And if you can’t fix it, you let it go.
Many elements combined to create the perfect storm that was bent on destroying my launch party and first three signings.
First, the place I originally ordered my back-up books from fell through. I hurried and ordered them from my publisher. Those books were delayed. Now they will be arriving after my launch party and first signing. The day after.
Not a huge deal, right? The bookstores should have my books.
No. My print run sold out so fast (from preorders and such), there were no books for the bookstores to buy. The bookstore where I’m having my first signing can’t get the books in. The bookstore for my second signing can’t get the books in. In the last 36 hours, I have spent hours on the phone trying to fix things.
I called my publisher, who called my distributor and printer. I called other bookstores. No one has my books. No one can get my books for another one to three months.
Insert panic attack here.
And then my publisher fixed things (for the most part). *hugs to Rhemalda* Bookstores can now order my books and have them in ~10 days. Much better than 1 to three months. And we won’t be having this problem again (they switched our distributor and printer).
I was able to round up 20 books for my first signing (we pulled the newspaper article and will run it later when I do another signing).
At my launch party, people will preorder the books and I will sign them and drop them off at the library for people to pick up.
I have two more shipments of books coming which I will use for the conference and signing the next weekend and the signing the weekend after that.
That’s the best I can do, and it will just have to be good enough.
Q4U: Have you ever planned some huge event and had everything fall apart last minute?
Author
Whew. /cheer for your success but just listening to you talk about this makes me cringe. Best of luck Amber. I shall see you in Layton 🙂
Wow, that sounds like how things usually go for me. Like, there was this one time… but, no, it's not really important.
I'm glad that some things were able to work out. The only thing I can think of is my wedding, my aunt and uncle said that they would get me my photographer and the night before my wedding they cancelled on us. It was crazy… luckily we found one.
Good luck with your book, I'm excited to read it!
So glad things worked out, Amber. With the stress already included in getting ready for your launch, the last thing you needed was that problem. Rhemalda DOES kick butt, btw.
Michael: Let your writer/reader friends know!
Andrew: Aw, come one. I would have liked to hear a story that demonstrates that I'm not the only one.
Mel: Side note, my photographer was such a pervert.
Doug: I know. 🙂
I can't imagine how stressful that must've been to try to get your books where they needed to be. At the same time, it must be a bit exciting to know your book is so in demand that they don't have it anywhere. That's awesome everything worked out. It's a great book! 🙂
This has been crazy, but Rhemalda is awesome for doing all they can to fix it. Everything will work out great even with few books. 🙂
Cherie: I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Michelle: It will. I hope. 😉
Okay, here's a current example. We're in the middle of buying a house. We're past the closing date for escroe because the selling bank can't get its act together and get the title signed and to the title company. There have actually been several complications in this process all caused by the seller or the lender not doing their job correctly, but it's really too complicated to type out, right now.
Just to put this in even more perspective, this is the 4th house we've been under contract for this year. With the previous 3, there have been such issues with the sellers getting their act together that we have declined to renew the contracts after they've run out because of how much time it was taking.
Andrew: My bro and SIL had to wait 7 months before they could move into their house because the selling bank went under. It was such a mess.
I'm sorry. Like you needed more stress in your life.
Oh, wow, that really sucks. Glad they finally got in, but those 7 months must have been horrible!
ugh that's gross… I'm sorry
Sounds like you're a victim of your own successful marketing. 🙂 It sucks when a public event falls apart like that — though you seem to have worked around it pretty well — but even though it had some undesirable side effects, having your first print run sell out on preorders is a very good thing.