Ah, if all the stuff that happens–and I’ve been told must happen–behind the scenes to get a book ready for a launch matched the excitement level I felt actually writing one. Not that the “coming out” process is tedious or demonstrably less fun, I’m just the type of person who prefers the writing part of the cycle more than the business.

What sort brave new world awaits a novelist after the sale? Hmm. Pitch letters. Solely for the marketing contingent, pitch letters help the publisher recognize and target different demographics. Then there’s the synopsis–probably the most grating word in the English language to a thriller writer. Also, the author bio, and the obligatory “what is the story behind the book?” I plan on recycling both the bio and the “gee you’re clever, how did you get that way” pieces forever.

All of that is the dry run for the review process holding pattern hang-glide. The marketing person wraps up all the little notes the publisher asked the writer to draft, takes a copy of the book and sends it to places like:

New York Times Book Review

American Library Association

Publisher’s Weekly

. . . and so on. In this case, the publisher secured an ace marketing person for the project, Ellen. Ellen kicks ass for a number of reasons, not the least of which is her proven track record of guiding favorable reviews from distinguished sources in a timely fashion. And you really need someone like Ellen in your corner because, well, review services are under no obligation to review any title at any time for any reason whatsoever. A book is received and it’s assigned a reviewer or it goes down the void. Even with an reviewer assignment, the publisher receives the book review, well, whenever. The receipt being as much as a year after its release.

However, the time spent hang gliding over a volcano pays off, because once a single service says something nice about a writer that golden phrase can forever more adorn the book jacket.

Sweet.

After a few rescheduled sessions, the actor reading The Last Track for the podcast series had some free time for a run through of a few scenes Monday night. Good Christ, I liked him before, but now I want to marry him.

Here were the directions provided to him: “Take 25 pages. I’ll see you in three weeks.”

The time between meetings passed without any interference. Honestly, even I had been so inclined, I couldn’t have gotten involved.  At this point, the part of the day not spent at work, commuting, or writing, is reserved for freaking out about the reviews which will be coming back over the next two months. The machinations and politics of the review process makes for a whole other post, actually. Maybe a series of articles.

Anyway, working with only those 25 pages, the actor not only came up with a kick-ass approach for narration, which I approved of instantly, he recognized the more subtle points of the story. He struck a balance between acting and delivering–right out of the gate.

In short, he got it.

So I left him another section of the book and set up a meeting for the weekend.

Over the past few months, most of my creative energy has gone to either the million and one things that happen behind the scenes with a book release ( some of which are terribly tedious ), the day job, or writing.

Regarding the day job, I must note it absolutely could not be better, and this is largely the product of having a good boss. Should he retire, I shall miss him like a father. Here’s hoping he stays as least as long as I do. Having a superior actually deflecting bullets and lobbying on your behalf makes a huge, huge difference in job satisfaction. While the additional cost to an employer of hiring competent bosses is roughly nothing over their salary, the benefit to morale and productivity is enormous. And an extra pair of eyes and hands in the tech office helps a great deal, too. So thanks, Allan.

About those points of tedium. In the past week ( at the publisher’s request ) wrote an author bio, a positioning statement, a why-did-you-write-the-book-narrative. Unexpectedly the publisher made very few changes, though it ranked high on the excruciating scale from my standpoint. At this point, just want the book available and time for more writing.

On the very cool front, Ellen will hand deliver fresh review copies to two big figures in the mystery world–both writers I had a remote chance of reaching otherwise. Also an excellent author contacted as a very long shot agreed to read The Last Track, and the actor doing the podcast mentioned an author of note in the sci-fi thriller world ( who oddly enough turns out to be a long time family friend of his ) would probably be receptive to the project. Add in that Ellen has a good relationship with the major review services means there is a real chance at some coverage in the big outlets.

Which will be sweet.

Of the authors contacted directly about the possibility of reading The Last Track and providing a small blurb, all have demonstrated nothing less than a professional, gracious and willing attitude to consider a project from an unknown. It’s the unknown part that makes for a real hurdle in my mind. Clearly their response reflects their integrity more than my charm or ability.

Back in January when the Poet graduated with her MFA in Poetry, I spent time with her class as they wrestled with their final seminars and collections as students.  And one thing was exceptional about this tourney with some very gifted minds: the spirit of camaraderie among her classmates. If one poet heard about a contest or new magazine accepting submissions, they let the others know. An adversarial spirit is quite lonely in the poetry world.

Until very recently, I considered novelists less sanguine than poets when it came to their colleagues. Consider the contrast in the following exchanges. When a more successful poet comes up in conversation among her peers, a poet will often say, “Yeah did you read X’s piece in Y? I was impressed. It was good, check it out.” Ask a less successful fiction writer about one they perceive as more “fortunate”, and a possible response is: “Z? Z is great. I hope he gets cancer.”

And thus the difference between a poet and a novelist. Twas that way In my mind, at least.

But based on my experience in the past week, I have to say some novelists are way, way cooler than I thought.