Facing Release Day Like A Woman

Happy book birthday to me! Today, ANGEL LOVER's hitting stores and readers who've had a chance to read early copies of the book will begin to post their reviews on various websites, including Goodreads and Amazon. Launch day is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for a debut author.

While the thrill of seeing my work make it into the hands of readers doesn't get old, what causes stress is waiting to see how the book does in it's first two weeks. That's arbitrary, but usually you get a sense of how well a book is received by the early sales numbers and reviews. This time around, I'm not letting the jitters take the fun out of accomplishing another finished manuscript.

Previously, I'd watch every tick of my Amazon sales rank with a desperate hope in my heart. I wanted to crack the Top 100 sales list because I saw that as proof I'd written a good book. Strong sales would mean another book deal, or possibly a new opportunity to sell lots of copies of the other books in the series.

Now? I'm less naive about the magical two weeks of a book launch. My genre, paranormal romance/urban fantasy, is hurting and has for a while. The sales I expect will come mostly from readers who've enjoyed the first book and the prequel from the series. I know my Mom will grab one. Maybe several of my close friends. The rest will be readers who, I think, enjoyed the world of my angel assassins.

I'm no longer terrified of reading a rotten review, or of seeing my sales hover in the mid-hundred thousands. The difference in me as a writer, after only three books, is finally realizing I have little control once the book is out in the world. Of course, I've planned promotions to support it and I have a two-week multi-blog tour kicking off today. But I understand the odds better.

Take a look at any book store and browse through all the choices readers have for paranormal romance. Thousands of books scream from the shelves, seeking attention. I want a reader to snuggle up with my book, but getting it noticed when the choices are overwhelming is a never- ending battle.

I love a good challenge, and I believe in the series I've written. Choosing a career as a writer means I'm not looking for overnight success. I want to grow my brand, build up a following, and find new ways to entertain readers with the craziness in my brain. I'm thrilled ANGEL LOVER will find its way onto someone's e-reader or shelf (the paperback version will be out soon). I think it's just more exciting to think about what I can produce next rather than freak out over what I can't change.

About Tricia Skinner

Tri­cia Skin­ner is an author of pas­sion­ate dark fan­tasy. She began her writ­ ing career as a busi­ness reporter and wrote for The Detroit News, Investor’s Busi­ness Daily, MSN, and The Hous­ton Chron­i­cle.

Raised in Detroit, Tri­cia grad­u­ated with a BA degree from the nation­ally acclaimed Jour­nal­ism Insti­ tute for Media Diver­sity at Wayne State Uni­ver­sity. She also earned a Mas­ters of Lib­eral Stud­ies — Cre­ative Writ­ing degree from South­ern Methodist Uni­ver­sity. Diver­sity in genre fic­ tion is dear to Tricia’s heart. She is rep­re­sented by Lau­rie McLean, co-founder of Fuse Lit­er­ary Agency.

When not writ­ing, Tri­cia can be found read­ing, lift­ing weights, or geek­ing out over games, movies, and music. She has a Tom Hid­dle­ston obses­sion, and she is Team Vader. Her fam­ily includes three Great Danes (so far).

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About ANGEL LOVER

The Nephilim are bound. Their powers cursed. But half-angel Kasdeja will do anything to free them from Heaven’s tyranny. When Kas is approached by a striking, mysterious woman, she tells him his greatest enemies hold the key to his freedom.

Mariel keeps herself shrouded in secrets, using them to hide her true self. For she is not just employed by the Renegades–enemy fallen angels—she is a double agent, working on the sly for Heaven. Her directive is to seduce the gorgeous Nephilim—despite her insecurity about such sensual acts.

For Mariel is playing a dangerous game, and falling for Kas could only cause trouble; her assignment isn’t just seduction. It’s destruction.