The official publication of A Cure for Night is only a few days away. Since a novel's publication date generally doesn't have the same sort of weight as the release date for a movie or CD (unless the book in question is by J.K. Rowling), the official date doesn't mean that much (in fact, someone just e-mailed me a moment ago with a sighting of the book on a bookstore shelf).
Although newspapers often re-arrange their schedules at the last minute, I'm tentatively expecting one major paper to review the book on Sunday, another on Monday (and no, I don't know what they're going to say). So although the book isn't "published" until Tuesday, I'm personally designating Sunday as the day I transition from unpublished to published novelist.
How do I feel as I near the end of the countdown? Excited, nervous, scared -- as you'd expect. Uncertain, too. So many books vanish without a trace, and nobody knows what gets you to where that won't happen. Reviews are very important, obviously, but even well-reviewed novels don't necessarily make a dent. I'm not expecting the book to be a runaway best seller, but I obviously do hope it reaches readers.
Waiting on the reviews is the most stressful part. While the early reviews have been very good, none of them have been in publications with the sort of circulation of those coming down the pike. I feel very vulnerable and exposed at the prospect of being reviewed, but also lucky and excited. It's a stress I wouldn't trade for anything.
Best of luck, Justin! I'm currently reading an ARC of the book, and I must say the prologue and first chapter are first rate. Hopefully, the rest of the novel will measure up to the strong beginning.
Posted by: Thriller Lover | August 30, 2008 at 11:53 PM