Tracey Garvis Graves's Blog, page 10

A year ago last weekend (September 3rd, 2011, to be exact), I self-published my debut novel, On the Island, with no idea what to expect.

It felt weird. Really weird. It also felt good. The availability of self-publishing programs meant I didn't have to shove my novel in a drawer and hope that someone would take a chance on the next book I wrote. 

Not much changed. I still went to my day job. My kids still fought (constantly). And my husband and I still tried to find time to have an uninterrupted conversation (and maybe a glass of wine).

A few months later, things started to change a little bit. Sales went up, although not dramatically. I received some reviews that were so heartfelt they literally brought tears to my eyes and made me smile for days. I received some awesome e-mails from readers who lived all over the world. It was incredibly satisfying and wonderful and I considered myself lucky.

In the spring, things really got crazy. April and May are one big blur...In June, Penguin publishing offered me a two-book deal and put On the Island on bookshelves everywhere. 

A year ago, I just wanted to find an audience. I just wanted the book I spent 18 months writing to be available to those who might want to read it.

One year later:

Over half a million copies of On the Island have been sold.   
On the Island is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. 
Foreign rights have been sold in 23 countries.
MGM has optioned the book for a feature film.
On the Island spent over 10 weeks on the NYT bestseller list, reaching #5 in the e-book category and #12 for the trade paperback.

I no longer have a day job because writing full-time is my day job. I get to spend time with both kids every morning before sending them off to the bus stop. My work wardrobe consists of yoga pants and T-shirts. I spend my days in a quiet house with Chloe curled up next to me.

I don't even know what to say that will convey my true feelings about this. Or how to thank all of you. Because you, the readers, are the ones who made it happen. I'm eternally grateful and I think it's time for one big THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

Here's how it will work: I'm giving away 1 Kindle DX, 2 Nook Colors, and 23 signed paperbacks (13 with the original cover - because that's how many I have stacked on my dining room table - and 10 with the Penguin cover).

This giveaway will span 4 days and I'll be using the rafflecopter to choose the winners. And this giveaway is open to EVERYONE. I don't care where you live. You're eligible. You can enter every day of the giveaway, but you can only win once.

So let's start with the signed original paperback. The one that looks like this: I have 13 to give away.


All you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you heard about On the Island (make sure you also login to rafflecopter with either your facebook login or e-mail to enter the giveaway). I want to know what led you to this book. And I want you to know how much that has meant to me.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

xoxo,

Tracey




a Rafflecopter giveaway

I took an informal poll and asked readers, via my author page on Facebook, for their input on who they'd most like to see playing T.J. in the film adaptation of On the Island. I've tallied the votes and thought it would be fun to share the results with you all.

The actor who received the most votes to play T.J. was Zac Efron. You guys really, really like Zac. I mean, like, a lot.



In second place was Alex Pettyfer (or as I like to call him, Alex Prettyfer, because OH MY GOD, look at him).



One person suggested Justin Bieber "just for laughs" and I have to agree. I'm sure he's a lovely person and this is a really great picture of him, but, yeah. NO. 



In third place we have Taylor Kitsch, my original choice for T.J. I've mentioned this in a few Q&A's I've done recently, and it pains me to say it again, but I think he's too old to play T.J. which is a crying shame because I really like looking at him.

    Next up is someone I've never heard of: Steven R. McQueen. Perhaps it's because I don't watch The Vampire Diaries. Perhaps I should start.     
Jeremy Sumpter, Steven Strait, and Aaron Johnson were a few of the other suggestions.
 I have a suggestion to throw into the ring: Jamie Campbell Bower. I can't remember how he came to my attention, but he's adorable and hot - two qualities that an actor playing T.J. will need to have. Plus I think he's just young enough to pull it off.     It was also suggested - and I wholeheartedly agree - that an unknown actor (paired with a well-known actress a' la Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon) might be the way to go.  And lastly, I've bumped Anne Hathaway out of the starring role of Anna, not because I don't like her, because I really, really do, but because I think one of these two actresses might be a teensy bit better.   Minka Kelly   Eliza Dushku     Thanks for your input, everyone!!      

