At last, I can announce what's been going on behind the scenes here for about a year and a half: the acceptance and publication of my memoir uncovering the fate and character of my submarine-commander father, lost in WWII before I was born. I couldn't let myself talk about it till now, for fear of over-exposure. Even now, I've had to hold myself back from republishing the whole book in the excerpts at the sidebar! To breathe a word about it opens the floodgates.
The official publication date is April 29, but you can order it now from Amazon at a substantial pre-publication discount. Meanwhile, I'm scheduling book talks, compiling mailing lists, and doing all the other marketing tasks that writers are now expected to do to promote their books. This requires a full 180-degree Janus-like turn from a writer's to marketer's stance. EEEEK! or IIIIIIck! The Maine Writers and Publisher's Alliance has written in their newsletter over and over again words I've always ignored until this past year: "Your real work doesn't begin till after you've written and placed your book with a publisher." That's when you start marketing. And I'm here to say, now that I've gone through it, starting a year before your book will be published is not soon enough. It's one of those inchoate jobs that expands to fill any time you have.
But I'm not complaining. I know that this is just temporary, the arrangements to what I really have been wanting to do ever since I started this project way back in 1999: to shout it from the rooftops! In a few weeks, I'll be able to do just that. And as of today, blog about it here.
Hurrah!
Posted by: Scheherazade | March 31, 2008 at 04:19 AM
Many, many congratulations. You must be feeling so wonderful. Both at finishing such an important task and secondly at being able to publish it and share it with the world. I will check out Amazon soon!
Posted by: Tabor | April 01, 2008 at 04:12 AM
I'm delighted to hear of your book's publication. I've been wondering since the first of the year when this announcement would be made, but refrained from emailing you.
I'll definitely be interested in a copy and I especially want a copy for my brother since he served in the WWII U.S. Navy Pacific Submarine Fleet communications unit, stationed in Perth, Australia. My brother is still able to read, but am anxious to get it to him. Will you have an audio book, too?
If your book promotion travels take you to the Big Island of Hawaii he would likely enjoy meeting you. When he was able to use the computer he had begun researching the submarine web sites, and had started writing his own war memoirs.
Posted by: joared | April 03, 2008 at 06:31 AM
I'm delighted to hear of your book's publication. I've been wondering since the first of the year when this announcement would be made, but refrained from emailing you.
I'll definitely be interested in a copy and I especially want a copy for my brother since he served in the WWII U.S. Navy Pacific Submarine Fleet communications unit, stationed in Perth, Australia. My brother is still able to read, but am anxious to get it to him. Will you have an audio book, too?
If your book promotion travels take you to the Big Island of Hawaii he would likely enjoy meeting you. When he was able to use the computer he had begun researching the submarine web sites, and had started writing his own war memoirs.
Posted by: joared | April 03, 2008 at 06:33 AM
Mega congrats to you, Mary Lee on the upcoming release of your book!
I read the excerpts and I'm hooked already! I can't even begin to understand what it must be like to grow up with no mention of the other person who gave you life.
I'm heading to Amazon now to order my copy and can't wait to read it.
Sending you all good wishes on much success with your debut book.
And I love the new "look" of your site here. It looks great along with that sharp book cover.
Posted by: Terri | April 04, 2008 at 12:19 PM
This is Great News!! Congratulations!!!
Posted by: Barbara Ray | April 04, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Congratulations! This is very exciting.
I just accepted a freelance story for our local Sunday paper tomorrow-- I will be covering the annual Thresher Memorial Service...
http://www.thresherbase.org/
Maybe you are interested in attending? (Traip Academy, Kittery, ME). It would be nice to meet and also I could speak with you "on the record," if you're interested. After all, you have written a book on the same sort of loss these families experienced.
Short notice, I know!
Posted by: Amy | April 11, 2008 at 07:26 AM
I pre-ordered your book on Amazon. I'm anxious to read it.
Posted by: wally | April 13, 2008 at 06:47 AM
Ah, suddenly the title of your blog resonates like a bell across the water! Congratulations on the book!
Posted by: Lori | April 14, 2008 at 02:23 AM
Wow! Congratulations on your book! What an undertaking! I will add it to my summer reading list, for when school's out!
Posted by: lisa | April 27, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Congratulations, Mary Lee! Just saw the Amazon link on Sherry's blog! I'm very impressed!
Posted by: ms.f | May 21, 2008 at 10:52 AM