Letting go.

If you've seen my Twitter or Facebook background you already know--I committed to a release date for Elegant Freefall and the book is on pre-order. As always, letting the book out into the world (or at least into the hands of waiting pre-release readers) is terrifying. But I'm not asking permission, remember? 

This is my fourth novel release. I mention this because even though I feel like I should have this down and not be an anxiety-ridden mess about things, I still am. ​ Even with a year of revision/rethinking time, I still wonder if I made the best choices. Here's what I'm focusing on while some gracious and generous folks take a look at the novel while I focus on more the business end.

• I moved away from the "to-do" list to a "did" list. This started after my DIY Writing Retreat back in April. The book was still a mess and didn't end at all the way it does now. My approach was to make "to do" lists and then beat myself up when I didn't get through the items. I let go of that idea when I realized it was counter-productive. I started writing how many words I wrote in a day if I was adding a new chapter to smooth things out. Instead of "revise X chapters" I would write down what I actually did at the end of the day. The goal was simpler than I made it seem--the goal was simply to move forward.
• I'm working on organic reach. I'm emailing proactively to get on some targeted "new releases" lists for September. And when I do this, I write down who I emailed in my desk calendar. My Author Central page is updated at Amazon to show the new book, as is my Good Reads author page.You know, so the five people who follow me on Good Reads or through Amazon Author Central know the book is coming out.
• No changes to the content of the book until I hear from Advance Readers. This also meant getting the ARCs out early enough that readers have a good month and I have a good two weeks prior to final MS submission being due. 
• Stop second guessing EVERY THING. What's better? Drop Caps or something else? Should I buy Vellum or not? So-and-so says I need an email list. This other person with one indie release and a podcast says to do X, Y, and Z. Whatever. 
• Even though the book is being read, I already have a version of the eBook and the paperback ready to go live. I know that I may need to edit here and there or tweak something, but it's time to close the curtain. It's been through one extensive rewrite already.

The novel isn't the same story it was a year ago. While themes related to Me, Too and questions raised by Kipnis' Unwanted Advances are explored on some level  the answers to those questions are far fuzzier than they were in the original draft.

The novel is far more character driven than it was before, which I am happy about. While I want readers to like the protagonist on some level, she's not perfect by any means. 

But hey--no vampires, no voodoo, no reincarnation in this one.   Just flawed people making messes and trying to figure their way out of them.