It’s one week until the release of Yes No Maybe, and we’ve hit some awesome milestones leading to our book launch, like reaching 100 reviews on Goodreads & making our FIRST TikToks–Yay! But it wouldn’t be a plan without something going awry. We’ve had some snafus, too.
By the way… when I say “we,” I don’t mean me and my many inner voices (though, yes, those are real). I’m talking about me and Joe, my husband and book publishing partner. He makes me a we. That sounds funny. What was I talking about again? Oh, right, Goodreads, TikTok, book snafus.
Snafus first. Clearly, receiving my book proof for Yes No Maybe from Amazon this week revealed a strange misprint—an upside-down title page that Amazon quickly called a “printing error.” It made for a fun book-reveal video, though (coming soon). They fast-tracked me a new proof that was perfect. So, alls well that ends well in Amazonia. Since things always move slower in IngramSpark land, which distributes my print book everywhere else, I haven’t gotten that proof yet. Fingers crossed, the print book will be available everywhere on release day. 🤞🏻
We’ve also navigated around a fluke with ebook formatting, a problem with accessing bonus content, and, of course, a massively irritating head cold. Even as I type this, my head feels ten pounds too heavy thanks to the aching pressure in my sinuses–my eyeballs might just pop from their sockets for the phlegm backing up behind them 👀🤒(there’s some fun imagery for you). That’s all proof (ha, book pun) that the best-laid plans do go awry, and it wouldn’t be life without, well, a little life thrown in. Right?
All that said… IT’S BEEN AN AMAZING WEEK! 🤩💃🏻 🥂
To put that in Goodreads-perspective, my first book, Sea-Devil, published (properly) in 2015, has 171 ratings (4.11 average stars), and One Thing Better, published in October of last year, has 126 ratings (4.29 average stars). So, having 100+ ratings a week before release day is awesome! Subscribers can read both of those books for free, by the way, and it’s never too late to leave a Goodreads review or add Yes No Maybe to your Want to Read list.
Speaking of where all the cool, bookish people are, Yes No Maybe has debuted on TikTok thanks to some awesome book reviews! Check out Hannah Vanessa–she’s in love with Jack Graham as much as I am (almost); Lauren–an NC girl, like me; and Leyla’s Library–she made me tear up. 💚 🥹 🩷Thanks for BookTokking me (is that what it’s called?).
All this TikTok love inspired us to post our own TikToks this week (finally). We did it! I’m absolutely positive that in a year or so (or maybe in a few days or hours), we’ll look back on our first TikToks and chuckle over how bad they are. But, hey! Gotta start somewhere. And for now, I love our attempts. Let me know what you think.
I’d also love to hear your TikTok ideas/advice. I’d like to think I have a creative brain, but making short video content stretches my imagination in slightly painful ways. Of course, that could be my migraine talking.
Other amazing news this week:
🐋 Scientists successfully communicated with a (probably confused) humpback whale named Twain. This makes me hopeful for a future when we can all talk to animals. (Then, we’ll discover they’re much wiser than we are, and they’ll ultimately take over the world.)
🐭 If animals could communicate with us, I wonder what these mice would say about this. A British man has built a Shire-esque mouse kingdom in his backyard–his way of battling his depression and saving the mice from predators. I think they’d say, “Thanks, dude. We love what you’ve done to the place.”
Is it weird that his mouse village resembles my head when I imagine stories? That’s not the migraine talking.
Final amazing news: IT’S ONE WEEK UNTIL RELEASE DAY!
I’m so excited for Rowan, Jack, and us (Joe and me)! 7 days until my 7th book!
So, leading into this final countdown and amid life’s inevitable snafus (like insufferable headaches), I thought it fitting to share some advice from Rowan’s mom, Christine, who sagely advised, “One thing at a time.” Upon remembering her mom’s words, Rowan thinks, “I realize I always have a million things to do… and they’ll all get done regardless of tea breaks.”
Wishing you tea breaks, good books, & zero headaches,
Jessica
