Yesterday was my bookaversary, the one year anniversary of my novel being released to the wild. And today is my final post as a Deb 2015. Where did the time go? It occurred to me today that I’m feeling a little like one does after graduation or maybe at the end of THE BREAKFAST CLUB with that song DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME playing. I know a lot more than…
You know that Beach Boys song, “God Only Knows Where I’d Be Without You”? I love that song. It’s an honest song. I thought seriously about it being our first dance song at our wedding. (We chose “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughn instead because we’re blues nerds.) It sounds so sweet and fluffy, but the lyrics are so stark. I may not always love you But long as…
My first day as a Debutante was September 1, 2014. My book launched on September 2, 2014. I was still working a fulltime job (for at least another couple of weeks). My publisher (Grand Central/Hachette) was in a dispute with Amazon so I had never had that golden PRE-ORDER button for my book. My husband was in the middle of his company being bought. We were having renovations done on…
I’m sorry this post is late today. I’ve been battling with new Comcast equipment all week and it’s been quite the happy little war. It’s not easy being the nerd in the house. So second books is on the agenda this week. Second books. Second books. Do you know how many people write a first book and never write a second one? There’s a huge dropoff between first and second…
I can’t believe my Debutante year is almost over. It’s been quite a ride, especially at the beginning because my book launch week was also my first week as a Deb! I’ve learned so much in this year. There are a million things I would do differently if I knew a year ago what I know now. Here are a two of those things. Don’t try to get people to come…
Editor’s Note: Here at The Debutante Ball, we strive to give an insider look at our experiences with the publishing industry. But we also like to contribute to the dialogue on important topics in publishing, which is why this week we’ve decided to focus on diversity— and have each asked a guest author to discuss their experiences in the industry. We know we can’t solve the issues with a few…
OK, seriously. What’s not to love about a book with a freaking coconut cake on the cover!? You know it’s going to be delicious before you even open it up. It’s that gorgeous cake in the window of the bakery just beckoning you to take it home. It’s daring you not to indulge. Amy’s THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE lives up to that cover. It’s just sweet enough to bring…
There are many myths about publishing and being a writer. There are so many that I don’t really know where to start. Other Debs have talked about agent myths and so forth. I’m going to talk about the expectations of those around us. Here we go. Myth #1: You’re famous! I have super supportive and wonderful friends. They often refer to me as their “famous author friend.” I know they’re…
I’m really beat as I write this. I’m at the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley this week. Basically, it’s week-long summer camp for writers only I’m staying in a condo instead of a tent. There’s a lot of wine flowing in the evenings, so the 9:00 start for workshops in the morning comes awful early. I’m getting some feedback on some new work and listening to advice from writers…
Hey y’all! All this hot weather has brought back my Southern accent. I’ve been floating around in the pool getting started on my summer reading. So this is a great post for me because I have a stack a mile high! But most of those books are research for a new project I’m working on that I’m not ready to talk about. So here are the books I’m reading for…
