So, a lot has happened since I delivered the Magicians Impossible manuscript to my editor at Thomas Dunne Books on January 6th. Manuscript was received, I received the rest of my advance, and took a breath to orient myself after what was a long haul project.
Since then … a lot more has happened. Word started getting out; some book blogs picked up word on Magicians Impossible, the dedication and acknowledgements were written and submitted so the book could be sent to the printer’s for those galleys to be sent out to reviewers in April. July 4, 2017 was fast approaching.
Then… things changed.The original release date of July 4th was always fluid, with my hope they’d move it up to June 27 so people could get the book in hand before the summer officially began on the long weekend.
That was my hope, anyway.
Instead, the sales, marketing, and publicity departments, along with my editor, jointly decided that an autumn release date would be better for the book.
Which is why Magicians Impossible will now be released September 12, 2017. I’m told through the grapevine that the higher ups at St. Martin’s Press (where Thomas Dunne Books, my imprint, has its home) feel Magicians has the potential to do much better in the fall market, which is typically when the big five release their major titles. It’s a huge vote of confidence in me and Magicians that they would make such a decision.
[As an aside, a friend who worked in sales at a UK publisher for years said it means SMP wants Magicians to be an anchor of their Christmas line-up. So, Merry Christmas to me]
What does this change? Well, nothing in the short term, except now we have a little more time to get the whole machine up and running. My agent, Jodi, and I are meeting with the SMP team in early April to plot promotional, marketing, and publicity strategies – and she and I will be strategic on our own as how to maximize the new release day, the months leading to it, and the ones following.
Anyway, to keep up with what’s happening with Magicians Impossible, I now have an author page up at the MacMillan Books website. I also have a Facebook page you can swing by and like for more updates.
And, of course, the book’s available for pre-order at fine bookstores everywhere.
I made mention in the previous update that I’d be leading up to the book’s July release with a series of entries about things I discovered about writing and process. That’s still happening, but for obvious reasons is being delayed a couple months. But I’ll have some new non-Magicians related material up sooner than later. I hope.
TTFN