Coming Soon to a Pair of Hands Attached to You

This is the part of putting out a book that drives me crazy. Well, aside from brainstorming the plot and outlining all the chapters. That's not easy. And the actual writing -- that can make me a little cuckoo sometimes. And revising and moving things around and trying to remember what the hell I was thinking when I wrote a scene a certain way seven months ago...that really makes my brain hurt.

But all of that is a walk in the park -- on a sunny day, yet, with free hot dogs and sodas from all the pushcart guys -- compared to waiting.

You see, the new "Holmes on the Range" novel, The Double-A Western Detective Agency, is done. Ready. Set to go. But the files still need a few minuscule tweaks. How minuscule is "minuscule"? There's a tab missing in the ebook file, and the title on the spine of the paperback needs to be shrunk by one-sixteenth of an inch.

I'm not kidding. That's it. They're tiny changes -- literally -- and I won't have to wait long for them, but you know what comes after that? All the files get uploaded to Amazon, which runs them through its own approval process -- something that takes between 16 and 72 hours. And even if the files get the O.K. (which isn't guaranteed -- Amazon can be persnickety) there's yet another wait waiting for me: It can take days for the book in question to actually appear on the site.

"But, Steve," I hear you say, "you've been working on this book for almost two years. What possible difference could a few more days make?"

My reply: I WANT TO BE DONE!!!!!!!!!

"Dude," I now hear you say (as you run away), "switch to freakin' decaf."

My reply: Sorry.

I was going to get all fancy when the book was finally finished and approved and loaded up to go on sale. There was going to be one last waiting period for pre-orders and extra pre-release hype and such. But you know what? Screw that. As soon as the book can be available it will be available. There will be only one final sorta-kinda delay: On the long-awaited day when the book is on sale, the folks on my e-newsletter list will be the first to know. I'll also throw some sort of giveaway at 'em. So, you know...hint hint. If you want in on that, you know what to do.

And fair enough if you don't want in on that. I joined the AARP recently, and let me tell you: You do not want to give those crafty old bastards your email address. Geez Louise, the spam I get now. Apparently, 21st century senior citizens are suckers for (1) dodgy investment schemes, (2) overpriced windows and (3) B.S. "health supplements" (especially -- sign of the times -- hemp oil), because I get approximately 300 messages about them every day. So yeah -- if you want one less promotional email in your life, I get it. Just keep checking this site (or my Facebook and Twitter feeds) over the next, say, 10 days, and eventually you'll see that The Double-A Western Detective Agency can finally be bought and read and (hopefully) enjoyed.

The wait is almost over. 

Just don't ask me how long it'll be before the next book is done....

Comments

[Kevin Bates]

Steve, Amazon is faster then you think. I just bought the ebook and have started it already. The print version is not listed yet but I will be getting that as well. Any word on the audiobook yet? Also can not wait for the new story in Ellery Queen. Is it a prelude to the Double A?

[Liam]

Will it be available in stores or is it ebook only?

[Steve]

Kevin: Whoa -- they *are* faster than I expected! I was thinking the ebook would go live Tuesday at the earliest. I just hope the paperback pops up soon, too, because I don't want to start promoting until they're both available. Ugh -- more waiting. Oh, well -- at least the wait is over for you. Hope you're digging the book!

Liam: The book'll be available as an ebook, a paperback and (probably but not definitely) an audiobook. It'll start off in Amazon only, though. But local stores and libraries should be able to order it if they're so inclined.

[Jenny K.]

I just ordered the paperback version from Amazon. Merry Christmas to me!

[Michael]

Will there not be a hardcover edition for this volume?

(I'm hoping there is, but I've been seeing a recent trend with novel series that started in hardcover editions ending with softcover followups. Just ran into this with a R.S. Belcher book for example. )

Regardless of format, I'm very much looking forward to this book!

[Steve]

Jenny: Thanks for buying the book -- hope it makes your Christmastime a little holly-jollier!

Michael: I'm afraid there won't be a hardcover for this one, which I know is disappointing for collectors. Sorry!

[Jason Rekulak]

Yes!! I read the first HOLMES in front of a raging fire on a snowy night (with a glass of Scotch!) and I plan on repeating that ritual with this one (just need the weather to cooperate; I already have the booze).

[Jan McClintock]

The new book is already on my Christmas list, so calm down, dude. Seriously, I've submitted many client books to Amazon and their turnaround is pretty surprising, especially considering that the ebooks that used to go to CreateSpace are now going to KDP. As you saw this time, the Kindle version popped out faster than poop through a goose. Personally, I think someone on staff was secretly waiting to read the latest version. Score!

[Steve]

Jason: Settling into a comfy chair on a cold night with a good drink and a fun book is one of my favorite things in the world. So hearing that I'm providing someone else with the "fun book" in that same equation makes me insufferably pleased with myself. I hope Mother Nature gets her act together soon with the right snowy night!

Jan: Oh, yeah -- Amazon is fast these days! I could've announced the pub date a couple days earlier, but I messed up and scheduled some related promotions that I then couldn't move up. So even before I officially told the world the book is available (which I'll be doing in five, four, three, two...), a decent-sized cluster of impatient readers have already found it. It looks like some folks were hitting refresh-refresh-refresh on a "Steve Hockensmith" search on Amazon and got the book the second it was live as a result. Which means the first reviews should start popping up soon...and that's another wait that makes me edgy....