This book, TWILIGHT GUARDIANS has suddenly become real.
I think it hit me when the pre-order button went live on Amazon. All of a sudden, I was unable to share it. I put it off for hours, thinking, well, we have a lot going on this week. Maybe I should wait a few days. Maybe the pre-order page is looking sparse without the print version yet up there, so maybe I'll share the link once that goes up.
Then I stopped myself and took a clear look inside my head. Why would I hesitate? When had I ever, in 22 years, had exciting book news and not shared it immediately? And I realized that I was nervous. More nervous about this release than any release ever. I didn't know enough about the business to be nervous about my first book. I was just glad it was being published. But for this one, which is number 59, not counting nearly 30 novellas and anthologies? I am a wreck.
The reason is pretty clear to me. I'm publishing this one on my own. I chose the cover art, the model (my daughter,) the photographer, the pose, the outfit (those boots are my own!) the background. I've got no big publisher behind me this time, and it feels like flying without a net. Jumping without a ‘chute. Leaping without a bridge. You pick the cliché, it's that times ten.
Even re-publishing my own backlist books wasn't this scary, because they had already passed muster. They had been given the stamp of approval by a New York publisher.
This is very different. No one has told me this book is worthy. You would think that after writing this many novels, I'd be a bit more confident than that. It's been ages since my editor has changed more than a few extra commas, caught an inconsistency or two, or asked for further clarification on a line here and there. Why am I so nervous? It's illogical to be.
But, logical or not, I am. This is a whole new world for me. I guess I'm supposed to be nervous. We didn't even have time to send it out to reviewers yet. I'm still polishing for one more week. So we have no idea what the response will be.
So that's where I am today. Taking a break before re-starting my final pass through the book, and being nervous, while trying to talk myself down.
The pre-order price at Amazon is $2.99, which is considerably less than the regular price will be starting on 9/1.
And we will be putting pre-order links up anywhere else they allow it, but most outlets do not. Regardless of price or pre-order buttons or my own nervous breakdown, TWILIGHT GUARDIANS, Book 1 of the NEW Wings in the Night: Reborn, goes on sale at all outlets, worldwide, on September 1st.
And if my nerves continue to build up until that date, I'm going to need blood pressure meds or something!