About Books

  • What’s in a date …

    2 Comments

    A couple of folks have asked me when Spider’s Bite is coming out. Since my new publisher, Pocket (part of Simon & Schuster), does things a little differently, I thought that I would address that here on the blog.

    Technically, Spider’s Bite is a February 2010 book. But the on-sale date — the date the book is supposed to be on the shelf at the bookstore for you to buy — is Jan. 26, 2010.

    Why? Well, Spider’s Bite is a mass market paperback, and Pocket has a policy of releasing all their mass market books the last week of the month before they’re supposed to come out.

    New books usually come out on Tuesdays, like new DVDs do, and most books usually come out on the first Tuesday of the month. So really, the release date for Spider’s Bite should be Feb. 2, 2010. But because of Pocket’s policy, folks get the book a week early on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010. At least, they should — sometimes bookstore don’t put out the books when they’re supposed to for all kinds of reasons (the books didn’t arrive on time, Johnny called in sick that day, whatever).

    So why does Pocket release the books a week early? I’m guessing here, but I would assume it would have something to do with sales. Most mass market books don’t stay on the shelves that long — a couple of months if you’re lucky. So Pocket is getting an extra week of sales in by releasing their books a week early.

    I also think it could have a little something to do with helping an author get on a best-seller list. Since most new books come out at the beginning of the month, I would think the competition to make a list wouldn’t be quite as strong at the end of the month. In other words, everyone eager to get their hands on their favorite author’s latest book would have bought it the first week it was out at the beginning of the month, not necessarily during the last week of the month. At least, these are my theories — I could be completely wrong. (And if I am, someone please let me know).

    But more and more, I’ve been noticing publishers who are releasing new books in the middle of a month. For example, the release date for Kresley Cole’s latest Immortals After Dark book, Pleasure of a Dark Prince, is Jan. 19, according to Amazon — which is in the middle of the month instead of at the beginning. (And yes, Cole is published by Pocket just like I am).

    And this same thing will happen with the next two books in my Elemental Assassin series. Web of Lies, a June book, will be out on May 25, while Venom, an October book, will be out on Sept. 28.

    So that’s the deal with the release date. You should be able to get Spider’s Bite as early as Jan. 26 — which is only a little more than a month away now. Not that I’m counting down the days or anything … 😉

  • Publishers Weekly says …

    2 Comments

    Several folks were nice enough to let me know that Spider’s Bite has been reviewed in this week’s Publishers Weekly. Here’s what the reviewer had to say:

    Spider's Bite finalBodies litter the pages of this first entry in Estep’s engrossing Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. In the corrupt Southern metropolis of Ashland, weather witches mingle with vampires, giants, and dwarves. A mysterious client hires assassin Gin Blanco, known as the Spider, to murder a whistle-blowing financial officer named Gordon Giles. Then the client attempts a double cross and brutally kills Gin’s mentor. Now Gin, a stone elemental with a hard-boiled attitude, a closely guarded heart, and a penchant for throwing knives, has to join forces with one of the few honest cops in Ashland, sexy detective Donovan Caine, who hates her for killing his partner. Fans of Estep’s humorous paranormal romances (Jinx; Hot Mama) may be taken aback by the gritty violence and steamy sex, but urban fantasy fans will love it. (Feb.)

    Engrossing! Urban fantasy fans will love it! That’s a solid sentence-and-a-word of like. Huzzah! It’s really sad how jazzed a good review makes me. Writers … it takes so little to make us so very happy. 😉

    Although there’s actually one little thing that’s wrong in the review — there are no weather witches in Spider’s Bite. None at all. What the review should say is that elementals mingle with vampires, etc. There are four main kinds of elementals in my book — Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone. And really, elemental is just a fancy word for magic user.

    Still, a sentence-and-a-word of like — I’m doing the happy dance! 😉

  • Holiday gift guide …

    2 Comments

    I love buying books to give as Christmas gifts, and I’m pretty good at picking out titles that my friends and family like. Seriously, it’s a weird, random skill that I have.

    So I thought that I’d put my skill to good use and share some of my picks for gifts for the book lover on your holiday shopping list. Here goes:

    Contemporary romance: Nobody writes it better than Lisa Kleypas, so check out Sugar Daddy, which is part romance, part coming-of-age story about a girl growing up in Texas. Another good bet is Kristan Higgins, whose books like Too Good to be True feature lovable dogs.

    Epic fantasy: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch focuses on a group of thieves and a con gone wrong. Also, check out The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe, which features a Sam Spade-type private investigator in a sword-and-sorcery fantasy world. For dragon lovers, you can’t go wrong with His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin is good for those who like female-focused epic fantasy.

    Paranormal romance: Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series is great for romance readers who like a variety of paranormal creatures and books with a dark, fairy tale feel. Start with the first book, A Hunger Like No Other. For vampire lovers, check out Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost or Dark Lover by J.R. Ward.

    Romantic suspense: Roxanne St. Claire’s Bullet Catchers series is fun, action-packed romantic suspense. Kill Me Twice is the first book in the series. For darker reads, check out Anne Stuart’s Ice series, which focuses on a group of spies and includes Black Ice.

    Thrillers: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series is a solid choice. The first book is Killing Floor. For more of a vintage read, check out Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks. It features Ian Fleming’s super spy, James Bond.

