11 Comments

Well, this takes all the sting out of not making a list. Maybe you publicists should start your own list, but with a hitch. You can't put any of of the books you represent on your list. Then post 10 different publicists lists. Anyway, I enjoyed the read and your sense of humor about the whole thing.

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That “third spoke” paragraph is almost a poem if you broke it into lines.

Nice Swift reference to go with the photo. Not intentional? It’s “Love you to the Moon [and to Saturn]” from her song “seven.”

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Ha, Frank! I love that you’re a Swiftie. Not a reference, but fun either way—was referencing her “surprise” face in a later paragraph. And always good to sound almost like a poem!

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I don’t know if I would call myself a Swiftie, but I do enjoy reading BDM over at Notebook on her Swiftian (Taylor, not Jonathan) takes. She and other Substack writers have revived footnotes as a place where wit dwells.

https://notebook.substack.com/p/1989-revisited

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Ou I’ll have to give this a read! Thanks for sharing. I love a footnote.

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She really does love footnotes!

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I do too. I think it's smart that Substack supports them the way they do. You position your mouse over the footnote number and the text pops up -- it can be used almost like a standup comedian's punchline.

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Such wise words. It took me a long time to figure out the process wasn’t particularly hard organic or free. There are outliers and happy surprises. I have writer friends who ended up on an NPR list and one that blurbed my book that is a current Goodreads nominee. But it’s just hard especially for indie press writers to think - maybe I’ll get on a list. That is just not likely to happen. I think we need your candor, enough of the background to know it isn’t personal. There are a lot of books published. Lists are short. Money is short.

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Sometimes it’s nice to be pleasantly surprised by what can happen for a book. And of course, we still want to pitch and try, but it’s good to know the landscape we are all working within to get a different perspective. ❤️ your books deserve every list, Amy!

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✔️

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All we can control is writing the best book our talents will allow. The rest is good fortune. Keep writing and try not to allow this sting to prevent that new chapter, character, or delicious chaotic situation.

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