Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly, THE authority when it comes to reviewing novels, received a copy of my book several months ago. They contacted my publisher to tell her that they would be doing a review (based on what, I don’t know – did you know they get something like 500 books/week???). But that’s the last we heard. I know that everyone has been checking everything they can daily, waiting for said review, and had no return. Nothing. Nada.

I can’t speak for my publisher, or distributor, or the publicist, or even my editor, who I speak to about a million times a day. But to be honest I was starting to give up on it. I’d come to the conclusion that it was another one of those “publishing things” that Glass House tells me happen so often… you think something’s going to happen, but then you look up and see that the possibility has disappeared somewhere into the atmosphere, without a trace. And you start to ask yourself why you believed it existed in the first place.

Then on Thursday some very big things happened. My publisher got the published books in. That means we know what they look like in their “real” version. In hardback. It’s like holding millions of dollars of cold hard cash, rather than looking at a check. Or at least that’s what it felt like to me. Oh yeah, and we found out that the PW review came out. Not only did it come out, but what they said was extra ordinary, and I’m still in a state where my feet can’t feel the floor. Here it is… (in its publisher-approved form, of course)

“Cutting-edge research, complex plotting and in-depth characterization… Hamilton Turbee… is surely one of the most interesting and endearing heroes ever to star in an action adventure novel. …[]… Aaron keeps the action moving swiftly forward. …[]… All will eagerly await the two projected sequels.”

And there are only 5 weeks to the release and book tour. Is it childish to stand on my desk and shout with joy???

Post a comment »

Another big review!!!

Right now my publisher and the publicist are going through the slogging work of arranging signings in San Diego, Las Vegas, Seattle, and environs. We’re only seven weeks away from the release date, so they’re also kicking up the publicity phase of the process. I think they’re probably working about 15 hours a day. For my part, my shoulders were getting lower and lower as I went through revision after revision on the sequel, and all the other things that are required to get a book “out there.” No matter how good the publicists, the distributors, the editors, and the publisher are (and my team is very good), the basic grinding work remains the same. And it’s expensive. These days you don’t just write a book and say, “There, we’re done, on to the next one.” No. You write, and then you flog it and blog it in every way you can imagine. Why? Because you must enter the busy and overcrowded market place and say, “Read this one, it’s better than all the rest,” knowing that everyone else is saying the exact same thing about their own book. To say that it’s hard and discouraging work would be to understate the case terribly. But every so often you get a bright spot.

Two days ago a blurb came in from David Morrell – yes, THE DAVID MORRELL, author of what, 25 best sellers maybe? beginning with First Blood, which was made into the Sylvester Stallone movie, and its sequels. This is what he wrote:

“With an amazing scope, Richard Aaron gives us a stunning look at what really drives terrorism in a breathtaking thriller that’s in step with our fast paced world — a thriller that outperforms 24.”

To say that I’m excited, to say that I’m in shock and awe and beside myself with joy… well that would just be an understatement. That review, along with John’s from a couple weeks ago, and the fact that we’re already backordered 2900 books, AND the fact that the sequel is going well, AND the fact that bookstores actually want me in to do appearances… I’m pinching myself. I still can’t believe it’s actually happening.

Post a comment »