Friday, April 03, 2009

It's a Real Book!!!!!!

*This post contains graphic and gratuitous photographs of both jacketed and unjacketed books. Proceed at your own risk!*

;)

I got sample copies of WINGS yesterday!!!!

When the printers print their books, they generally send a few ahead so the publisher can see what the finished product is going to look like. The rest wend their way slowly to the US via (I read this somewhere????) a big boat. Yay!

Well, my samples got to Harper this week. Not all publishers share their samples with their authors (for various reasons) but I'm glad that Harper does. So yesterday the UPS guy came to my door (at eight o'clock! I LOVE my early UPS guy!!!) with three copies of my book. Not the ARC. The. Real. Thing. Check it!

I have been so anxious to see what they did with the inside cover. There's been kind of a trend lately of having a picture (like a second cover) under the jacket and I know some people really love it, but I don't. Also, I was a little concerned the book would be bright pink. Now, I love the pink on my cover, it really works well! But no guy is going to carry around a bright pink book through the halls of junior high. And probably not high school either. So when I saw a plain black book with sparkly pink foiling on the side, I was way excited. Simple, elegant, just the way I like it!


And the spine; my next favorite part! Now, I received cover flats almost six months ago so I knew the spine was going to look like this, but I love it so much I was happy to see it anyway!! (Also, there's something about my name being horizontal that I just love!!!)

The back is more of the lush, dark, watery blue.


And the front is the image you guys are used to seeing, but with a more purplish wash than the ARCs and and a little more accentuation of the curve of the petals that make the wing shape.

*sigh* Yay!

The other fun thing I got was a copy of my signed first editions. Remember the 1350 pages from about two months ago? I got to see how they turned out!!!

I get a pretty sticker. *Aprilynne= Easily Amused . . . *


And look! It really does look like I signed the whole book instead of a big (big, big) stack of title pages!! Cool!!

So yeah, there may have been some happy dancing and some petting of books, and there was definitely some smelling of the books. (Seriously, there is nothing like the new book smell of YOUR BOOK!!!! *squeee!!!*)

So things suddenly shifted into real mode yesterday My book is real; it's in big stacks on a boat on it's way to New York. Then it will head all over the country where it will be in real stores and with any luck, people will buy them!!! Whoa!!!

I think I need to sit down . . .

Okay, coming up, next week I will be posting my tour schedule. It's already up on my website, if you're curious, but I'm going to post it here too because I would love to find out if any of you guys live in the cities I am going to because I LOVE meeting blog readers, SO MUCH!

(That and I have heard so many stories of debut authors basically reading to the bookstore employees and maybe one other person, so, yeah . . . I'm afraid of that!:D)

I'll be posting a link to my microsite that Harper is launching soon (There's an awesome contest!). I also have some fun posts planned on pre-release jitters and stress and the challenges of writing a sequel.

Ciao!

29 comments:

Deborah Talmadge said...

Congratulations. Holding your very first book is the best high. The second is almost as good. Okay, maybe it's better because its means you've arrived. Hope you have a good long run.

Amy said...

Holy freakin' cow. Its real. This is super-exciting and its not even happening to me! Congratulations!

Debbie Barr said...

That's so exciting and pretty!

I'll try REALLY hard to meet you at one of your book signings.

Even though I've only been reading your blog for a week or two.

(BTW, I found out about you at LTUE and liked you so much I jotted down your name and book for later. Yay!)

Emily Ruth said...

I can't wait to read it! Beautiful cover; congratulations!

moonrat said...

how exciting!!! congratulations!!

Eric said...

Congratulations. I am so incredibly jealous, but it sounds so cool to be in your shoes. Someday....someday...

Anyway, enjoy it. You've earned all the goodness. Now I just have to check out your schedule to see when I can come say hi.

The Rat said...

I'm so happy for you. I am living vicariously through you now, so keep up the squealing and the gushing and the excitement, because it's exactly what I would be doing. Damn, I really need an agent. Back to query letters....

Steph said...

It's a thing of beauty, Aprilynne. Gorgeous book - I'm gonna have to bribe Harper for a final copy or something, because having just the ARC simply will not do!

(Or I could be a normal person and actually BUY it. Heh.)

Steph

Charlotte said...

I am super excited for you. I almost cried with joy when I read this post. I am really happy for you.

K. M. Walton said...

Wow, Aprilynne, I felt like I was there peeking over your shoulder as you experienced that moment. I wish you loads of success with this book and if you tour the Philadelphia area I will definitely make my best effort to come to the signing!

Congratulations!

Carbonneau said...

Congrats! It is Beautiful. Can't wait to see it in real life, I am so excited for you!

Tracee said...

Looks beautiful - if you are ever interested in doing an interview or guest post give me a shout! Can't wait to read it!

Jessie Oliveros said...

So shiny. Was it like holding your newborn for the first time? Wow, what a day. And whoever thinks the eReader is going to take over the world is CRAZY! Nothing can ever beat the glossy cover and the smooth crispy pages of a book. (The naked book pictures were a little risque I admit.)

Sharon Maas said...

Congratulations, Aprilynne (long time no see... entirely my fault!)
Aruna/Sharon

Andi said...

Shivers~~~~ It is so beautiful!!

J.R. Johansson said...

seriously amazing... like seriously! :) I'm so so so excited for you! I need to go check your schedule. Congrats!

cindy said...

hurrah! i called it! within the week! isn't it fantasti? she is beautiful! congrats, aprilynne!!

cleemckenzie said...

I has to be wonderful for you. Your cover is fabulous.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

they are breathtaking - congrads!

Unknown said...

So exciting!! :) I want to see, smell, hold... too!

Adrienne said...

I love how much authors love their spines! It's such a mark of someone who's looked at bookshelves her whole life. To me the spine is just the most amazing part.

Congrats hon! This is all rather wonderful, and it's lovely to be able to read the extended blurb from Ms. Meyer on the back!

Lea McKee said...

Congrats Aprilynne,
I love your name by the way, its so pretty just like your book. It sounds almost like a faerie name. I hope one of the stops in your tour is in Canada perhaps Toronto, I know alot of people who have been eagerly awainting your novel, myself included!
Congrats again, now if only I could find someone as great as Jodi to publish my novel. *Green with envy*

Good Luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

deltay said...

Wow - congratulations! I love the under cover too, the metallic pink font on black is so elegant, classic and beautiful.

Aqui Wolfe said...

I believe! X)= Congratz!!!!

Jamie Ford said...

Congrats! It's looks lovely.

John Osborne said...

I first heard of your book in USA Today. I think you're going to make a big splash. I hope so, I'm so tired of vampires. I've read Chapter One and I think you have a winner.

I have a link on my blog to your website, and I'm promoting your book on my blog. For selfish reasons - I'm finishing my own novel about a fairy.

Good luck!

David said...

How can I get one of those limited and signed editions? ;-)

Valerie Ipson said...

I'm sighing with you just reading your post. Thanks for sharing your moment. I can't wait to read the book.

David L. McAfee said...

WOW! How do I get one of those signed editions?