Here's rosemary, for remembrance...

[seanan_mcguire]

A year ago, I was in a state of low-grade panic because of the upcoming release of my first novel, Rosemary and Rue. Was it really going to happen? Would anybody buy my book? Was my book even worth reading? What if this was some sort of elaborate practical joke (admittedly, one pulled by someone who could afford wasting a book advance on fucking with my head)? What if DAW hated me? What if, what if, what if?

Six months ago, I was in a state of low-grade panic because of the upcoming release of my second novel, A Local Habitation. What if the first book was just a fluke? What if nobody liked Toby when she was less broken? What if everyone lost interest and went off to read something else, and my publisher dropped me, and my numbers were terrible, and my agent told me I should be a dishwasher or something? What if, dammit?!

Right now, I would be in a state of low-grade panic, but I'm honestly too tired to work up the flailing. An Artificial Night, the third Toby Daye book, is out now, and I would really appreciate it if you'd go out and buy a copy, assuming you haven't already. My reasons are legion: I really think it's the best book of the series so far, I really love it as a piece of work, and it's the last book on my original contract with DAW, so it would be nice if it went out with a bang. Like all authors, I worry vaguely about an unknown god known only as "the numbers," and I'm sure I want the numbers to look on me with grace. So that means book sales, and maybe, I don't know, sacrificing a pizza. I'll get on that.

I really love this book. I love the way it looks, I love the way it feels, I love the fact that it exists. It makes me feel like a real girl, because now I can look at my brag shelf and see three Toby books in finished form, all of them there, waiting to be opened. It's amazing. And still a little terrifying.

Release parties start next weekend. Fun for the whole family!

Comments

[naurwen.livejournal.com]

*hits the order button*
and I like the fact that I can order it already - as sometimes it takes them a bit long to get certain books into their online shops here (Switzerland...). :p
YAY!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay!

[herefox.livejournal.com]

It was excellent and you're probably right, I think it is the strongest book in the series thus far. And I got two copies, sort of accidentally through being impatient, but I shall use the second to seduce someone to the blond side, so to speak ;-)

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

There's new Toby? Hurrah!

(I was thinking I could even go to the release party, since I'm finally in the SF Bay area when the party happens, but the party's on Yom Kippur! D: )

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Will you be here on the 25th?

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

I bought the book yesterday and will start reading it tomorrow - ahead of a number of other books waiting on deck but some books just get to jump to the head of the line don't they ;).

I'm really looking forward to the read! :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[lavenderfae9.livejournal.com]

Bought it, read it, loved it more than ice cream!! Seriously, Toby's tale just keeps getting better. I love the development of the characters. I keep mentioning it on my Facebook to get more of my friends hooked on it.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much.

[copperwise.livejournal.com]

It's my favorite of the series, and the most lyrical. I adore it. You done good.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you, darling.

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

Weekend plans:

1) go to Borders. Buy a copy.
2) Go to Tiny Little Local Bookstore. Order a copy to give to my sister.
3) Go home. Eat chocolate. Drink tea. Read awesome book.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

YAY!

I love your weekend plans.

[dsmoen.livejournal.com]

I've bought all three on iBooks btw.

I know this doesn't help store numbers, granted.

I also have a paper copy of R&R I bought at Kepler's.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

Thank you.

[groblek.livejournal.com]

I actually just picked up a copy today. I went in to the local independent bookstore, expecting to have to special order it like I did for the first two, and found it sitting in their "new F/SF paperbacks" display by the register. It seems that word is getting out about your books. This was The Avid Reader in Davis, CA in case you're tracking that sort of thing.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's fantastic.

[herewiss13.livejournal.com]

Amazon just delivered it today. It's a nice piece of synchronicity since I got the first book on my honeymoon and our first anniversary was yesterday. That fact that we were in San Francisco as I read Rosemary just made it that much more vivid. Can't wait to crack the covers of this new one this weekend.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Hooray!

[tsgeisel.livejournal.com]

I'm reading it now. I'd have been reading it sooner, but a certain book involving Werewolves, Vampires, Preternaturals, and Tea got to me first.

And, hey - *someone* must like you as a writer - they gave you a tiara for it.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Damn straight.

