Publishing is like....

Well, last month I was bemoaning the delay on my cover art for A Curse of Ash and Iron.  The week after that post, I got the call that Strange Chemistry, the imprint that was going to publish the book, was being cut. 

My contract was canceled, effective immediately, and my rights were returned to me.

No book. Just like that. It happens.  Things like this always seem to happen to ME, though. I mean, I thought back over my career, and I'm like a walking cliche of every publishing nightmare that can happen. I've had editors who left in the middle of a book. I've had series canceled mid-series because the publisher decided to no longer publish that kind of book (though I was able to find a new publisher for the rest of the books, which was good). I've had my troubles with agents. And now I've had a book orphaned by the publisher closing. And you know what?

I'm okay. I mean, I was upset at first. Really, really upset. Mostly because I had spent some money in order to promote the book last Spring. But that's okay-- I had fun doing it, and it wasn't that much. I had also booked a trip to the MidWest to sign ARCs at a convention, two weeks after the publisher closed. Which ended up being really fun, and a nice vacation for my family too. We made the best of it. I had a ball at that convention, promoted other books, and hopefully made some new fans in a new place. And I got some new ideas for video blogs. I had begun to plan the launch party, but fortunately hadn't solidified those yet.

It could have ended up much worse, in the end. I have a completely edited manuscript that is just waiting for a new publisher. While I was promoting it pre-publication, the book got some following on Goodreads. When the publisher made the announcement, there was an outpouring of support for the authors and their books. When a new publisher comes along, I'll make sure those people know that the book is still alive.

It is what it is, as they say.

Meanwhile, I also had an extremely awesome time at the annual NJ SCBWI conference. I gave two workshops on query letters, which I hope were helpful. I met some new friends, hung out with old ones. I sat in on an excellent workshop by children's author Katie Davis (who is the BOMB) about how to EXPLODE my writing career with video. I already love using video, but it was a great workshop on how I could be using it in different ways, with some cool new resources for me to try. I came home and started playing around with Movie Maker, and I'm going to spend some of my summer playing with these new toys. I even made a new book trailer for A Curse of Ash and Iron to use when we re-sell the book.

And my agent already has it out on submission again, so no worries.

I am making movies and video blogging a lot more. I'm also working on a Welcome video for my website. I even have my own YouTube channel: Christine Norris's YouTube Channel, which I've had for awhile but was only using it as a space to put videos before they went on my blog. Now I need to make a video to get subscribers. I'm having a blast, and working on more books, and in general...Moving On!

Publishing is a weird business, and sometimes you've just got to go with the flow.

Moving along...

So it'a been a month since the big announcement about A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON. Now that the confetti has all been swept away and the balloons deflated, I'm in that limbo between acceptance and publication. Waiting for edits, waiting for a cover. Hurry up and wait. And also, do a whole bunch of stuff.

What am I doing now? Let's see, lining up appearances, getting things in order for when I DO have the cover (so that I can make promo stuff), and just basic pre-promotional craziness. Trying to line up a venue for the LAUNCH PARTY. I'm SO having one. A big one. With cake. And possibly glitter.

There's all this STUFF that has to be done, most of it through emails and twitter. Things I do know will happen is that the book will be on NetGalley. It will have a Goodreads giveaway. In addition to my regular yearly appearances, in July I AM going to CONvergence, a four day SF/F convention in Bloomington, MN, so that I can sign ARCs and meet more Strange Chemistry authors. I have never traveled so far for a con, but I've never had a publisher who would have ARC's for me to sign either.

I am also going to be at the Steampunk World's Fair in Piscataway, NJ, handing out promotional stuff. Exciting!

What's left? Making video blogs, and arranging blog tours and interviews, and all that other stuff. And working on the next book, of course.

I've done all this before, but this time it's different because this publisher is really bigger than any of the others I've worked with. They're not HUGE, but they have a marketing person (who I've met, he's awesome), and a publicity person whose job it is to see the book and I get as much exposure as possible. The publisher has over 1,000 people subscribed to their newsletter. They use Random House to sell and distribute their books (and they can put books on store shelves). They will be sending the book to the BIG reviewers. No guarantees but at least it will get there.

I feel so much less stressed this time around. I'm still working my butt off, and will continue to do so. I mean, there's no BEA this year, no ALA booth. The publisher isn't doing those yet. But they're big enough that I feel I am on the path to something great. Oh, and this novel sale also qualifies me for PAL membership in SCBWI and SFWA. Which may not mean a lot to most of you, but it means LOADS to me.

Meanwhile, the book is up for pre-order on Amazon, and people have ALREADY bought it. Squee!!!

We interrupt your regular blog for this MAJOR announcment

Yes, normally this is Kim Baccellia's day to blog. She has graciously offered to switch days with me so that I can make my HUGE announcement.

I can hardly believe it's true myself, actually, but I've known about it for two months, I just haven't been able to say ANYTHING about it until today. I've been squeeing about since Thanksgiving, and NOW I can FINALLY tell everyone!!

I sold a manuscript. Well, not ME, but my AWESOME agent, Jordy Albert. SHE sold it to....

Strange Chemistry Books!!!

This is AMAZING to me. This is by far the biggest deal of my whole career. First of all, this is an advance paying, agent-only (except during open door periods) publisher. Second, they are putting the book out in ebook, print, and audio. I'm SUPER excited about the audio book. Third, they are based in the UK, so the book will be out in the US, UK, and Australia (I believe) ALL at the same time.

They are distributed in the US by Random House, so this is my VERY best chance at having bookstore placement!!!

I cannot even begin to tell you how very excited I am about this. Oh, wait, I guess you want to know about the book, huh? This is the Steampunk Fairy-Tale Retelling/Historical Fantasy that I've been trying to sell for YEARS, I think. It's had a LONG journey. It used to be called Smoke & Mirrors, but for some very good reasons we had to find a new title. And I think I like the new one even better.

A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON.

Isn't it awesome?? So NOW, I can announce that A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON will be released by Strange Chemistry Books in JULY 2014.

JULY!!
Maybe I might turn into a YA Author You've Heard Of after all :)

PARTY TIME!!!!