Dear friends and followers,
Things are really progressing! We have:
- Galleys! And a new cover!
- Reviews! Blurbs!
- Interviews! (You’ll want to check this out.)
So, first off, the galleys. LOOK! Inkshares posted this to Twitter a few days ago:
Yes, there’s a blurb there from Andy Lewis of The Hollywood Reporter. It says, "A mystery that recalls the best of Golden Age detective fiction. With fresh characters and unique twists, Huang has created a whodunit with just the right mix of old and new."
If you head over to one of the online retail outlets like Amazon, you’ll see a few other blurbs too:
- "Dorothy Sayers is alive and well and writing under the name of Christopher Huang. A Gentleman’s Murder echoes the traditional mysteries in the best sense: no car chases or explosions, just great characters and a feel for time and place." - Rhys Bowen, author
- "Settings and atmosphere captured perfectly from nearly a century ago, complex characters, and a compelling mystery―Christopher Huang’s A Gentleman’s Murder is a must read for fans of Anthony Horowitz, Charles Todd, and Anne Perry." - Daryl Maxwell, Los Angeles Public Library
- "A dazzlingly atmospheric debut that transports you to 1920s London. A Gentleman’s Murder is a meticulous mystery that will keep you guessing until the end and please fans of both Agatha Christie and Gillian Flynn." - Sarah Nivala, Book Soup
Over on Goodreads, Advance Reader reviews are already coming in.
And interviews. Well, interview, singular ... for now. I exchanged a few friendly words with Jacqui Castle, author of The Seclusion, on her blog. Here’s the link. (While you’re at it, why not also check out The Seclusion? It’s quite the disturbing little dystopian epic.)
And we’re on track for the official publication date of 31 July 2018. TALLY HO!
The kids are almost done with school for the year, and then before we know it summer will be in full swing. Our family will be kicking it off with a week on the South Carolina coast with good friends - playing in the ocean, eating seafood, and hopefully I’ll be making progress on my massive to-be-read pile.
With June just a few days away, I’m realizing that in just over three months, my book will be out in the wild. We’ve almost made it people! I realize that this update is coming a few days earlier than usual, but that is because a lot has been happening on this end. So, today I have an exciting production update for you, and interviews with authors Jason Pomerance and Christopher Huang to share.
The Seclusion Production Update
The book is finished with copy edit and layout, and Advanced Reader Copies are being printed shortly. I have received a couple of amazing blurbs from authors that I respect greatly! These will be printed on the galleys, and possibly on the final books as well.
One of the secrets to a strong launch is early reviews. A while back I promised that those who have already preordered a copy of the book and would like to receive an early PDF version, would be offered that opportunity as soon as review copies were ready. Well, that day has come. I need as many of you as possible to be on my early review team!!!
Shoot me a message if you are one of the original 570 backers to have already preordered the book and would like an early review copy.What would being on the early review team mean?
Well, Goodreads allows reviews any time, including before the publication date, and Amazon begins allowing reviews on the date of publication. So, the goal would be to post Goodreads reviews asap, and then mark your calendars with a reminder to leave an Amazon review on September 4th. My personal goal will be fifty Goodreads reviews prior to publication, and fifty Amazon reviews within the first week after publication. This accomplishment will change the way Amazon ranks the book, so it will start showing up in the "if you like this, you might like this" section when people are browsing.
Remember, reviews don’t need to be incredibly detailed, they just need to exist. Detailed is great! But, a simple star rating is better than nothing. Have I told you recently how much I appreciate all of you?
I am hoping in the next few weeks to finalize my travel plans for my trip out to the west coast to sign all of the backer copies. If any of you are in the San Franscisco area and would like to grab a cup of coffee, let me know.