Note to Self . . .

It’s been a little hectic lately. Stuff has happened. But it was okay, I was coping, and then I got an e-mail from my writing partner asking me if I remembered we had a book out. Which I hadn’t. Well, it was a rough week. And a half. Well, actually, the whole month was kind of . . .

I forgot we had a book out.

I am not usually this cavalier. It is the paperback reprint of Don’t Look Down, the hardcover we had out last year–some of you may remember how promoting-the-book-centered we were last year–so there’s a little bit of an anti-climax to it, but still, the paperback is important, there should have been a newsletter, a beating of drums, a hey-you-go-buy-this-book-please, but in the wash of everything else . . .

I’m not as bad as Bob. He has two books out that he forgot. It’s been a rough month.

But here it is, the paperback of Don’t Look Down, which I will go out to stores tomorrow to see if I can find. And possibly move to a better rack position. Because I am not subtle. Forgetful yes, subtle, no.

DLD PB

Note to self: You have another book out June 26. Let’s get in front of that one, shall we?

68 thoughts on “Note to Self . . .

  1. Don’t like the sound of “stuff happening” — that phrase always bodes. Ominously. Clearly more Krispy Kreme sustenance is called for.

    And of course, a casual visit to my local bookstore tomorrow to make sure THE book is prominently displayed.

  2. I haven’t forgotten…the book June 26th and can confirm paperback DON’T LOOK DOWN sighting in prominent display at my local B&N here in sunny So Cal.

  3. Reading between the lines I’ll say hugs on the crappy month.
    Hmmm. Paperback may take a while to get to sunny Queensland in Oz. Must get on to Rosemary to get it in -Jenny you HAVE to call in to her store when you’re in Brisbane. She does so much for romance books and her shop is a bit like a boudoir. (?sp. too lazy to go look it up.) I had DLD on the US release date in my hot, little hand – that’s pretty damn good!!!
    Anyway, can I ask – sorry, this may seem dense. What the hell is that thing Moot is about to devour? Is it a harness?

  4. Jenny, I really hope things have improved and continue to.

    I’ll be out this weekend looking for DLD in my local Borders. I love the cover on this paperback – it’s so cheerful.

    I passed Tell Me Lies on to my mother a few weeks ago. She had surgery this morning and told me she was hunting for another of your books to take to hospital with her. Another fan. ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. My impression is that Moot has already devoured something. So the reader now wants to find out what. Or who.

    (Yes, some might insist on ‘whom’ but even a Grammar Geek such as I draws the line sometimes.)

  6. “And possibly move to a better rack position.” Excellent plan.

    Thanks for the reminder about your “other” book due out in late June. I was wondering about the release date.

  7. I forgot it was coming out, and I was delighted when I spotted it on the shelf at BN! I already have two copioes of the hardback, but I did convince Mom to buy it for my brother.

  8. Rox said: Uh, donโ€™t *you* have two books out this month? Or do you not count Coffee at Lukes?
    Oh, bad news. I just read they cancelled Gilmore Girls. The series finale is May 15.

  9. Thanks DUG for asking about the Moot bait. I thought I was the only one who didn’t get it. Now let’s wait for the answer together.

    Or did Moot already bite into it once, and it’s the shredded end of a power cable?

  10. DUG and Colognegrrl: it’s the end of the Rope Lucy and JT are swinging on.

  11. Thanks ME. I looked up the hardcover and recognized it, but there the rope is kind of tan. Guess it’s the black that got us confused.

  12. It looks like one of those jade…ummm…”art pieces”.

    Am heading to my local bookstores at lunch to face out =)

    Cheers (and ***HUGS*** for the bad month, all I have to say is “word”)

    Deb

  13. Poor baby. Maybe this month will be better?

    When I went to B&N earlier this week, they couldn’t find DLD. The computer said it was in and shelved, but no sign of it anywhere. By the time they found the unopened box, there must have been four or five employees searching the store for it. I was very nice about it, because I LOVE booksellers, but I did manage to look sad and disappointed and might even have heaved a sigh and murmured something like, “But I told Bob and Jenny I’d buy it this week.”

