I am not really into self promotion for promotion sake. Remember that plant in the Little Shop of Horrors that kept saying “Feed me Seymour”? I feel like a lot of book marketing is social media posts of book covers over and over, saying “Read Me Seymour.”
I don’t know about you, but that never makes me buy a book.
I buy books because my friends tell me to, because my book club recommends it, because I love the writers work, because it’s about a place or time in history I love, because, honestly, I like the cover, (geez, shallow, but real) and because it gets good reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.
So, I’m about to “brag” a little, but know I do it with some discomfort. Reading the galley copy this week, my shoulders fell and I took a deep breath, relieved. It turns out, I really do like my own book. When you edit something for so long, you can actually lose sight of the story.
But I found myself intrigued with the characters all over again, wondering what they might do next, who would stay, who would go. Would they forgive and move on? Will this guy spend his life talking to a horse or open his heart up again? And then I’d remember I made all of this up.
It sends a weird chill down my spine. Because on some level, I didn’t. I channeled these stories from the muses. They came to me through glasses of wine, beautiful summer evenings in Sonoma, walks in vineyards after a rain passed, and early morning meditations. I met my characters in car repair shops and coffee shops, fancy restaurants and taco stands, and most of all, at the wineries.
Stories are like children: they arrive, we love them, they grow, and sometimes they launch into the world, on the wings of sweat, tears, and prayers.
This one is launching. Hoping you all enjoy it too, and share the word with the folks you know, review everywhere so it gets noticed, and help me send this story far and wide.
The book is ready for pre-order now at a discount on the publisher’s site.
http://widopublishing.com/the-vines-we-planted-by-joanell-serra/
Print Launch May 8. E-book out April 25. Events announcements coming in Sonoma, Marin, Sacramento, San Francisco…maybe east bay? New Jersey! Santa Fe! London! Rome? (Might need a translator.)
I’ll come to you if you gather a crowd . . .
Thanks, as usual, for reading!