Hey everyone, head over to Lisa's Booty and find out what you need to do to win a personalized, signed copy of On the Island. http://lisasreads.com/lisas-booty/

xoxo,

Tracey

Hello everyone,
On the Island hit bookstores across the country on Tuesday! I didn't realize just how awesome it would feel until I saw the trade paperback sitting on the shelf. This picture is from the Barnes & Noble at Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines. I sure do like their sign!

I went to Target next and there on the shelf, sandwiched between Elin Hilderbrand's Summerland and Kristin Hannah's Home Again, was my book.

My last bookstore was another Barnes & Noble. I almost didn't stop, but it was on my way home so I thought, "Oh heck, why not." While I was standing there taking a picture of the display with my phone, I overheard someone say "On the Island" so I totally started eavesdropping stood there, all nonchalant, and a woman and a B&N employee walked over. The customer was looking for On the Island. But she wanted to make sure it was the book written by the woman who lives in Des Moines. She questioned the B&N employee and the employee responded that she wasn't sure but would find out. I couldn't take it anymore because I was literally standing right there so I opened my big mouth contributed helpfully to the conversation. "Yes, that's her," I said. "I mean, I'm her. It's me." The customer looked shocked but then gave me a big smile despite my deranged grin. I explained that the book had just been released and that I wanted to stop in and see it on the shelf. She was buying a copy for herself and her daughter and I offered to sign them because I just happened to have a Sharpie in my purse. She was so nice and she made my afternoon. For the rest of the day I told that story to anyone who would listen.


And now, here are some of the wonderful people who helped celebrate my book birthday. Thank you all!

Good morning everyone!

Today is the day I've been dreaming about for a long, long time. On the Island is on bookstore shelves across the nation. You should be able to find it everywhere with the exception of Costco (it will be available there on 7/16).




If you are out and about and happen to see On the Island, take a picture of yourself in front of the display and send it to me. I'll post it on my Facebook fan page which is right here.

And once again, because I can never say it enough, I want to thank all of you for making this happen, especially those of you who have been following this blog since the beginning. A special shout-out goes to Elisa Abner-Taschwer, Penne Heede Pojar, Keri Stokstad, Bryan Stokstad, Julie Elsner, Missy Pomerantz, and Monica Shadowens.

xoxo,

Tracey

Happy Monday everyone!

Here's a list of where I'll be in the next couple of weeks. I sure would love to see you, so stop by and say hi!

Tuesday, July 10th

I will be on the radio at KAZR 103.3 "The Morning Moose Show" tomorrow at 8:50 a.m. Tune in and hear me talk about On the Island.

Thursday, July 12th

Live interview, in-studio at Iowa Public Radio "Talk of Iowa" radio show. 10:00 a.m.

Beaverdale Books
2629 Beaver Avenue, Suite 1

Reading and book signing: 6:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, July 17th

Clive Public Library
1900 N.W. 114th St.

Reading and book signing: 6:30 p.m. 

Thursday, August 2nd

Barnes & Noble
333 Collins Rd NE, Bldg 1
Cedar Rapids, IA

Reading and book signing: 7:00 p.m.


I'll post more dates and events as they become available.

It has always been a dream of mine to walk into a bookstore, or Target, or Costco and see a book I'd written sitting there on the shelf. I'd probably walk up to it and stare at the pretty cover with my mouth hanging open. Maybe I'd linger in the vicinity and see if anyone else checked it out. If they did, I certainly wouldn't swoop in and shout, "Hey I wrote that! That's MY book! Are you going to buy that?" while jumping up and down like a crazy person.

I mean, I probably wouldn't.

Ahem.

And honestly, I'm eternally grateful for the dream I'm already living. I've been incredibly blessed because readers from all over the world are reaching out to me to tell me how they've connected with On the Island.  They tell me they're still thinking about Anna and T.J. days after finishing the book. They say that they've recommended the book to their sister or their mother or their friends. I smile every day because I believe I have the best readers an author could ever hope for, and I'm truly humbled by my good fortune.

