Countdown to Book Launch: Three months to go!

So, here in January, it’s three months before the official launch of The Robot Scientist’s Daughter, and I keep thinking of things I should be doing/need to be doing/didn’t get to do last week because of the dental emergency stuff. This is my fourth book, so you’d think I’d have this all down, but as you know, things change from year to year and day to day. So the way you have to prepare for a book launch each time is different. E-galleys, for instance, are new this time around—even Publisher’s Weekly takes them now. Another new thing I’m trying is that I’ve put my PR release as a PDF on my book page here.

I’m taking you with me on this journey of things to do at three months, in case some of this might be of interest to those of you launching books in the near future:

• First, I checked in with my publisher to make sure we weren’t duplicating places we were sending review copies, e-galleys, and PR releases. Since Mayapple Press is a smaller press, I don’t have unlimited review copies, and we want to make sure the places we’re sending are good target markets for this particular book. I’m trying harder with this book to make more of a local impact with local media, too.
• Second, I haven’t booked quite enough readings yet, so I still need to do that. Inquiries should go out soon to bookstores and libraries and reading series I’d like to connect with. I still haven’t been able to tell how much travel I’ll be up to, but I want to at least hit Port Townsend, Washington and Portland, Oregon on the tour. I already have planned readings on Bainbridge Island and in Seattle. Other possible tour cities include Cincinnati (where most of my family lives), Knoxville (where the book is set,) and New York City (dream!)
• Third, I sent out some queries to “dream” media folks that might be interested in the book. A lot of times they don’t like you to send attachments, such as e-galleys, but you can try writing them a nice note and see if they would like a review copy or a PR kit.
• Fourth: I’ve already ordered book postcards for the announcement and I can start addressing and writing those any time now, though they probably won’t go out any earlier than two weeks before the book’s release. I have a Facebook page for the book and I need to start updating it as advance reviews pop up, for instance.

There’s lots more I could be doing. Of course, this is all on top of literally visiting three different dentists and endodontists last week, and more this week. Super fun! But the problem is, you have to do the work, even if other things get in the way. I just remember doing last year’s Seattle AWP barely recovered from pneumonia and with a scarf wrapped around my broken elbow. There’s hardly ever a big literary event I’ve done that I haven’t had something else health-wise going on alongside it, come to think of it. I was diagnosed with my neural lesions just as I started working as Redmond’s Poet Laureate. Hilarious joke, universe.

We small press authors can all wish for the “win:” A Publisher’s Weekly starred review, a mention in Oprah Magazine, a book club pick, but the odds are not in our favor. Every time a small press book, especially a poetry book, gets some big media attention, I applaud, because they are up against bigger presses with more money and dedicated PR people. I care a lot about this book, and I want to do what I can to ensure it gets into the hands of people that might care about it too. A small press author can choose how much or how little work they do for each book launch; I wanted to give you a picture of what I’m trying to do this time around to give The Robot Scientist’s Daughter the best chance possible.

If you have good suggestions, I’d love to see the in the comments! I’m sure I’m missing some things. I’ve had like less than three nights with more than four hours of sleep in the last week because of dental pain (I know some of you guys know what I’m talking about), and that means my brain is not at its highest functionality. And of course, if you’re a reviewer or a blogger interested in an e-galley advance copy of The Robot Scientist’s Daughter, let me know.