and it's only tuesday

So people are starting to get their copies of Death Wishing from Amazon, and oddly enough some folks have reported getting two copies. Shrug.

A fantastic review + giveaway went live at Erin Reads, and so far it looks like folks are responding very positively.

One thing seems clear--I sort of have to put the book in people's faces, BUT that's working. I did the Last Rites reading in Baltimore on Sunday. The crowd was small, as the event was scheduled at the tail end of the Baltimore Book fest, but my book went over very well. I have officially joined the ranks of indie writers who hoard 5s and 10s to make change. There's a story problem there: If three hipsters each have a 20 dollar bill, the barista has three 5s, and the guy who came for the warm canned beer has two 10s, how many books can two writers sell if their book are going for 10 bucks a pop? (hint: the second writer has a cold, so she's been sipping on a red plastic cup of whiskey) There were three readers and a country singer named Happy Haines. One guy who bought my book sat down in front of me and immediately read the last page.

Next weekend is Scranton, and the Pages & Places Book Festival where I'm scheduled to offer a workshop session on fiction and writing culture.

I promise to try for more variety in these reading pics. Enjoy the blur:

Versions & Releases

So everyone I know who pre-ordered Death Wishing via amazon has recieved notice that the book has shipped and should arrive by September 28, well ahead of the publisher's release date of October 1. The release date is still listed as Oct 11 elsewhere, but I'm not sure if that means anything at all.

A friend of mine noticed that the iBook version just popped up for pre-order along with a 23 page sample from the beginning of the book. And today, the Kindle version appeared for pre-order as well. both ebook versions are listing for $9.99 so far.

I just had a mini-freak out in the post office having gone there to send out a few copies to VIPs. Glad no one was there, but it was weird. I don't have anxiety attacks. Those are for OTHER PEOPLE.

Tomorrow I'll be at the Last RITES reading in Baltimore. This is a lovely series held every last Sunday of the month in a hostel set up in a 1850s mansion across from the Baltimore Basilica. Check out the room:

A very good day

My reading at Fall for the Book went very well. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, tons of alumz, and I signed many books. The tent was about half to two thirds full when I started, but by the wrap up it was SRO. I guess hearing some crazy lady reference butcher block table sex will make your average busy sophomore pause for a listen.

While I was reading, Amye Archer's review of Death Wishing went live at Necessary Fiction. It's a great review, plus anyone googling for Jerry O'Connell is going to check it out. THAT's marketing genius.

It was a terrific pleasure to have fellow Ig-mate Jacob Paul at the festival. You can see him at far left of the audience pic below. I introduced his reading later in the evening, and he read a bit from Sarah/Sara but also from a fascinating new manuscript he's calling Chelm Dreaming. Later he visited my class, where they wore him to a nub.

skip your classes, I'll write you a note.

Today I do my first reading from Death Wishing. Noon. The copy from the Fall for the Book festival Page:

Laura Ellen Scott, author of the novel Death Wishing, teaches fiction writing at George Mason University. Her work has been selected for The Wigleaf Top Fifty and Barrelhouse magazine's "Futures" issue. She has twice been nominated for Dzanc's Best of the Web 2010 anthology.

Novelist and Short Story Writer Laura Ellen Scott

Mason professor of English Laura Ellen Scott reads from her debut novel, Death Wishing, a self-described “comic fantasy” set in post-Katrina New Orleans, where one’s dying wishes come true.

Where: Sandy Spring Bank Tent, Johnson Center Plaza,4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA
When: Monday, Sep 19, 2011, 12:00pm-1:15pm

Not sure why "comic fantasy" is in quotes. Dean asks, "Is that a font?"

Obligatory Box O' Books Pic

So the publisher made sure I got my books asap, and they are gorgeous. No French flap or author photo but I figured that wouldn't happen in this economy, and given that the book was rushed into production to meet the Fall for the Book and Pages and Places deadlines. It's been a great 15 hours so far, with eggplant ravioli, sazeracs, mst3k, and a 4 star rating snuck in by a book blogger on goodreads (she gave the same rating to Little Women). Oh, and somehow I still managed to lose a pound and a half this week, bringing my summer loss to 24 pounds. That's two thirds of a couch beagle, folks. The guitar, drum, and hydrodome belong to Dean. We're keeping the books in his office to avoid shredding (cats) or soiling (boy dog). If you saw my book pics on FB, the Guatemalan skull is mine.

Not Just Letters

Hope you didn't stop by for 9/11 memories. Ours are only interesting to ourselves, and other people have much more important things to say. I hope they get a chance to do so. This newsletter went out to faculty and alums last week. Written by my Art Taylor. My mom made the necklace. And yeah, I always look like I'm about to snort koolaid out my nose.

Official Coming Out of my new Blog: Wish Tank

To promote my novel, Death Wishing, and to create a little fun cross promotion as well, I've launched Wish Tank as a place to collect Death Wishes--as I've redefined the term, a Death Wish is a wish uttered before dying in hopes that it comes true. PLEASE send me a wish--submission details are on the About page. My publishers have pledged to donate copies of my book for a possible wish contest. Coincidentally, the Department newsletter was put in everyone's boxes today and it features a profile of me and the book on the front page, so I've been receiving questions and congratulations from my colleagues all day, which has been gratifying. Also, Barrelhouse (they published my short story called "Wish Tank" a while back--see how this all fits together?) sent out a message to their online subscribers announcing that they are hosting a reading by me and Mark Yakich November 19. If it's in writing it has to be true right?

oof

novel shipping from printers next week. oh shit http://igpub.com/death-wishing/