    The book was prominently displayed by the time I checked out. Of course, I smiled and thanked everyone for their help.

    Um, Jenny? What two books does Bob have out?

    Geez. I suppose I have to go ask him.

  14. I bought it at Wal-Mart yesterday. Yeah, I have the HC but you know, it’s like getting a whole new Crusie(and Mayer) with the different cover and all. They had it on the bottom shelf. It is now scattered throught the books section because I couldn’t believe their nerve. Probably I was caught on camera and won’t be allowed back in. It was worth it ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. You may have forgotten but that’s okay. I didn’t. I almost jumped my local librarian when I realized they had it. I’m not subtle either. I foamed at the mouth when I realized they hadn’t cleared by $60 fine and couldn’t get it. That fine is the reason i couldn’t buy it hardback. Damn library.
    But I digress. If I had to make a choice between your book and going to see Spiderman 3, it’ll be your book handsdown. Now that’s dedication.

  16. Ha – got it the day it came out. Unlike the hardback edition, which took five extra days to hit the shipping dock of my backwater Borders.

  17. I’m picking up two copies of DLD today for use in our goodie bags at the all day workshop in June. I’m a little short on new book donations so will do some “selective buying.”

  18. I love you guys.

    Coffee At Luke’s is out, too? Well, now we know what the next post will be about, don’t we? ARGH.

    I thought Bob’s was Lost Girls, but that’s not out until August. I should have asked him.

    The cord is the rope that JT and Lucy are swinging on. It should have been brown, but we’d gotten so many things changed on there already that we let the rope go.

    Off to find out the pub date on Coffee at Luke’s. I suppose I could check my website.

  19. Amazon says May 28th for Coffee at Luke’s. I’m looking forward to it. It’s probably not a good thing that the final episode of the show is 2 weeks before the book comes out, right?

  20. Jenny, the pback copy is high on the rack at the Publix Supermarket in the Florida Keys. This is a good sign! It’ll be sold out by Sunday, if not sooner, and the distributor will need to restock.

  21. Hmmm. Paperback may take a while to get to sunny Queensland in Oz. Must get on to Rosemary to get it in -Jenny you HAVE to call in to her store when youโ€™re in Brisbane. She does so much for romance books and her shop is a bit like a boudoir. (?sp. too lazy to go look it up.) I had DLD on the US release date in my hot, little hand – thatโ€™s pretty damn good!!!

    I just did a Networking panel with Rosemary at the RT Convention. From what she told us about her store and how she orders, she gets the books the same time they’re released in the U.S. so she should have it. Jenny, I’m mega-impressed with Rosemary and agree that you need to include her store on your Australia itinerary. She’s amazing.

  22. Well, since I’m actually going to BE in Brisbane, it might work out. I was only going to be in Sydney and it’s a hike, but since I’m talking to Glen’s classes at QIT, if Rosemary’s isn’t too hell and gone from there, I can probably go see her. She sounds lovely.

    It’s this trying to do Australia and New Zealand in a week that’s killing me here. I’d love to stay longer but I have this book coming out two days before I get back home. It’s about this food writer and this hit man . . .

  23. Rosemary’s is smack bang in the middle of Bris-vegas. Not sure which campus Glen lectures at, there are a few QUT’s.
    But Rosemary does great PR so if she knew you were coming….
    Yeah I know, we’re a big country and you’re going to be totally fried.
    Now I have to get on to her about Coffee at Lukes….

  24. Putting fingers in ears and singing, lalalalalala. Please stop talking about the Aussie National. I so want to go. My mother wants me to go. I’m trying to be practical, which of course does not go with my basic nature.

