people may show up, but many, many people will have seen the announcement. That's gotta be worth something.