But it hit me yesterday that having a new book release is sort of like going out on a first date with a new guy you really like. Hear me out on this. :) And if it doesn't make sense to any of you, I blame it on the Benadryl I'm taking for these awful allergies!
Here is my theory:
First Date: When his name pops up on your phone/e-mail, your heart pounds.
Book Release: When you get the e-mail from Amazon saying they've shipped your book, your heart pounds.
First Date: You stress about what to wear. You want him to think you're good looking and interesting.
Book Release: You hope your book cover is good looking and interesting enough for people to pick it up and buy it.
First Date: You hope he finds you witty and charming.
Book Release: You hope readers find it witty and charming.
First Date: You worry about the impression you're making. You try to read his expression and body language so you can gauge how much he likes you, but men can be confusing.
Book Release. When you see that people are "currently reading" your book on Good Reads or Library Thing, you worry about the impression it's making. You try and gauge how well they like it by what page they're on. (sites like Good Reads allows readers to log what page they're on and give immediate feedback
First Date: If you had a good time, you hope he'll ask you out again.
Book Release: You hope readers had a good time with your book and that they'll read your next release.
First Date: You wonder what he'll tell his friends/family about you.
Book Release: You scour the Internet for reviews, hoping readers found something nice to say about the book you lost sleep and shed tears over.
There you have it. :) Make sense? It's like this: going on a date with a guy you like equals putting yourself out there. Likewise, when your book releases, there's no stopping it. A piece of yourself is in that book and suddenly, what was once your private, made up world, becomes public. People may bash it and say ugly things about it. And you'll have to sit by and watch. (I can already see a future post: "How break ups are like bad book reviews"...haha!)
Although Love is Monumental doesn't officially release until May 1, some online outlets have already shipped copies. (hence my initial heart pounding when I saw the "your order has shipped" e-mail)
And speaking of Love is Monumental, I'm looking for a few more influencers*. If you have a blog or website and are interested in being an influencer, please send me an e-mail. In the e-mail, please include your name (first and last) and your blog or website address. Here's the back cover copy for Love is Monumental so you can see if it looks like a book you'd be interested in being an influencer for:
Finding love has become a feat of monumental proportions for a shy park ranger.
Park ranger Vickie Harris loves living in the nation's capitol. She loves working at the Washington Monument. But she's never been in love. In fact, her personal life is non-existent. On her thirtieth birthday, shy Vickie impulsively promises her friends that she’ll ask out the next eligible man she meets.
Professor Thatcher Torrey has had enough heartache to last forever. Through with love, he’s spent years building his life around work. So when his longtime rival sets out to make a historic find, Thatcher is hot on his heels. But he can’t do the research alone. Intellectual Vickie is the perfect research partner and he'll stop at nothing to convince her to help him with his quest.
Just as these polar opposites form a bond, a secret from Thatcher’s past pulls them apart. Will they go their separate ways? Or will they come to realize that when it’s with the right person, Love is Monumental?
You can contact me by visiting my website and clicking the "contact Annalisa" tab: http://www.annalisadaughety.com/
*An influencer writes a review and posts on multiple online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.) and online book review sites (Good Reads, Library Thing, etc.). An influencer might also post a review on their personal blog or site. Word of mouth is very important, so an influencer might tell friends and family about the book if it's one they might enjoy.