  25. Not to mention me. I want you to go too, roben. I might actually get to spend some quality time with you this year.
    So if talking about it helps to wear you down….
    Aussie. Aussie. Aussie. Oi. Oi. Oi.
    Or, Australians all let us rejoice.
    Or, I love a sunburnt country….
    Working?

  26. So glad to hear that the paperback is on the way, as well as Coffee at Luke’s — I actually only started watching Gilmore Girls because of its popularity on the Cherry boards (and someday when I have time, will have to watch Buffy for the same reason).

    Was there an opportunity to have DLD re-copyedited? I thought the novel itself was great, but I grabbed the hardcover the day it was released, and it seemed to have a lot of errors in it. These were distracting enough for my older sister that she went a bit “eh” and she’s normally a big fan (though not as much as I ;-). So I hope that all the new readers you’ll pull in with the paperback will get a version without that problem so they’ll just fall in love like the rest of us.

  27. I saw it out at Walgreens, so it’s definitely out there. Also, beautiful cover. I like the cover much better than the hardcover actually.It’s really eye-catching.

  28. but I have this book coming out two days before I get back home. Itโ€™s about this food writer and this hit man . . .

    You remembered !

    I think you are a bit crazy to be planning just a week in AU/NZ, especially when you factor in the flight times. We will all send good Cherry Travel Vibes to you and Krissie.

    Must go check Bob’s pub schedule. I want Lost Girls-now.

    There is a coupon in RT for $2 off DLD.

  29. Many, many copies of DLD in Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club on Wednesday — and the cover REALLY stands out.

    You wait, yellow will be the new shocking pink before you know it.

  30. Got my neighborhood bookstore sorted out. DLD front and center. Nice eye-catching colors too.

  31. My favorite bookstore had pre-ordered a copy of the PB of DLD. Picked it up today. Nice exerpt of Agnes and the Hit Man in the back.

  32. WTF? My local drug store has several copies… of Santa Baby. None of the latest works of great authors. Huh.

  33. I hope May is much, much better. Or at least easier. As for your book, I was doing some shopping yesterday and stopped by to check out the book racks. And there it was! You weren’t the only one who forgot it was out. I’ve been waiting for the paperback and know it’s all mine. I am saving it for a business trip to Australia. I’ll have 21 hours to give it my undivided attention. Thank you both.

  34. LOL DUG

    Come on Roben, you know you wanna come home! *grins*

    I am definitely coming to the RWA in August – I’m all paid up and my flights are booked! I’m incredibly excited about meeting Jenny, and hope that I will get to meet you there, DUG.

  35. Definitely be seeing you there Erica. If it’s anything like last year, I’ll be easy to spot. I’ll be the chick falling off the stage in front of everyone….
    Hopefuly the paperback of DLD will be out here then. Will have to get on to Lucy from Ever After who has the conf bookstall to make sure she has plenty of copies.

  36. Bookstall? You mean I won’t even have to leave the hotel in order to buy books?? *bliss*
    lol

    Now I just have to decide what the essential book/clothes ratio is…

    I suppose it’s not necessary to get all my Crusie books signed. Sigh.

    Oh! I got a new convert to the Crusie books this weekend! *adds mark to tally* Are we any closer to world domination yet?
    *grins*

  37. Whatever happened at the HWSW Online Workshop? Since Thursday, I suspected it was a kind of Senior Skip Day which no one bothered to tell me about, and now it’s closed completely?

    And did Bob get a box of chalk and a big board to write 100 times “I will pay more attention to the syllabus and not do the outlining topic all over again”??

  38. CG, I screwed up and closed the comments on the wrong post. THANK YOU for catching that. They’re open again now. And Bob will be reminding me of this for years.

    Both DLD and The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes are supposed to be out in Australia by the time we get there. Key word: “Supposed.”

    And thank you so much to everyone who’s buying DLD. I truly appreciate it.

  39. Jenny said … And thank you so much to everyone whoโ€™s buying DLD. I truly appreciate it.

    You’re welcome. And it’s such a hardship on our part, too.