    Westerns: Although he’s better known for his detective novels, Robert B. Parker has written a couple of westerns, including Appaloosa, which was recently turned into a movie. And there’s always Louis L’Amour. Several of his short story collections are available.

    Western historical romance: Try Jodi Thomas’ Whispering Mountain series, which kicks off with Texas Rain. Also, A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller would make a great before-Christmas gift. Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman is another good western romance to check out.

    Young adult: For teens who like epic fantasy, Graceling by Kristin Cashore is a good bet. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is another great YA read, and for teens who can’t get enough vampires, check out Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

    I could go on (and on … and on …), but those are some pretty good choices when it comes to books. Looking for something besides a book to give? Check out these items:

    Harlequin Notables stationary: I love this vintage line of stationary that Harlequin is offering, which features everything from notepads to collectible postcard tins. Also, watch the site for special deals, like buy 2 books get 1 free. Plus, if you’re a new customer, shipping is free on your first order. (I took advantage of that offer myself).

    Holographic bookmarks: I saw some of these at my local Hallmark store. Basically, they’re bookmarks that you turn this way and that to make the images on them move. Pretty cool and a little more interesting than your typical bookmark.

    Gift cards: Yeah, I know they’re a little boring, but sometimes, it’s just easier to give a gift card than it is to hunt for a certain book. And then, the person you’re buying it for can get exactly what he or she wants.

    What about you guys? What books would you suggest? Which ones are you giving or getting for Christmas? Share in the comments.

  • The truth about book signings …

    2 Comments

    So I’m back after the long holiday weekend. Hope everyone had a good turkey day. I know that I still feel stuffed from all the food! 😉

    Someone asked me the other day if I was going to be doing any book signings for Spider’s Bite when it comes out in late January. The answer? Yes and no.

    I plan on doing one signing at my local comic book store. Yep, that’s right. Just the one signing. Well, maybe one more at my local library, if they’re up for it. So two signings, total.

    Why so few? Because the truth is that book signings kind of suck.

    Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love meeting readers, and I am more than happy to sign books until my fingers bleed (not that my books are popular enough for that to happen, but hey, it’s something to strive for).

    But my previous signings at my local chain stores have not gone all that well — I’ve never sold more than a handful of books at them. At the worst signing, I only sold one book — and that’s only because my high school Spanish teacher came into the store completely by chance and took pity on me. How sad is that?

    Mostly, during a signing at a chain bookstore, it’s me sitting at a table for two hours as people walk on by, desperately avoiding making eye contact with me. And the people who do approach me? They mostly want to know where the bathroom is. (Seriously, people will ask you that all the time).

    Of course, it might help if I were a great salesman, but the truth is that I’m not. I’m good at talking to folks one on one, but not necessarily at attracting their attention in the first place. And honestly, all of this kind of ties into one of my pet peeves. Because I don’t like the folks who sit outside of the grocery store selling doughnuts, Girl Scout cookies, or whatever to raise funds for their cause. You know the ones I’m talking about, where as soon as you approach the door, the folks run over to you, get in your way, and shove their product into your face. If I wanted to buy your doughnuts, I would come over and ask you about them. Otherwise, leave me alone. I’m only here to get groceries, nothing else. Okay, mini rant over. 😉

    The bottom line is that I don’t want to be that kind of person. I don’t want to hassle people. I figure folks can read the sign, see the books, and figure out why I’m there. So I sit at my little table and leave it up to them to walk over to me (which is probably the wrong approach, but it’s the one I’m comfortable with).

    And then, there’s the manager at one of my local chain stores. A while back, I tried to set up a signing for Hot Mama, and I called her four times — even speaking to her once or twice on the phone. She promised that she’d call me back and that we’d set something up, but she never did. It was such a hassle trying to pin her down that I didn’t even bother trying to set up a signing for Jinx. I went by the store the other day and dropped off a cover flat for Spider’s Bite, along with my contact information. And, of course, she hasn’t called me. And I know that she won’t. Sigh …

    And really, it’s kind of a pain to even set up a signing at a chain store in the first place. Because to sign at a Barnes & Noble, Borders, or wherever, you’re supposed to have your publicist set it up. (And having a publicist is not as glamorous as it sounds because she’s also the publicist for tons of other books that are also coming out that month from the publisher. You are one author/book among dozens).

    Last year, when I was considering doing a signing for Jinx, I was told by my publicist that one of the local chains wanted me to guarantee that at least 40 people would show up at the signing. Seriously — 40 people. Can you believe that? I don’t even think I know 40 people, much less have the gumption to ask them to interrupt their Saturday to come to my signing and buy a book. That’s just rude.

    All of this is why I really love the signings at conferences like RWA and RT. Sure, they are big, massive, noisy, and exhausting, but people are there to meet authors and buy books. Even if I only sell a few books, I still have a good time, because there are tons of other authors and readers to talk to. And, you know, authors that I want to meet myself. 😉

    I also like signing at my local comic book store. The owner there has been great to work with, and his customers love all kinds of fantasy books. I think it’s a win-win for all of us. Because even if no one buys any of my books, I still get to talk about Buffy, Chuck, and all the other latest, greatest fantasy TV shows, books, and movies.

    So yeah, I’ve basically decided that me signing all by my little lonesome at a chain store isn’t really a good use of my time. I might sell a few books, but that’s also two hours that I could be writing, reading, or blogging. But you know what? The next time I see an author at a bookstore, I’m going to go over and at least say hi to them — because I know exactly how lonely those two hours can be.