A thing that happens a lot with debut authors is that early copies of their book get sent to established authors who might be willing and able to help said author along with a bit of publicity by saying something nice about it (clearly only if they liked it, though - 'favour blurbing' happens, I'm sure, but I'm also sure that it's much less often than the cynics think).
And thus it is with Fearsome Dreamer.
I'm not going to say who it's been sent to, but I am going to say that one of those exceedingly kind and very busy people took the time to read it and send me this incredible quote:
'Fearsome Dreamer is truly a dream of a book. It grips and doesn't let go. Laure Eve's imagination is dazzling, and she is clearly here to stay. In this book is one of the most seductive and exciting fantasy worlds I've encountered, helped further by a brilliant and feisty and - yes - fearsome heroine in the form of Rue. I devoured it.'
That person is Matt Haig, and he is wonderful.
Someone who writes (bloody well) for a living likes it. I'm taking the proverbial snapshot of this moment to keep forever and bring out whenever I get a one star review (I'm not being cynical, just practical. Odds are it will happen. It has happened to pretty much every writer ever). It will be like having a hot water bottle on a cold and rainy evening. In your face, one star! Matt freaking Haig likes it, so you're WRONG WRONGITY WRONG.
... Well, as wrong as someone can be when writing a subjective review.
SHUT UP, LAURE. OWN YOUR AWESOMENESS.
Yes, but even To Kill a Mockingbird has one star reviews. To Kill a Mockingbird, for christ's sake. One man's crap is another man's gold.
IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU ARE ALL POWERFUL. YOU ARE BRILLIANT.
Well... look, I like my book. Quite a lot. Some other people who took me on as a client and bought it as an editor liked it too. But... you know... not everyone will. These are the stone cold hard facts of life, sweetie. Best to brace yourself as early on as you can.
BUT-
Seriously. Just get on board.
BUT I'M MAGNIFICENT.
No, you're not.
OH ALRIGHT.
-----------------------
Just a quick peek into a writer's mind, there. By the way, this back and forth two voice conversation goes on all the time. ('This book is crap and I hate myself forever and all time.' / 'This book is brilliant and I'm a fucking genius.')
You get used to it.
Author Allsorts et moi
Author Allsorts are a blogging, tweeting, networking, advice giving, friendly, achingly talented bunch of children's writers and illustrators, from picture book to YA. You need to follow them - they get guest posts on from literary agents, they talk about their writing process from start to finish, and by gum they will introduce you to all sorts of kick-arse books.
If you were ever thinking of trying to make this kind of life your life, or even if you just love people talking about brilliant books and showcasing their passion for writing and illustrating, you need to start with these guys.
And I'm a part of them! I'm totally into this. It's a brilliant thing to contribute to.
Find out more about us by visiting the site here.
The Dream Collective: a dark place with hands and flying
Here's where I explain why I'm doing this.
Tweet me your dream: @LaureEve
Email me your dream: laureevewriterATgmail.com
Post your dream on my Facebook page: LaureEveAuthor
RECENT DREAMS:
The pitch black room
This was a murky one. There were several rooms... levels.... worlds. There was one that was pitch black, and I had to cross it with someone else.
It was so dark I couldn't even see the dark - that absolute black that makes your eyes go wider than they've ever done, a physical reaction you cannot control.
I was edging across the room, and I just knew there were hands. They were behind me, following me, inches from my shoulderblades and neck. Hands, everywhere.
Ick.
The flying dream
This is one of my favourite recurring dreams - conscious, lucid flying. No wings or anything, just you, floating around in the air, figuring out how to steer, how to raise yourself from the ground. It's amazing. My favourite thing in these dreams is to launch myself from the tops of trees or lamp-posts. You're in almost complete control, and you can go anywhere.
Well, almost anywhere - a peculiarity of my flying dreams is that the place I'm in, even if it's outside and I'm high up in the sky, usually involves me coming across a dome or barrier of some sort, preventing me from going too high. I'm not sure what that represents... my own limitations, maybe? :)
This is one of my favourite recurring dreams - conscious, lucid flying. No wings or anything, just you, floating around in the air, figuring out how to steer, how to raise yourself from the ground. It's amazing. My favourite thing in these dreams is to launch myself from the tops of trees or lamp-posts. You're in almost complete control, and you can go anywhere.
Well, almost anywhere - a peculiarity of my flying dreams is that the place I'm in, even if it's outside and I'm high up in the sky, usually involves me coming across a dome or barrier of some sort, preventing me from going too high. I'm not sure what that represents... my own limitations, maybe? :)
Final ever [no this time I mean it] cover reveal! Will dance for pre-orders
So it's on Amazon, Waterstones, and any other e-tailer one cares to mention. And so am I.
And oh yes, you haven't seen this, have you? The final ever cover! Here's a larger version:
Hello, pretty. They've changed the design of my name and texturised it with a bit of what looks like circuitry, hinting at the futuristic elements of World in the book (don't know what I'm talking about? You should prolly like buy it and read it or something).
And now comes the odd, uncomfortable territory of marketing one's self. Because people can actually spend money on it from now on. They can p r e - o r d e r it.
Everyone has their own breaking point of ho-age. There are essays, reams of blog posts on this very topic - how much self-ho is too much self-ho?
