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Blogs by Laura Spinella
Transaction Complete
2/12/2011 5:45:39 PM
This is a repost of the blog that recently ran on my site. Enjoy here if you didn't get there. Of course, photos are included there!
So far, I can’t complain about publication. BEAUTIFUL DISASTER debuted without a glitch, which is to say that Penguin Group did not call at the 11th hour, suffering a last minute change of heart, and leaving me at the altar. On debut day, I planned nothing more than chatting with Facebook friends who’d been gracious enough to indulge this adventure. Around noon, however, someone suggested I head over to my local Barnes & Noble and sign the stock copies. That led to a flash of panic. What if they didn’t get any in? It surely would have pricked my publication day balloon. Much to my relief, copies were on the shelf. An amiable clerk trotted them over, and I happily signed each one. Later that day, unbeknownst to me, my daughter stopped by the same Barnes & Noble. (She’d made a point of this gesture, wanting to purchase her copy off the shelf) Bounding through the door at home, she gushed, “Look, Mom! How’d they do that, get your signature on the inside?” Luckily, she’s a rather pretty girl.
Since Tuesday, I’ve been hashing out a new balancing act, trying to blend the book’s publication into the routine that dictates a regular day around here. Because I have trouble doing anything in moderation—I’m a jump-off-the-cliff kind of gal—my first inclination was denial. With the exception of debut day, I would go about my business as if published author sat next to peanut butter on the shelf. Who cares as long as there’s some in the house, right? I did okay until a few unexpected emails arrived. Emails from people I do not know. A woman from Illinois, and then one in Florida, and a lady from somewhere in Ohio wrote to say that they’d read BEAUTIFUL DISASTER and that they loved it. It caught me off guard, totally derailing my denial. Picture hands pressed against flushed cheeks, eyes like moon pies. I am awed by the idea of someone taking time from their day to compliment my book. Even with publication at hand, I didn’t fully envision copies of BEAUTIFUL DISASTER beyond my dining room table—or the comfort zone of my control. Of course, I realize that these much appreciated notes do not a bestseller make. But after six years of rewrites and revisions, these readers plunked down their fifteen bucks and felt satisfied enough to tell me they got their money’s worth. You can’t ask for more than that, transaction complete. Oh, there will be detractors; no one escapes this line of work without biting into sour apples. On the other hand, I’m no longer alone in the room. Mia, Flynn, and I have welcome company, and I am more than happy to let the book beat the drum of appeal.
Borders bookstore in Mansfield, Massachusetts was kind enough to host my first book signing. Again, tough to go about your everyday business knowing your “book signing” is at two. Eventually, I’m sure it will all even out. Until then, it will be difficult to align this activity with cat litter that needs changing, and wondering if Grant finished his math homework. Regarding the signing, I anticipated D-Day, “See you on the beach…” nerves, maybe a double dose of Xanax to get me through. A few blogs ago, I noted the madness of the concept: You want to take a person who spends an inordinate amount of time with make-believe people, and, on cue, require them to be socially engaged. Proves what I know. It was easier than I thought, and a great deal of fun. A book club from a neighboring town was first in line, telling me that they’d like BEAUTIFUL DISASTER to be their March pick. Oh, gosh, that wasn’t so bad. Thank you to Booktini Book Club; you made my day! I look forward to chatting with you about BEAUTIFUL DISASTER. It went on from there, confirming that hometown turf is a great place to start. Along with strangers, whose acquaintance I was glad to make, were familiar faces, many friends who’d supported this effort since the word “sold,” left my mouth, if not before. My next stop takes me to the University of Georgia in Athens; home to the book’s setting. Maybe that will provide the necessary, on cue, comfort. But in case it doesn’t, what do you suppose the odds are of making friends with 35,000 Dawgs by 1 p.m. on January 24th?
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More Blogs by Laura Spinella
• Home Field Advantage - Thursday, February 17, 2011
• Transaction Complete - Saturday, February 12, 2011
• We Are Go For Launch - Wednesday, February 09, 2011
• And This Happened Where? - Wednesday, January 12, 2011
• December Perspectives - Wednesday, December 22, 2010
• The Show Must Go On - Tuesday, December 07, 2010
• A Drum Roll, Please... - Friday, November 26, 2010
• One Author's Eye Candy - Wednesday, November 17, 2010
• The Witchcraft of Writing - Wednesday, November 03, 2010
• The Eureka of Cumulative Research - Thursday, October 14, 2010
• There's Something Odd About Us - Monday, September 20, 2010
• Summer Whine - Saturday, September 11, 2010
• This has Nothing to do with Pitbulls - Thursday, July 29, 2010
• Artistry & Bad Brakes - Monday, July 19, 2010
• Pack Up Your Troubles and Just Get Happy - Friday, July 09, 2010
• Character Analysis 101 - Sunday, June 27, 2010
• Ticket to Travel - Thursday, June 17, 2010
• Bound for Publication - Monday, June 07, 2010
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