By Lisa Malice, Ph.D.
Hooray! Today, as I finish up this blog post, I’m celebrating the first
birthday of my debut novel, LEST SHE FORGET, and the release of its paperback
edition. This post, therefore, is a brief reflection on my debut journey, more
than a year and half of both highs and lows, twists and turns, a ride I for
which I was not really prepared.
For me, the
rollercoaster pulled out of the station in May 2023, when the editing process
for LEST SHE FORGET was finished and ARC-ready for review. I was on pins and
needles awaiting the verdict on my book from authors whose work I admired,
including NY Times and internationally bestselling writers, award-winning
writing instructors, and good friends I’d met along the way in my writing
journey.
The first high hit
with those blurbs, words and phrases of praise that I’d only dreamed of – tense
and twisty debut, gripping thriller, unique tale of intrigue, a chilling novel
of psychological suspense. I started to think that maybe my book could
really sell, maybe make the big time despite my publisher and I being unknown
to the reading public.
Encouraged, I posted
my ARC to GoodReads and plopped down some money for reviews thinking
surely readers would love LEST SHE FORGET, too. And while most of the reviews
were positive, earning 4 or 5 stars, I also received my first 1 and 2-star reviews,
sending my spirits plummeting. Friends reassured me that poor reviews are par for
the course with GoodReads, that even the biggest names in the business got
their share of awful reviews, so I simply stopped paying for reviews and waited
for readers to find me.
Over the course of
the next eight months, with my December 12 launch date always in my sights, I
was caught up in a whirlwind of marketing and promotional activity that had me enjoying
the ride, others not so much. My spirits soared with starred reviews from Library
Journal, another from an award-winning crime fiction critic, along with numerous
Bookstagrammers and audiobook influencers. Even with so much praise, CamCat’s
editor-in-chief had to pump me up after a Publishers Weekly review panned
my tale. She said I can’t please everyone, so I put the review behind me and
pressed on.
I enjoyed my first
appearances as a soon-to-be published author via podcast interviews, panel
discussions, and webinars. I penned guest blog posts and written interviews. I signed
ARCs for eager readers attending a national conference for school librarians. A
chance meetup at a YA conference with Fox TV anchor Linda Hurtado Bond, an
author I covered for ITW’s THE BIG THRILL magazine, led to an offer to
appear on her local interest segment, Tampa Bay Reads, on my launch day.
Even so, there
were frustrations. I struggled to line up bookstores to handle book sales during
my neighborhood launch party and host me for post-release signings. Store managers
claimed it was too difficult to host events during the December holiday rush or
left me hanging. I thought another issue was at play—perhaps an unwillingness
to order books from an unknown author with an equally unknown publisher. How
was I to sell books if I couldn’t meet the reading public in person where they
shopped? I found two small independent bookstores willing to give me a
chance, but only if I placed the books on consignment—suggesting that the issue
at play was, indeed, managers’ risk aversion to plunk down money and shelf
space for an author with no track record of sales.
This twist required
me to turn and focus on internet sales. When LEST SHE FORGET released on
December 12, I was ready with a social media advertising blitz. My friends,
family, and writers network posted ads I created to promote my debut novel
drawing on blurbs extolling the brilliance of my work, leaving me hopeful my
book would rocket up the rankings. My TV appearance on Tampa Bay Reads
that day was exciting, but I was too nervous to enjoy it. By the end of the
day, I saw the fruit of my efforts—LEST SHE FORGET hit the Amazon “Bestselling
New Psychological Thrillers” list at 97! It remained on the Top 100 list for
that first month, topping out at 37 as a new domestic thriller.
My first quarter
royalty report was exciting, showing strong sales with eBook and audiobook, but
disappointing to see so many hard copy books returned from the stores. This
latter result would seem to affirm my theory about bookstores being risk averse
to unknown debut authors.
Over the course of
the next year, I had ups and downs, which I know now is par for the course. The
biggest thrill was being honored by the Independent Book Publishers as the BEST
NEW VOICE in fiction. Being left out of the nominees for more prestigious
awards was a bummer. (I learned too late that my novel wasn’t even considered
for the Edgars as I hadn’t properly updated my MWA membership status as an author published by an MWA-approved publisher. Meeting
up with author friends both old and new as part of a podcast or a conference
panel was fun and engrossing, even if the online or live audience was limited.