Unfortunately, I think this is a bit of trial and error. If you find yourself losing followers or interest with your pimping, dial it back. But there's nothing wrong with shouting about your book. Just do it in a normal way, not a robotic way. Be interesting and engaging; be you, in essence. Talk about whatever you want to talk about, as well as talking about your book. Don't be false. Be honest. Be "hey, I have a book coming out and you might like it", not "speaking of hot new literary talent, *nervous bray of laughter*".
People follow you because they find you interesting enough to do so - did you 'sell yourself' to them to get them to follow you? Chances are you struck up a conversation, or they found you through other like-minded people. Don't push at people; give them a chance to find their way to you. Being clear about what you are and what you have to offer (i.e. a damn fine book) is a good thing. Gimmicks don't work. Sales pitches don't work. These are consumers, not business people. They want stuff that they come across themselves, just like they came across you themselves (gently helped by whatever mechanism you like - recommends, reviews, lists, mentions, other people talking about you).
Trust that your book will also find that audience offline.
Now pray excuse me while I go make a dance video for pre-orders.
And now comes the odd, uncomfortable territory of marketing one's self. Because people can actually spend money on it from now on. They can p r e - o r d e r it.
Everyone has their own breaking point of ho-age. There are essays, reams of blog posts on this very topic - how much self-ho is too much self-ho?
Unfortunately, I think this is a bit of trial and error. If you find yourself losing followers or interest with your pimping, dial it back. But there's nothing wrong with shouting about your book. Just do it in a normal way, not a robotic way. Be interesting and engaging; be you, in essence. Talk about whatever you want to talk about, as well as talking about your book. Don't be false. Be honest. Be "hey, I have a book coming out and you might like it", not "speaking of hot new literary talent, *nervous bray of laughter*".
People follow you because they find you interesting enough to do so - did you 'sell yourself' to them to get them to follow you? Chances are you struck up a conversation, or they found you through other like-minded people. Don't push at people; give them a chance to find their way to you. Being clear about what you are and what you have to offer (i.e. a damn fine book) is a good thing. Gimmicks don't work. Sales pitches don't work. These are consumers, not business people. They want stuff that they come across themselves, just like they came across you themselves (gently helped by whatever mechanism you like - recommends, reviews, lists, mentions, other people talking about you).
Trust that your book will also find that audience offline.
Now pray excuse me while I go make a dance video for pre-orders.
The next weird thing to happen: Goodreads
So Fearsome Dreamer is on Goodreads.
Normally this would happen automatically to your book once it got put out online - I believe Goodreads pulls info from a number of different feeds. Mine isn't online yet - but someone NOT ME manually added it. This person is awesome.
Looks like they've pulled cover and synopsis from my site as neither are the final final versions - but I will post both as soon as I have them.
And in the meantime, I've applied for the Goodreads author program.
O_o
This is weird.
Cool weird, you know. Awesome David Lynch weird, not Made in Chelsea* weird.
And you know, if you want to add Fearsome Dreamer to your to-read shelf, I will give you a puppy. Or a cupcake. You can choose. **
* I don't know why I said Made in Chelsea. I've never seen it. It was the first horrifyingly weird thing that came to mind.
** Disclaimer: no puppies are available. Cupcakes only available at the launch party.
Normally this would happen automatically to your book once it got put out online - I believe Goodreads pulls info from a number of different feeds. Mine isn't online yet - but someone NOT ME manually added it. This person is awesome.
Looks like they've pulled cover and synopsis from my site as neither are the final final versions - but I will post both as soon as I have them.
And in the meantime, I've applied for the Goodreads author program.
O_o
This is weird.
Cool weird, you know. Awesome David Lynch weird, not Made in Chelsea* weird.
And you know, if you want to add Fearsome Dreamer to your to-read shelf, I will give you a puppy. Or a cupcake. You can choose. **
* I don't know why I said Made in Chelsea. I've never seen it. It was the first horrifyingly weird thing that came to mind.
** Disclaimer: no puppies are available. Cupcakes only available at the launch party.
It's a proof. It's my proof. It's a proof of Fearsome Dreamer and it has my name on it.
Shit just got real.
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Yep, you're holding a real book in your hands. And from now on, it starts to feel less and less like playacting.
Here's the blurb on the back:
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Rue:
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White:
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Frith:
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Et voila.
The Dream Collective: dream within a dream and trying to wake yourself up from a dream
Here's where I explain why I'm doing this.
Tweet me your dream: @LaureEve
Email me your dream: laureevewriterATgmail.com
Post your dream on my Facebook page: LaureEveAuthor
RECENT DREAMS:
Dream within a dream
I was with a friend. I recall a mansion at one point. We were in a boat, and I climbed into a rubber dinghy - but it folded up around me, and seawater started pouring in.
Luckily I woke up from this realising it was a dream, and quite relieved that it was a dream and I wasn't all wet. But this was still in the dream.
So me in the dream had a dream, and then woke up from that dream, in a dream.
It was all very Inception.
Trying to wake yourself up from a dream
I've also had the one where you know you're dreaming and you don't want to anymore, so you tell yourself to wake up. And eventually you do, coming to in your bed at home and feeling relieved that you managed to do it.
And you begin to get ready for your day, and everything is business as usual, but then something off happens, or you simply realise, suddenly and with complete horror, that you're still dreaming. So you try to wake up again.
And again.
And again.
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