Happy Mother's Day, everyone! I've got a few exciting updates to share. First off, final edits are in. I didn't change too much from the original version some of you read - just included a bit more about Daniel's life pre-China. At this point, I'm waiting for a copyeditor to give the manuscript a final read-through to ensure that there are no typos or errors in grammar and punctuation. Yesterday, I edited the copy for the back cover of the novel, which the team at Inkshares sent over last week. I've attached it above, so please feel free to let me know what you think! If you were browsing in a bookstore, would this plot summary "draw you in?"
Second announcement: Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside finally has a listing on Amazon! It's a bit bare-bones at the moment, but I'm told Round 1 cover designs should be in by the end of the week. Once they are, I'll post them here and on Facebook, as I would love to hear your feedback. For those of you who have already read the book, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review on Amazon. Authors - and especially first-time ones - tend to live and die by these ratings. I'll do something nice for you if you do. (Not sure what yet, but I promise - it will be good!)
Lastly, for those of you who live in the Bay Area, I'll be giving my first reading at Rooz Cafe on the evening of Thursday, June 4th. If you could swing by to support me, that would be a huge boost! I've also been nominated for an Oakland Indie Award, but it's not looking likely that I'll be able to do a reading there. Still, the organizer has talked about collaborating over the summer, so fingers crossed. The more people I can get this in front of, the better!
Please help me out by "liking" my Facebook page, following me on Twitter, and stopping by my new website, all of which are listed below. Thanks again for the support. Wishing you a great week!
Quincy
Update: Feedback from My Editor
Hey, everyone. It's me again. My school currently has a week off for spring break, so I'm back in Boston, catching up with family, watching baseball, overanalyzing my Fantasy roster, procrastinating on doing my taxes, jamming out with friends, and - most exciting of all - revising my novel. My editor, Kiele Raymond, sent me her thoughts on the manuscript last week, and I'm happy to report that they were very encouraging. She clearly spent a lot of time on the story, and I could tell that she understood my characters well. To quote from her critique, UMDC is "a story about humanity - our emotional scars, vulnerability, and fundamental need to be understood just as we are." According to her, she put the book down "questioning [her] own capacity for open-mindedness, kindness, and forgiveness." (I could not have asked for a more gratifying response.) All in all, she labeled it "a remarkable draft."
This isn't to say that she didn't have any suggestions; I'm working hard this week to address them so that you get the best possible version of this story once it's out in the fall. Please continue to help me out by spreading the word on social media and among those you know - for a first-time author, this is REALLY important.
Again, thank you for the support. There is no way I could have done this without you. Hopefully, you'll be reading the book soon!
Quincy
I just wanted to send out another quick update, as I've realized that there is some confusion about the release date of my book. Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from my editor, who is reading the manuscript and jotting down her notes. She is going to get in touch with me by April 4th, at which point I'll start addressing her concerns. (We talked on the phone a few weeks ago, and she said that she doesn't expect there to be a ton, given how long I've been working on the manuscript and her impressions from the first chapter, so fingers crossed.) Once that's done, we'll move onto marketing, layout, design and printing. Currently, the release date for the novel is set for some time in September. (E-books may be out sooner.) I know that's a long time to wait, so that's why I really appreciate the support. Orders are still coming in, so please help me to continue spreading the word. I've been doing some guerrilla marking in Oakland, but every little bit helps, especially for a first-time author. Can't wait for you all to read it!
Quincy
Awesome, Jeremy! Thanks for the support. See you then.