11 Questions People Have Asked Me Since I’ve Published My Debut Novel
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers!
- How many book copies have you sold? I don’t know! Most authors don’t know! Penguin Random House does actually provide authors with a sales portal (other publishers do not!) but I’ve been told my numbers there are not up to date. I don’t think they’ll ever be up to date. And that only covers my US sales, anyway; my book is with a different publisher in other countries.Only my publishers have access to true sales numbers. They can update us anytime they wish. I finally worked up the nerve to ask, but haven’t received an answer yet, and honestly, I’m not sure what good knowing will do. I don’t know how many books I’m “supposed” to sell to be considered successful in my genre and age group, so it’s not even like there’s a number I’m aiming for. I’ve discussed this with my author friends, and none of them seem to know, either.Also: there’s very little any individual author can do, short of being a celebrity, to affect sales. It’s our publishers’ jobs to market our books, not our own. Sure, I can post to TikTok and Instagram and Twitter and Threads and Bluesky and Facebook and LinkedIn and WordPress and Tumblr and Substack and my website and send out this newsletter and go to bookstores to sign stock and reach out to more bookstores and podcasts and blogs and offer to do interviews and ALL THE THINGS, and I AM doing ALL THE THINGS, but the truth is—I don’t have time to do this every day. I have another book to write, not to mention children to care for, and even if I DID do all these things every day, my reach isn’t large enough to affect sales in a huge way.I did my job; I wrote a great book. And I know I’m biased, but the overwhelmingly positive reviews have confirmed to me that I did, indeed, write a great book. Now all I can do is hope it’s out there reaching its readers (plus all the other things I mentioned before.)Still concerned about my sales and want to help? Tell your friends about my book! Post it to your social media! Review it on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble! Request it at your local bookstore and library! (Thank you to everyone who has done all this and more!)
- Will your book be made into a movie or TV show? Highly unlikely, for any given author. Film rights DO get sold, but most of the time, this does not translate into an actual film or TV show being made. Sometimes it does! Never say never! But there is nothing imminent on the horizon for me right now.
- What does your title mean? I got asked this so much I made a video about it!
- Why don’t you ask Reese’s Book Club to feature your book? I don’t have Reese’s number. If you do, please ask her to feature my book! This goes for any celebrities you know, thanks!
- What are you working on next? I can’t say too much about it until an official announcement, but my next YA thriller takes place at a creepy coastal estate in Maine. It’s got a female friend group with a dark tragedy in their past, a maybe-haunted attic, bodies in the ocean, an abandoned lighthouse, a first love, and SO much more. I’m very, very excited for this one 🙂
- When is it coming out? I don’t know! I’ll tell you when I do.
- Will you ever write an adult book? Yes! I am working on it, in between all the other things I am doing.
- How are you able to balance all the things? I make lists. They’re never completed, but they’re there. I also finally allowed myself to get childcare for more than one day per week. Nothing wrong with investing in yourself, if you’re able, but it’s a mindset that’s been hard to overcome. I also try and give myself grace, and make sure I have things on my lists that are good for me, too, like “go for a walk” and “take a bath.”
- How are you doing? I’m okay! July was an incredibly busy and stressful month, with the book coming out and all the events and a deadline and some sickness to contend with (it’s summer! not sick season!), not to mention the heat—I dislike the heat.But now it’s August, possibly my favorite month of the year. The major events are over, the book is out, Book 2 is turned into my editor, the days and nights are cooler, the ocean is warmer (and the waves have been great lately!), the hydrangea in my yard is in full bloom, as are the brand new sunflowers we planted. I also just finally feel like I have a moment to breathe and enjoy summer, so that’s nice.
- Have you been on any podcasts? I have! You can listen to me here (at the 41-minute mark) and here!
- Where can we leave you ratings and reviews? On Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble! (Can you tell I would really like everyone to rate and review? In case it’s not clear, I would really, really like you to rate and review!)
That’s all for now? Have more questions? Just ask!
OTHER STUFF
Current:
Read: In the name of self-care, I’m currently deep into reading some fanfiction. No, I will not be discussing which one at this time.
Watch: When sick, I made my way through all The Traitors US & UK, and am currently on Australia. I love this show!
Listen: My son’s current favorite song is “Joy to the World” (he requests it by shouting “Jemmie da bullfwog!” so we’ve been listening to a lot of ‘70s stuff in our household lately.
Eat: All the garden tomatoes!
Project: The aforementioned adult thriller attempt. I keep poking at the structure while waiting on edits for my YA thriller. Should it be dual timeline? Set in the past or current day? Who’s to say? (Me, I’m to say but … I can’t decide!)
ORDER GIRLS WHO BURN
If you haven’t picked up my book yet, you can do so here!