But sometimes, things get even better. Mind-blowingly, life-changingly better. To the point where you're not sure what you did to deserve it, but you're beyond ecstatic and thankful that it's happening.

Because that long-ago dream is coming true. I am beyond thrilled to announce that On the Island is being published by Plume, an imprint of the Penguin Group. The e-book is available TODAY. You can buy it on Amazon here and Barnes and Noble here. It is also available in the Apple store. The new version contains a letter I wrote to the readers and a wonderful readers guide.

And on July 17th I'll be able to walk into a bookstore, or Target, or Costco, or anywhere books are sold and see my book on the shelf. I'll walk up to it and stare at the pretty cover

This pretty cover.  



I'm also incredibly excited to announce that Covet will be released by Dutton - an imprint of the Penguin Group - in hardcover next spring. 





My self-publishing journey has come to an end. It's been a wild ride and many of you have been with me from the beginning. Your kind words and your support have meant more to me than you'll ever know, and I can't stress enough how instrumental you all were in making this happen.
Thank you.
xoxo,
Tracey

Hello everyone!
I hope your summer is off to a great start! I know the season doesn't officially begin until later this month, but I've already received my first sunburn and enjoyed my first boat ride. As far as I'm concerned, summer has arrived!  
I want to tell you all about a fantastic, wonderful thing that happened across the pond. I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that the UK edition of On the Island will be published by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin.
Look at the beautiful cover!
*swoon*

The UK edition can be purchased on Amazon here (the e-book is on sale now and the paperback is available for pre-order) and WHSmith here. It is also available on iTunes.
I'm very excited because On the Island will be hitting bookstore shelves in the UK later this summer and will eventually make its way to Australia and India. How wonderful is that?
I may need to travel to some of these far away places someday so I can see it for myself, but for now I think I'll stick to my own backyard :)
xoxo,
Tracey

Whenever I read a book I always pay special attention to the dedication page. I often wonder about the relationship between the author and the person the book is dedicated to. Are they related? Is there a special reason they were chosen?

If you look at the dedication page for On the Island, it says 'For Meira'. Typing her name was one of the most satisfying and emotional aspects of writing the whole book because without her, I'm not sure anyone would be reading it today.

I met Meira online in the fall of 2010. I had posted my query letter for On the Island on Absolute Write's Query Letter Hell message board. That process is not for the faint of heart, and they don't call it hell for nothing. But it can be very helpful and I appreciated the feedback. I especially liked the private message Meira sent me a day or two later. It said:

If you're looking for a beta reader, I would *love* to read this story. I'm not a harsh beta reader. I'm good with punctuation, repetitive dialogue tags, and the general, "I don't get this".

She was totally being modest because she's one of the best line editors I've ever encountered (I couldn't sneak anything by her). I wrote her back and said something like, "OMG, yes! Please help me make this book not suck!" And that's how our relationship began. Meira pushed me and she pushed me hard. Revising the manuscript for On the Island was much more difficult than writing the first three drafts. It took six long months, 50-60 pages at a time, of going back-and-forth between us before the book was ready for the polishing stage. Meira painstakingly line-edited (by hand!) and sent the pages back to me in tidy little PDF batches. We got to know each other very well during this time. She is more than a critique partner: she is my cyber-sister and one of these days we're going to meet up, drink wine, and talk about how crazy this life is.

So without further ado, let's meet Meira!




Hi Meira! Thank you for stopping by my blog. Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?

Hi, Tracey. Thank you for inviting me! I live in Colorado with my Dutch husband named Emo. We have two daughters, one black lab, and two insane cats. I love to read everything from science fiction and thrillers to mysteries and children’s fantasy.

When did you first start writing? Did it take a long time to get your first book published?


I wrote my first manuscript in 2003. It was barely 50,000 words – not long enough to qualify as a novel – and it was frankly quite dreadful. But at the time I was blissfully unaware of those discouraging details. I danced around the room singing, “I wrote a novel!” One moment of self-confidence can launch a passionate career. I spent many years laboring over that first manuscript, perfecting my writing and editing skills. Then, in 2007, I tossed it aside and wrote FIREFLY BEACH. I was lucky that I made a friend who eventually forwarded my manuscript to the editor of Lyrical Press. The editor loved the story and the first edition of FIREFLY BEACH was released in March of 2009. Now, thanks to your inspiration in the field of self-publishing, I released the second edition of FIREFLY BEACH in 2012.

