Saturday, April 28, 2007

Smile, Everyone! -- Jay

Earlier this week, the Advance Reading Copies of Thirteen Reasons Why were shipped out all across the country. For the first time, people who know nothing about me are going to be reading my words and judging me as a published author.

How freaky is that!

It doesn’t matter that I’m a nice guy. It doesn’t matter that I wrote that book while working at two public libraries and three bookstores (though never more than two at once). It doesn’t matter that the very first time I appeared in a newspaper was way back in elementary school, sitting in the school library and reading a book. It doesn’t matter that I think librarians, booksellers, and children’s book reviewers are the three most important pillars of any society.

And it doesn’t matter that our blog address is printed on the back of every ARC (tee-hee!).

The only thing that matters is whether people who don’t know me can connect with a story that I just totally made up. So as I try to focus on Book 2, I’ll be sitting on pins (as well as a few needles), waiting to hear their reactions to Book 1.

This moment is precisely what I’ve been saving my hour-long massage gift certificate for.

- Jay

BONUS POST: San Luis Obispo county has a weekly arts & entertainment paper called New Times. This week’s issue gave the results of its 21st annual “Best Of” readers poll.

Check this out…

8 comments:

Greg Pincus said...

Maybe if you guys pontificate more you can move up?

Way cool!!!

Oh, and on the books... wait til someone who DOES know you doesn't like the book. Compare that with someone who doesn't know you being rapturous (which'll be more likely). We'll await the comparison....

Natalie said...

I must say, your blog sounds a lot more fun than Dave's.

I can't wait for my ARC to arrive! Once I've read it, I'll start a thread on Verla's (much to the envy the the other blue boarders, until they can get their hands on the book this fall). ;-)

And I promise I won't be swayed by the fact that *my* ARC is probably the only one that comes with a Butterfinger bar, artwork by Eve and Robin's son, and a Disco Mermaids button. Eat your hearts out, librarians and reviewers--while I munch away on my Butterfinger...

Disco Mermaids said...

Dave's actually very cool (not that there's any doubt that ours is the fun blog). But I did e-mail him to let him know that the '08 poll is going to be a different story...cuz the Mermaids won't forget to vote next year!

- Jay

(And look at you, flaunting your Butterfinger!)

heidi said...

It would freak me out too--like dropping your baby off for preschool on the first day. you know YOU love him and that he's perfect in every way, but will everyone else agree?

Eeek. Enjoy the ride! (And maybe think of another fun contest as a wiggy-nerves-distraction!)

CJ Omololu said...

Apparently they didn't poll north of SLO because so much of your readership is up in the Bay Area. Well, me anyway.

Good luck with the ARC invasion. I can't wait to see your name bandied about.

Stephanie J. Blake said...

Good luck, Jay! Thanks for sharing the journey with us.

Emily Jiang said...

Great news and good luck, Jay!

Sarah Stevenson said...

Yay! Congrats on the blog mention and on your ARC.