What We're Writing? Hank is Waiting

HANK: I love when there’s an unexpected theme. Let me first say: I wrote this post last weekend, before I read Hallie’s post yesterday. Like I said. A theme. 

 HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: It’s interregnum time. This is one of the times that is the most difficult in a writer's life. 

Oh, I suppose every time is difficult for some reason or other, but this is the time of waiting. I have sent several proposals to my editor, and now – – I am waiting. Waiting waiting waiting. I saw something on Twitter that said "A watched inbox never fills." So I am trying not to watch.

 And, while waiting and not watching, I found a wonderful quote from Iris Murdoch. She said "When you begin a novel, you are in a state of unlimited freedom, and this is alarming.” Yes, Iris, you are so right.

But there is something that has happened for the past 15 or so years every time I am in this position. I start cleaning up. I collect all of the tiny little pieces of paper, and sticky notes, and extraneous random stuff on my desk and in my office that I will never need again and toss it. I dust. I organize my books. I make sure the last-book research and talking-to-myself notebooks are labeled and stored. I sharpen all my pencils. I get two new spiral notebooks. One red and one black Five Star, college ruled, all pristine and ready to go. I get a new box of Blackwings. 

Oh, and a new white board, because I am going to. try something. 

 And then I hope. I hope I will need those things. 

 Importantly, I try to remember that I felt like this every time, and that I never thought HER PERFECT LIFE would ever be accepted. Let alone written. And now the run-up to that publication is underway.

 First, soon there will be a BookBub for THE FIRST TO LIE! I love them, and I love the buzz and the new readers--and you can be sure I will tell you when the downprice hits. (I will tell you several times, I fear.) But what do you think about those? Do you buy books because they are incredibly inexpensive? 

 There is some thought that people just buy up these downpriced books, stash them on their e-readers, and never look at them again. Then they buy an expensive hardcover for $30 and read that, because they feel paying so much for it makes the contents more valuable. 

What do you think about that? And how about after you buy a downpriced book? If you love it, do you go out and buy the authors back list? Or their upcoming book?  Do you review it? Or does that purchase not really connect to anything? 

 

There will also be a Goodreads giveaway for the advance reader copies of HER PERFECT LIFE! I am very excited about this, since it is sort of the debut for the book, and a gauge of the demand. Publishers really monitor that, just saying. (And now, continuing to not-worry, I am reminding myself that I worried about The First to Lie, and now it is nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark award, so, okay then, that’s something.) 

 Have you ever entered a Goodreads Giveaway? Have you ever won? If you did, did you review the book? Did you tell people about it?

 In this time of the interregnum, I am also thinking and worrying, of course: are my ideas actually good? Will I be able to write these books? (Please remind me if you remember I always say this.) And then I go back to work. 

Because I am also editing the Bouchercon short story anthology! It is called This Time For Sure—about revenge, and second chances, and do-overs. I am beyond thrilled about it. Our own Lucy Burdette has a story in it, so wonderful and Key West-y. And Craig Johnson and Kristen Lepionka and David Heska Wanbli Weiden and Karen Dionne and Alexia Gordon… and so many more! They are spectacular. And I am delighted that there are some authors you may have never heard of (yet!) who hit their story out of the ballpark. I cannot wait for you to read them. 

So in the ebb and flow of the writer’s life, I am happy to be swimming swimming swimming, trying to keep my head above water, waiting for word on what happens next. 

 Sometimes I can’t believe a year has gone by since the pandemic started, and how much has happened since then. But in the writing life, there is a through line that doesn’t change, no matter what. And this is the time to embrace it.

 

(And speaking of ebb and flow—Flo and Eddy have returned. So really, there’s nothing to worry about. All is well. And this is actually Flo and not-Flo, but Eddy was not around when I took this.) 

 So let’s talk about downpricing! How do you feel about it?