My first
conferences as a published author a big deal for me this year, owing to the
celebratory atmosphere, the opportunities to share the stage with my cohort of
debut authors, and fun panel topics. The biggest kick was meeting readers at
Bouchercon and signing copies of their books.
My road map for
the last three months of the year included international travel, book events, and finishing the first
draft of my second thriller, but that plan hit a bad curve named Hurricane Helene. My house was flooded, requiring extensive demolition and reconstruction.
(We’ve made great progress owing to a quick insurance settlement, a top-notch
general contractor, and a husband who is very handy—all that’s left is kitchen
cabinets and some finishing work.) On the bright side, I get the remodeled
kitchen that I always wanted, and a few other home improvements.
Putting it all
into perspective, I have much to be thankful for with my debut experiences,
both the highs and the lows. I’ve learned over the course of my journey that we
should celebrate the thrills and not let the lows discourage us from continuing
on our journey. Instead, the trick is to see what we might perceive as a
failure as an opportunity to learn and do better next time.
What about you?
What were some of the highs of your debut author experience? What were some of
the lows, and what did you learn from it? What twists and turns did you make to
deal with difficulties and unexpected events?
Most of my debut memories are similar to yours. Some great book events, but also being snubbed by a lot of bookstores because my publisher was too small and no one know who the heck I was.
ReplyDeleteOne of the high points was being nominated for the Agatha. A low was not winning it and seeing the disappointment in my friends' faces. But shortly after that, I received an email from a woman who had bought my book for her mom to read, while going through chemo, and thanking me. Turns out the mom was in a hospital not far from me. I went there and met them both, had pictures taken with them. THAT was better than any teapot. (Although I would still like to get one someday. ;-) )
Yes. I would agree that after winning 1 amazing award, that I was disappointed with not being nominated for an award more recognizable. But I have found the most rewarding experiences are those events where I get to meet and talk with readers who loved my book. The book club meeting and lunch I did yesterday was a blast. I was told the members loved me, too!
DeleteAt the time of my debut novel, small publishers were thought by many as only slightly better than self-publishing, so lots of snubs and rhino-hide-growing opportunities. And yet, in retrospect, there were many more things I could have done better to promote the book. Kudos on your efforts and awards.
ReplyDeleteThank you for leading the way!
DeleteSounds like your hard work is paying off. I'm sure it's been exciting, and I hope more exiting things lie ahead for you. (Goodreads is rumored to have a number of trolls, so your experience there is not surprising.)
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes, I heard some not-so-good-things about Goodreads in that regard.
DeleteCongrats on all the good things that have come your way. Can't believe a year already has passed. Like Annette, my experiences are similar to yours except that my low point was when the company opted to go out of business which orphaned my first book (and the same thing happened with my second book).....
ReplyDeleteYes, I didn't mention the tragedy that befell my publisher ... she died. Such a loss. CamCat was in limbo until November, when we learned it was bought by another publisher and is continuing on as a imprint. A testament to Sue Arroyo's vision and business skills.
DeleteWhat a year! Congratulations on your success. My highs were seeing my book in bookstores and being invited to signings. I secretly felt like Sally Field! My low? Getting a panel at Boucheron and having to back out of the panel and the conference due to a back injury. I saw photos of my panel and my lonely nametag on the dais. I felt like I let everyone down.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear. Hope your back is better. I'm waiting for my face to heal from surgery. There is no pain keeping me from attending events, so I used my storytelling skills to make light of the fact that my cheek is covered with stitches. It went over well, got lots of laughs. I'll use it next week with a book club meeting and a bookstore interview to break the ice. I'll write about this next month.
DeleteWhat a thoughtful and genuine peek behind the scenes. Thank you for sharing this, Lisa, and best of luck as you continue your journey.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lori! Rooting for all of us here at WWK!
ReplyDeleteEven writing of your events, I can't imagine the emotional roller coaster you been on this year. I hope things settle down for you and you continue to grow as an author, with all the multiple faces involved.
ReplyDelete