The Race is On

It's three months before the Feb 1 debut of my new F3 book (my pet name for Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate) but things are already revving up on the PR front.

Yep, most folks don't realize how early the wheels must start turning in order to be ready to squeal your tires in break-neck, drag-racing style on release day.

Galley edits are now completed (the galley is the final, final copy before the formatted book goes to press). Also called an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) by some publishers, the galley appears exactly as the printed book will - there really should be no mistakes at this point if the author and editors have done their jobs well. At least in theory.

Um, when that actually happens to me - no mistakes, I mean - I'll eat my favorite hat. 


The galley goes to the author for one last fine-tooth-comb look-see, so that he or she can't complain if a faux pas slips through into print. Usually, a minimum of three different editors have had at it before the galley stage, but sometimes boo-boo's still make it through. The author is the final check-rein.

The buck stops here, bro.  

Sometimes galleys or ARC's are sent to reviewers by the publisher, or in the case of self-published or small press books, by the author, if they are desired before the actual printed book will be available. This way glowing reviews hit the public eye right about the same time the book does, so a nice, excited buzz develops, which hopefully parlays into sales.  

My press releases are already going out, thanks to my industrious publicist, Audra Jennings, with Litfuse Publishing Group. Audra penned an awesome combination of  intro, teaser, basic book availability/purchase info, and suggested interview questions that she'll now (after my final approval) send to a vast array of contacts in her network.

These contacts include radio, internet, and TV hosts, magazines (print and online), interviewers, book reviewers, book dealers and sellers, and whomever else in the public specter that might be remotely interested in knowing about my upcoming book. And probably a few who aren't. They then contact Audra to schedule interviews. My last three books have each garnered an average of 25 interviews, quite a few excellent book reviews, and numerous speaking invitations.

So my job, over the upcoming three months before D-Day, is to compile clever answers to interview questions and prepare a new speaking presentation (or two) based on Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate, so that I'm ready to take off when that flare gun fires.

Gentlemen, start your engines!