The second full-length novel in my Endurance series, Marry in Haste, is coming from Five Star Publishing/Cengage on November 16. Am I excited? You better believe it! So what does that date mean? I can look forward to a three-week wait until I have boxes of books landing on my front porch to be used for book events. However, if my readers pre-order or order my book on Amazon, their books will be shipped on the 16th or shortly thereafter. It takes time for the publisher to box up and send out the copies, and the warehouses must do the inventories for thousands of books before they begin boxing them for shipment.
…which leaves the question…what am I doing while waiting for those boxes to arrive? You would think I might take some time off from all this writing, editing, proofreading, and editing again. Hmmm. A nap perhaps.
Actually, this is the busy time for writers like me with small publishers. I love to write novels, but after that I have promotional work to do, and that can be fun, but it can also take a great deal of time. Here are the many items on my “to do” list:
Promotional Items
I have promotional items printed at wonderful Kellogg Printing: first, bookmarks, and then postcards and business cards. This time I get to order two bookmarks: one for the book coming out and a separate one with the entire series, including the new cover for book three, coming out May, 2017.
My next stop is at Lori A. Seals Boutique and Photography. She is the creative person who does my graphic art projects. She designed a beautiful photo for my upcoming book, and I had her transfer it to a large poster to use at book signings. She is amazing!
Next, I’ll make flyers for events and deliver them to various locations.
Blog Posts and Interviews
Then, I have lots and lots of blog posts to write. Social media is a must for writers, and I will do significant tweeting, face-booking, Pinterest posting, and emailing. Here are some of the topics and places my guest blogs or interviews will be appearing online. I’ve added the addresses of the websites if you simply click on them:
I’ll be doing an interview on November 11 at a website called Mysteristas.
A post about my book and the series will go up in November at M. K. Graff’s website, Auntie M. Writes.
E.B. Davis will interview me at Writers Who Kill on November 9.
I’ll do a guest post with Suzanne Adair for Relevant History on November 15 about the history of domestic violence/abuse.
“A Day in the Life” follows Grace Kimball during one day at Dru’s Book Musings on November 19.
I’ll be guest posting on Femmes Fatales on November 15 about Grace Kimball and TJ Sweeney.
November 26, I’m guest posting on Jungle Red Writers with a funny story about the house that is the setting of Marry in Haste.
On November 28, Marry in Haste will be featured on Judy Penz Sheluk’s “New Release Monday” on her “One Writer’s Journey” blogsite.
The following day, I’m interviewed by James M. Jackson on his blog,“My Two Cents Worth before Inflation .”
On January 9, 2017, I’ll do an interview with Debra H. Goldstein.
I hope that gives you some sense of the work that goes on behind the scenes. But wait. I have more.
A Variety of Projects before Events Begin
Before November 16, I’ll write a newsletter and give away a couple more Advance Reader Copies to readers of my newsletter. You can sign up at my website, www.susanvankirk.com, and click on the newsletter tab to sign up. Don’t worry. My newsletter only comes out about four times a year. I won’t bother you in between.
Deliver copies of books for sale to the Monmouth College Book Store, the Knox College Bookstore, Buchanan Center for the Arts, OSF Family Medical Center Gift Store, Maude Specklebelly’s Gift Shop, Stone Alley Books, and the Warren County Historical Museum Gift Shop. This should answer the question, locally, for “Where can I find your books?”
Set up two book giveaways at the GoodReads website here. If you’re a member of Goodreads, I’ll give away ten Advance Reader Copies of Marry in Haste. The first giveaway runs from October 22 to November 5. The second will run shortly after that. Then I’ll have to package and mail copies to the winners chosen by GoodReads. Some may go overseas.
I have to send my book information to Mystery Writers of America, the Midwest Chapter of MWA, Sisters in Crime, and the website of the subgroup of SinC–the Guppies Group.
I need to set up articles for two local newspapers and a radio interview.
I’ll be writing an article about 402 West Broadway, the setting of Marry in Haste, for Jeff Rankin’s history column in the Review Atlas.
I will buy two baskets and various objects to fill them for the event, A Taste of the Arts: A Night in Paris, at the Buchanan Center for the Arts. We’ll be auctioning off names for my May release.
Scheduled Events
[The dates and times for these are on the Events Page at www.susanvankirk.com]
November 4 is the day I speak with Professor Tom Best’s class at Monmouth College. Thank goodness it is at 11:00 a.m. since I am no longer an early morning person. This talk will be about how I began writing books and where I get my inspiration.
November 12 Taste of the Arts at the Buchanan Center will be auctioning off two character names for my last Endurance mystery, Death Takes No Bribes. It will be a live auction and will raise money for arts programs in the area. I love to do this!
November 16 The official launch day for Marry in Haste. I may take a nap.
December 10 Buchanan Center for the Arts… Talk and Book Signing
December 13 Warren County Public Library and AAUW will sponsor a book talk and signing at the library
December 16 Book Signing in the afternoon at Security Savings Bank. (You may laugh, but this is the place to find people in a small town on a Friday afternoon!)
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Jim Jacobs
December 17 Book Talk and Signing with Jim Jacobs, author of No Ordinary Season, at the Galesburg Public Library
December 19 Return engagement at the Galesburg Public Library for Jim and me.
Other events will be added to this list as time goes by. If you’re in a book club and would like me to come talk and sign books, I’ll be glad to as long as you’re in the area. Outside the area, I can Skype. All of these events are up on my website under the Events tab, and as I add more, they will be on that Events page too.
So if you are looking for me between now and Christmas, you’re likely to find me on the go doing these various jobs, or in one of these locations signing books. Hope to see you at one of my book signings.
You have an exciting couple of months ahead of you. I wish you all my “best” thoughts over this period of time. I am especially thrilled to have you visiting my ILA class to talk about writing fiction. Good .luck!
Thank you so much, Tom. I’m looking forward to it. As you can see, you’re on my list.
Exciting times ahead! Best of luck, Susan 🙂
Thanks so much, Joanne. And hoping for continuing success for you and your writing!
This is genius, as my book comes out from Five Star two months after yours, and I don’t really have a plan. Yet. Just bits of paper and sticky notes. But your schedule of events and posts is a perfect to-do list for me. Hope you don’t mind if I print it out for inspiration!
Don’t mind at all. However, this is mostly local events. You might want to branch out more. I can see that you started writing several years ago. Wow. I should be following you! I am always amazed at how many southern writers I see in the mystery genre. Is it something genetic in the South, or is it just a coincidence! (-:
Susan, you are a combination of the Energizer Bunny and Agatha Christie: You never stop and you write can’t-put-it-down mysteries with unforgettable protagonists–Grace Kimball and TJ Sweeney. Certainly, it wasn’t necessary to mention me in your post, but since you did, let me publicly testify to what a help you have been to every facet of my journey as a writer–writing process and promotion. For all those aspiring writers out there—LISTEN TO THIS WOMAN!
I need to get my children to read that last line. Thanks for the kind words. And I did mention you because we will be doing some book signings together! Thanks.