Yesterday I walked into a bookstore and saw this display and got really choked up. A lot of people lately have called me an overnight success, but here’s some context: THIS SAVAGE SONG is my 11th book.
My first book, THE NEAR WITCH, got almost no press aside from the fact it was a debut. It was in a select number of stores for a very short time, 1-2 copies max, and disappeared by the end of its first season. Out of print at 18 months.
After that, I wrote a sequel, which my publisher decided they didn’t want.
My second book, THE ARCHIVED, and its sequel, THE UNBOUND, did well, but not well enough for the publisher to finish the trilogy. I remember being terrified it wouldn’t get shelf space, then being terrified it wouldn’t sell, then being terrified of a hundred different things, half of which ended up happening. The hardcover of TA was just officially taken out of print.
[ETA: And because I just got an actual flurry of asks about TA3–I made a promise and I will keep it; THE RETURNED will be made available, in one format or another, whether through a publisher or online, when it’s ready.]
My fourth book, VICIOUS, was a total risk at a new publisher, and a surprise success, and my first book to come out in the UK. Nearly 3 years after release, it’s still selling strong.
My fifth, sixth, and seventh books were Scholastic Clubs and Fairs titles that sold more than 600,000 copies in Scholastic Book Fair, and STILL got turned down by Barnes and Noble. I never got to see them on shelf.
My eighth book, A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, was probably the one that launched my ship. It got decent store placement, great reviews, and is still selling strong–the paperback has been a Barnes and Noble bestseller for 4 months. Also the UK put up posters of it on the London Underground, and that’s pretty damn cool.
My ninth book was part of a multi-author platform at Scholastic. I hope I didn’t tank that series. It feels like I might have, though I’m really, really damn proud of my book.
My tenth book, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, was my first book to hit the NYT list. It was the first time I got to go on a national book tour, and see hundreds and hundreds of readers, some who were new, and some who’d been with me since the beginning.
And my eleventh book, THIS SAVAGE SONG, just came out in the UK, with the US release to follow next month.
So when I walk into a book store, and see my books on tables, on displays, when I have booksellers approach me in their cafes and ask if I would mind signing some stock, it makes me pretty f*cking happy.
It doesn’t make me mad when people call me an overnight success, but it doesn’t paint a true picture, either. So here you go.
blakekathryn
romaincrisis
pixelskylines
amandla
