It’s been quiet here, now that I’m done traveling for a while, and I’m getting a fair bit of work done. I finished up proofs on My Valentine this week, so it’s going to formatting, and will come out on Feb 5. I don’t think I’ve ever had two releases in the same month before.
It’s been a week for firsts. Grimspace has been Klausnerized! Which is to say, she got some facts wrong. I would like to state, for the record, it is not the Conglomerate that controls interstellar travel. This part made me giggle:
This is a grand space opera in the tradition of Star Wars with a romantic subplot that adds spice to the fast-paced, character-driven story line. Readers take a glorious roller coaster ride around the Aguirre galaxy filled with alien species on worlds that seem real due to the vivid descriptions. However, with all that going for it, GRIMSPACE belongs to the kick butt heroine.
Hear that? Forget stars — I got a whole freakin’ galaxy!
Another first… I found a Grimspace ARC for sale on eBay. Now I don’t mean to dig up all the drama that was very well covered on Smart Bitches, (although if you want to rehash it, you’re welcome to) but I had to mention this. The bidding is up to $22 for a copy of Grimspace, and a new Kay Kenyon book. Mind, I’m not pimping this auction, which is why I’m not linking it. But good gosh, I didn’t think anyone really knew who I was yet. And I can’t believe anyone is willing to pay nearly double the cover cost of the book, just to read what I wrote a little early! That sort of thing is reserved for famous authors, isn’t it?
I’m amazed. I’m supposed to be outraged because it’s unethical and possibly illegal as well, at least before the release date. That doesn’t bother me quite as much as my uncorrected ARC being sold, though. There were a number of mistakes fixed before the book went to print, and I don’t enjoy thinking of a reader paying a higher price for lesser quality. I mean, the core work is the same — don’t get me wrong. But it’s not as good as it will be. I guess I’m a perfectionist.
I can’t help thinking, damn, if this eBay bidder wanted an ARC that bad, she should’ve just emailed me. I won’t be able to hook up everyone who emails me once I’m better known, but now? Yeah. This is the time to register as one of my biggest fans, get in on the ground floor, so to speak, as I’m not overwhelmed with reader contact, at this point. The fact that someone would take the time to write me a fan letter, explaining why she wants to read my book so bad? It would make a difference. I’d drop something in the mail.
So I’m puzzled and flattered at the same time while also wishing this unknown person wasn’t paying for uncorrected work. But then again, maybe she’s a huge Kay Kenyon fan, and is just buying Grimspace because it’s a package deal.
Anyway, I’ll be revising Corine Solomon, book 1, on Monday. (There’s another one for ARC collectors to covet!) In the week ahead, I’ll also be featured on Dear Author, giving away more copies of Grimspace.
Edited to add: The Grimspace Publicity Juggernaut has started its engines. You won’t want to miss that.
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
*drum roll*
Winners!**
Wendy, JSL, and Emma: email me your addresses.
**JSL’s plight moved me, so I selected her entry myself. I then picked the next two winners randomly.
January 27th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Lol. Didn’t you know flaws equal more money? And ok,I’ll admit the bidder is me,I’m your biggest fan,can I email you for an ARC?
No, It wasn’t me,I don’t think it right to sell a that says right on the front NOT FOR SALE, especially for more that the cover price. I saw a different ARC for 70 something(Buy now price) and that book is going to sell for $8 when it comes out.JMHO
Cngrats JSL,Emma and Wendy!
((HUGS))
January 27th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Oh, I love eBay! I’ve spent far too much money on it (meaning I’ve bought too many items), but I do love it…
Hey, if you ever feel like sending out promo stuff, ARCs or whatnot, to Australia then I’m always willing to accept. Just email me for my postal address.
Have a lovely day!
January 27th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Woo! I can’t wait to read Grimspace, thank you Ann.
And about Ebay - that’s crazy! It’s similar to something I saw a few months ago. Someone was selling an ARC of Lover Unbound by JR Ward by MORE THAN $100! I was so shocked, there were actually people bidding on it. And here’s the funny part - it was only a few weeks before its release!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Thanks so much Ann! Good to know pathetic works - and I have no pride (poor students can’t afford to have it) so its all good! :-D. It’s good to know people really want your work - but at the same time, that’s really shady to put the ARC on ebay.
Did they think it was gold plated?
