The Day...
... has come. Acacia is officially in bookstores as of today. I've been getting asked what sort of special things we have planned to mark the moment. A big party? Triumphant launch of the book tour? Trip to the bookstore at least?...
Well, no. Actually, I'm up this morning like any morning, checking email, letting the cat out, listening to NPR. I'm living up in the hills just now, nowhere near a center of publishing or academia. Not even near very many friends. If the day goes as I see planned I'll spend some time online, write up some evals for students I'm mentoring, answer some estimated tax questions for my accountant, go for a bike ride through the rolling landscape of the foothills, work a little on another interview, and then this evening we're going to have dinner with some of new (and temporary since we'll only be here for few months) neighbors. Chances are they'll have no idea I have a book rolling out onto bookshelves across the country today. (I might tell them, but only if it comes up naturally.)
So, all in all a pretty normal day. At least, normal in terms of my actual surroundings. I did answer an email query from an interested French publisher, and my ear is still sore from several hours on the phone with a movie producer yesterday... So there's a surreal aspect to things as well.
Oh, there's another nice online review just out at SFFWorld. You can get to it here. I realized also that I've been remiss in mentioning the review that went up at Bookie Monster! It's a great one by John Dent of Cardiff, Wales. It's a new sight, but one that I hope gets increasing attention. A Dribble of Ink is another new great new sight, just launched by Aidan Moher. He was kind enough to do an interview with me, which you can read here. Soon they'll be some print media ones coming. I think the first should be out within a week - what could be a very helpful one in Entertainment Weekly!
What's just as exciting for us here in many ways is that my wife just had a good bit of success in her own right. She's been an amateur knitwear designer for some time, making great stuff, mostly for family and friends. She's just made a big leap, though. She's had a design published in Knitty.com, which is the most popular knitwear design site in the country. Literally millions of people will view her design! And that's a guarantee because she got the cover! Her design (and our daughter modeling it) is the very first thing you see when you go to the site. Very cool, and hopefully a start of something for her. She's got a blog up herself. It's called The Shetland Trader and it highlights her Shetland roots and the knitting roots.
Anyway, that's just as much a part of today as any of this book stuff. We're feeling very fortunate, and thankful, just now.
Well, no. Actually, I'm up this morning like any morning, checking email, letting the cat out, listening to NPR. I'm living up in the hills just now, nowhere near a center of publishing or academia. Not even near very many friends. If the day goes as I see planned I'll spend some time online, write up some evals for students I'm mentoring, answer some estimated tax questions for my accountant, go for a bike ride through the rolling landscape of the foothills, work a little on another interview, and then this evening we're going to have dinner with some of new (and temporary since we'll only be here for few months) neighbors. Chances are they'll have no idea I have a book rolling out onto bookshelves across the country today. (I might tell them, but only if it comes up naturally.)
So, all in all a pretty normal day. At least, normal in terms of my actual surroundings. I did answer an email query from an interested French publisher, and my ear is still sore from several hours on the phone with a movie producer yesterday... So there's a surreal aspect to things as well.
Oh, there's another nice online review just out at SFFWorld. You can get to it here. I realized also that I've been remiss in mentioning the review that went up at Bookie Monster! It's a great one by John Dent of Cardiff, Wales. It's a new sight, but one that I hope gets increasing attention. A Dribble of Ink is another new great new sight, just launched by Aidan Moher. He was kind enough to do an interview with me, which you can read here. Soon they'll be some print media ones coming. I think the first should be out within a week - what could be a very helpful one in Entertainment Weekly!
What's just as exciting for us here in many ways is that my wife just had a good bit of success in her own right. She's been an amateur knitwear designer for some time, making great stuff, mostly for family and friends. She's just made a big leap, though. She's had a design published in Knitty.com, which is the most popular knitwear design site in the country. Literally millions of people will view her design! And that's a guarantee because she got the cover! Her design (and our daughter modeling it) is the very first thing you see when you go to the site. Very cool, and hopefully a start of something for her. She's got a blog up herself. It's called The Shetland Trader and it highlights her Shetland roots and the knitting roots.
Anyway, that's just as much a part of today as any of this book stuff. We're feeling very fortunate, and thankful, just now.
Labels: Acacia, Announcements, Random Ruminations
posted by David Anthony Durham at
11:34 AM
14 Comments:
Congratulations, David. I am looking forward to picking the book up very soon. It sounds like it will be a good read. Good luck in Fresno this fall. Amber Folland
Thanks Amber! You know, back in the day I would've cringed at being a "good read". But that was then - now I very much want to be a "good read". Hurray for "good reads"!
Congratulations, sir!
Scott Oden has sung your praises, so I must needs read your latest book. Thanks for letting us know it came out today - a trip to B&N is in order...
Joshua Olive
Hey Josh,
I recognize you! (From Scott's Blog) Glad to hear he's swayed you. Now I just hope the book doesn't disappoint.
Best,
David.
Congrats, David!
Everyone picking up the book will not be disappointed!
As a (hopefully non-creepy) aside, you have a beautiful daughter! She must take after her mother! ;)
Steady now...
You know, I've shied away from putting up pictures of my family, but I figured since millions of people would be seeing her image anyway, and since I assure my friends and family that fantasy folks really aren't that weird... well, I went ahead and linked it. I do think Gudrun's designs are great, but, honestly, I'm sure the model helped win that cover!
Congratulations on the arrival of your latest ouvre. I was notified by Amazon that my copy shipped today! Wooooot! Looking forward to digging in again to see what the final cut is like! All the best... Gerry
Gerry,
You're name is in there in the acknowledgements, you know. At the beginning, before the book even starts! Top billing.
David, congratulations on Acacia! I imagine you spent the day grinning from ear to ear. Hopefully the positive press will only snowball from here. Does it feel different from when Pride of Carthage came out? Different audience and all I mean? I'm anxiously awaiting my 'real' copy so I can see what I missed in the ARC and finally finish.
Tell your wife congrats, too! I started knitting a year ago, and knitty.com is one of my favorite sites- even if most of the patterns are over my head as of yet. My kids only will wear knitted beanies and socks. Teenagers. Can't live with them, can't sell them.
But you can cover their car with Silly String.
Hey, congrats, David! Ask Josh: I'm pretty much pimping you to everyone I know (though I can't seem to shake him of this eerie man-love he bears for GRRM). Acacia still ranks as the best book I've read so far this year . . . you're on the shelf with Tolkien, some Dan Abnett, and my much beloved Pressfield :)
Hope your day was calm and memorable!
Congratulations. Happy Acacia Day.
When i went to WisCon I was amazed at how many people were knitting while at the panels. A friend told me that it actually helps her listen better.
Congratulations to both of you. :)
I may one day manage to write a publishable novel, but the art of knitting (or anything else that involves needles, yarn and stuff) is beyond me.
I do better with swords. *grin*
David,
I was so thrilled to see the mention in the acknowledgements... my humble thanks!
I forgot how Acacia hooks you in the first few chapters! Winter has also begun reading it.
I have also been promoting the book among friends... hope you sell a million!
Cheers!
Gerry,
Cool that Winter is reading it. Let me know how he does with it. And the acknowledgement is deserved. Thanks for being an early reader.
A million copies? Hmm, several times people have said they hoped it sold a bazillion copies. That sounded good, but I'm having my doubts as to whether that's a real number... It might be safer to aim for a million.
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