[sheistheweather]

I'm about 50ish pages into it already, and I already find it to be a much stronger piece than the first two.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Awesome.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

It's also the longest, which makes me all kinds of happy.

Sweet dreams, my dear.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Scary, isn't it?

[tig-b.livejournal.com]

Brought it, read it , loved it. Now I'm looking forward to number four.

And I own a signed proof copy of book 2, stolen from the other bidders at the UK Filkcon - thank you!!! Between you and Debbie's new contract, I can wear her nMC t-shirt and wave your books and boast to my non-science fiction/fantasy reader friends that I have FAMOUS FRIENDS.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

[emberleo.livejournal.com]

Good gracious, you're an award-winning author with a continuing series ready to go, and a built-in cult following all your own. Why the hell wouldn't they continue with you?!?

Also - will buy third book ASAP. Yay!

--Ember--

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Because I am also a neurotic blonde who worries professionally?

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

I found a copy last week, devoured it, and wish I knew how the hell to write a review, as opposed to a plot summary, so I could post an Amazon review on its behalf.

I did mention it on my own LJ, though.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Heeee!

ah-Ha

[maverick-weirdo.livejournal.com]

Suddenly that Icon makes sense to me

Re: ah-Ha

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It all makes sense, in the end...

[archangelbeth]

It's out? Okay, between it and another one that I want, I gotta hit the bookstore. Hm. I should also pick up a copy for my friend who is having/has had a birthday roundabout now... And maybe one for my mom, d'ya think?

(Your agent would not tell you that you should be a dishwasher, I am sure! (Though, er, on the agent topic -- would 6 months of no response suggest that perhaps a query got eaten by a net monster? Or just that she's really really busy partying/marketing your manuscripts because she's got such an awesome author? Or that the query sucked so hard that it spontaneously self-deleted because it did not deserve to be near anything related to Toby and Feed? Totally don't bother even thinking about this if it's not a top-of-the-head sort of answer!!))

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Six months of no response does indicate loss of query. The Agent is generally much more responsive than that, especially where queries are concerned, even if it's only to say "I'm sorry, this is not for me."

[redushab.livejournal.com]

I actually got the book the day it came out (Yay for a Borders right across the street from campus!) and had it read before I went to sleep the next day, despite having classes and all that jazz to interfere with my reading time.

It's definitely a great book, and I look forward to the next one being out so I can happily purchase it too. XD

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you.

[themysteriousg.livejournal.com]

I accidentally bought two.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I am okay with that.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

It is absolutely my favorite of the series.

So far.

:)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Awww, yay.

[amazon-syren.livejournal.com]

It arrived on Tuesday night.

I finished reading it this afternoon.

<3 <3 <3


Question about Lily: Is she Japanese because she's the Tea Gardens? I didn't know Undines were Japanese fairies the way Kitsune are.

Also: Having read the teaser for Book Four: Oh. That's where Toby picked up "making [person x] pay". I've been wondering about that since R&R.

Also Question: Who were Almandine's parents? (I say, working on the possiblyl-foolish assumption that you've got endless family trees tacked to your walls).


Also: Luidag/Toby: I swear, my brain didn't go there. Until now. Hee! :-)


I really, really, REALLY liked this book. YAY! :-D <*offers cupcakes*> I'm glad Toby's starting to understand her own motivations a little better. :-) I cried in a couple of spots. <*sneef*>

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Question about Lily: She's Japanese because she's from Japan, and they built the Tea Gardens where they did because of her influence. Undine aren't originally Japanese spirits, but they tend to take on the appearance of the mortal population in the area where they're "born." Lily was born in Japan, and transplanted by Amandine. No one really seems to know why.

Question about LE: Yup.

Question about Amandine: I know, and I'm not telling.

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

Ordered :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[ironed_orchid]

I finished it on Thursday and I love it so much.

Also have it ordered, so will possibly pass that copy onto someone.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

That's fabulous. Thank you so much.

[lyssabard.livejournal.com]

I just finished it this afternoon and am going through serious book withdrawal-angst because of it. :) This really was my favorite in the series--it was tight, the new characters were awesome (I LOVE MAY!), and I want to spend the next few days rereading my Childe ballads as a result.

Thank you for this wonderful world and everyone in it!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you, for reading. And I love May, too. She's one of my favorite characters to work with (and her arrival makes more sense than it may seem).