Wendy, that’s so funny. Over $100?
January 27th, 2008 at 9:46 am
JSL’s plight moved you. Puhleez. It was that fear of a future lawsuit, wasn’t it?
I do agree ARC’s are meant to stay in the hands they are delivered too, but it is waaaay cool that you’re already that much in demand!
January 27th, 2008 at 10:09 am
JSL, I have no clue. I was very
I’m tempted to say it was around $150, but I don’t exactly remember.
I posted about it on the JR Ward and one of the admin message me saying not to post stuff like that and deleted it! I was kinda upset. I mean, sheesh it’s not like I was ADVERTISING the damn thing! I just thought it was crazy and wanted to see what everyone thought about. Don’t get your panties in a twist! Plus like Ann said, Ward should be flattered someone wants to pay so much money for her book.
January 27th, 2008 at 10:12 am
While I have certain authors I just love and I run right out to buy their books when they’re released, I can’t imagine paying more than cover price to read their work. It’s flattering, though.
Lainey, I agree. I’d never sell an ARC. If someone thinks enough of me to give it to me, I treasure it. Then again, getting advance copies is one huge perk of being an author. My husband says I write so I can offset the cost of my serious, incurable book habit.
See, what Wendy said about JR Ward’s ARC price doesn’t surprise me. She’s a phenom, so people go apeshit trying to get a hold her writing.
Wow, a mod made you delete your post? Did you link to the auction? Or did they just not want it mentioned it at all? (Which strikes me as strange.)
January 27th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I was an ARC virgin until about a month ago. I won’t sell it but people are unscrupulous. Hey, isn’t Klausner behind that snarky review site “Mrs. Giggles”? Maybe that’s a vicious rumor but that’s what I’ve heard…
I did see several years ago one ARC for sale on Ebay. It was for the latest Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum book. I think someone paid over $500 for it when the bidding was done.
Well I guess you can say you arrived when your ARC lands up on Ebay!
January 27th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hey I am looking forward to reading your books they sound like my kind of books.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Holy hot damn, Laura K. $500?! OMG. That’s a lot of money for one book. It better be gold plated for that price. No, I don’t think Harriet Klausner is Mrs. Giggles, although that’s a hilarious rumor. She’s just a crazily prolific reviewer. As far as I know, Mrs G is a retired chemist who lives in Malaysia and enjoys reading.
Thanks, Pam. You’ll want to stop by DearAuthor.com this week because we’ll be giving away more ARCS and I believe Jane is posting a review (Monday or Tuesday, not sure when exactly).
January 27th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I might have posted the link to it but hell! how could eveyone take the full effect of it without seeing the actual page?
They deleted my entire post, I would have been fined if they had taken it off the link but nope THE WHOLE THING.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I would have been fined? FINED? Sheesh, lol.
January 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Wow, Klausnerized AND an ARC ebay auction. You have SO arrived.
I didn’t get my ARC yet. *pout* I’m waiting impatiently!
*Grumbling about the postal service*
Don’t they know that this ARC should be a priority delivery? Pffft!
January 27th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Well, Ann, I considered entering your contests to get an ARC, but I decided to just wait and buy GRIMSPACE when it’s released. That’s the main way I can send a message to publishers that they should buy more books like yours. Looking forward to it!
January 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I have never bought anything from ebay.
If I had an arc from any author I would never give it up.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
i have to agree, us book lovers love arcs… sort of like a coveted prize to us.. i would never concider selling such a treasure myself.. but then again i only have 2 to speak of.. but i bought the book even though i had the arc..
boy you better watch out.. all of us fans will be emailing you..lol.. cause i know we would all love to have one…
January 27th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
This is too funny!! My ARC is staying in my hot, little hands. I think someone took Marissa’s ARC and that’s the one that’s on Ebay! I don’t know, Jolene, if I would go so far to buy the real book if I had the ARC. Were they really all that different? I know mine says the cover will be different…but did the words change at all? I’m defintely going to DearAuthor.com this week, too.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Laura K, there were a small number of errors corrected from the proofs. For instance, I used metrics for most of the book, but I found one instance where, for some unknown reason, I gave a measure of inches that had slipped by. That was changed to centimeters before going to print. Maybe a reader wouldn’t catch such a continuity glitch, but it sure bothered me!