  40. Well darn. I kind of liked being the only comment over there. Thought maybe I’d rendered everyone else speechless. [sigh]

  41. Just a little FYI for you… I went to a big-name bookstore here in Toronto and, guess what books were prominently displayed in the “staff picks” shelf? “Don’t Look Down” aaaaand “Bet Me!” International Crusie Mania!!! I cheered for you.

  42. Heh. BCB. I thought it was because we’d all misbehaved so Bob had cut us off. “Go to your rooms and stay there for four days, no blog for you!” I’ll go over again in a minute and do some stirring … um … write a really important comment on writing.

    So I did get my two copies of DLD but I can’t read them because they’re gifts, so I very carefully read the exerpt on Agnes and the Hitman that Louis had mentioned was in the back. I never even bent the spine. It was pretty darn cool and I felt all tingly doing that, kind of like reading by flashlight after lights out, but then again, those feelings could have come from the writing.

    Found a great fare to Aust. DUG and Erica. Will talk it over with the kids on Mothers Day.

  43. Oooh Roben, that does sound promising! Fingers crossed.

    The Unforunate Miss Fortunes – Right, got it. Will make sure Lucy has mucho copies of DLD, TUMF and Coffee and Lukes.

  44. Oh, I almost forgot my important question…

    Jenny, do you like TimTams?

  45. Erica – is there anyone on the planet that doesn’t like Tim Tams?
    They even have those cherry ones now. Very appropriate. But not as nice as the originals.

  46. Are Tim Tams anything like Jim Jams?
    Please elucidate for the confused non-antipodeans. (I suppose we should just be called podeans?)

  47. Not sure what Jim Jams are Mary. We often call pajamas jimjams here or jimmyjams. Or we do in Queensland anyway.
    Tim Tams are a chocolate biscuit to die for. Kind of chocolate on chocolate on chocolate with chocolate in the middle – ๐Ÿ™‚
    They’ve almost overtaken vegemite and qantas as a nation icon.

  48. I have never had Tim Tams. But I willing to take a chance and try them for the good of international relations.

    However if I like them and then can never have them again because you can’t get them in America, i’m going to be bitter. I’m just telling you now.

  49. Jim jams … kind of like heebie jeebies. But is a very old phrase you don’t hear much anymore.

    Tim Tams … well now you’ve done it. We all want some.

  50. Well, we Aussie CBs might just have to post some to you if you do like them.
    For the good of international relations, of course.

  51. I can attest that TimTams are wuuuuunderful!!! Jan D introduced me to them in Reno and she brought some just for me to Atlanta. Scrumptious chocolatey goodness!!

    Jenny, I don’t think you can get them here. You might try World Market, if you have one of those. Otherwise, I’m betting Jan and the other aussies and kiwi’s are going to hold them ransom until your next trip down under. ;-0

  52. Tim Tams are great and I can get them at the grocery store in Canada on a regular basis.

  53. Ahh, the sacrifices we make for international relations. I could find you an Aussie surf lifeguard too whilst your in QLD to try out….if you like….just to, you know….keep those international relations sweet ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Heebie jeebies, McB? As in something creepy that gives you the heebie jeebies? Or are we just talking another carb loaded biscuit? Sorry, cookie?

  54. Whew! It’s a good thing we all speak English or we’d have real trouble communicating. Yes, DUG, that creepy crawly feeling . Also sometimes known as the screaming meamies(sp?).

    But I could use a carb loaded biscuit just now.

  55. So if you get the jim jams whilst in your jimmyjams one night
    A good dose of Tim Tams will make it all right?
    You learn the durndest things on this blog ๐Ÿ™‚

  56. jimmy jam jams where i don’t jam…is it sad i don’t know if i just made that up or heard it somewhere?

  57. Particularly if they are the double choc coated kind.

    So… Do you think Bob will want some TimTams too? Is Bob still coming? I’m pretty sure there’s a coffee flavour…

Comments are closed.