How do you conceive your plot ideas? How do you get inspired for it?

I believe you will identify with this, Tracey. The story ideas seem to descend upon me when I least expect them. Then the characters follow me around – in my car, late at night when I should be sleeping – and they tell me what they are going to say and how they are going to react to the next new development. I don’t know that I can explain it better than that.

Do you write an outline before every book you write?

What’s an outline?

Is your writing space messy, organized or somewhere in between?


Stuff is everywhere. It is organized, but only I know how to find it. When it comes to story ideas, I try to keep all of my notes in one black composition book, but post-its and random scraps of paper come in handy when an idea flashes in my mind and I am nowhere near my desk.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I honestly wish I could stick with a genre. FIREFLY BEACH is a paranormal cozy mystery and NINE-TENTHS is a dystopian science-fiction. I guess I kind of stumble into a genre when the right story comes along.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you ever experience writer’s block?


It takes me about six months to crank out a first draft and another six to nine months to edit it. I read through the manuscript at least two times on the computer; then on paper, tapping on each word; followed by another couple of rounds on the computer; and eventually a paperback proof (backwards one page at a time) and a Kindle draft.

When I have writer’s block, I surf writer’s forums or blogs. One such evening, I met a woman who had an awesome idea for a novel about two people stranded on a desert island in the Maldives. She’s been my cyber-sister ever since ;)

She means me!

What are 4 things you never leave home without (apart from keys, money and phone)?

Much to my husband’s frustration, I often forget the phone. . . but I try to remember our youngest daughter. My oldest daughter created over twenty music CDs for the car. I never leave home without them. My dog rides along on almost every errand trip - his black-hair-covered, white sheet lying in the backseat as a testament to his enduring presence. That’s three. And (of course you were expecting it) pencil and paper.

What was the hardest part of writing Nine-Tenths and Firefly Beach?


Most of the time, I cannot type fast enough to put the words down, but on occasion I will deliberate over one paragraph for an hour, especially descriptive paragraphs. I have a picture in my head, but I can’t put it into words. A single word will elude me, driving me absolutely nuts. I actually sit there with my fingers poised over the keyboard. Eventually, I write an acceptable paragraph. Then when I go through the editing phase, I tweak the words until I’m happy with the final results. On the flip side, I love writing dialogue and never find it frustrating. My characters are always chattering away in my head.

What are the titles of your books and can you give my readers a short blurb for each?

FIREFLY BEACH - When Beth LaMonte rents a cottage on the coast of Maine, she wishes only to withdraw and paint. A mysterious ball of light disturbs her peace and leads her to a secret beach where she finds the diary of a girl who disappeared in 1975. Now Beth is on a mission, not only to bury her own past, but to put to rest the spirit of Firefly Beach.



NINE-TENTHS - Leonard Tramer and his family live in Colorado, trapped behind the walls of a totalitarian state. Dedicated to one another and determined to find the free world, they plan an escape which defies the odds and deceives their tyrannical government.



Will you have a new book coming out soon?

Yes! SARAH AND THE MAGIC MAYONNAISE JAR. It is a grade 3-6 fantasy – further proof of my genre-commitment-phobia. The novel should be available by the end of 2012. I am working with an outstanding new illustrator, Rachel Loftus, and I am excited to bring my daughter’s favorite story to life.

This book was vetted by my nine-year-old daughter Lauren. Verdict? OUTSTANDING. Plus Lauren thought it was super coolio to read a book in manuscript form.

Where and how can readers connect with you?


a. Blog: http://torchandsickle.wordpress.com/

b. Facebook page: http://www.blogger.com/goog_107134899

c. Goodreads author page: http://www.blogger.com/goog_107134902

d. Twitter: http://www.blogger.com/goog_107134905

e. Amazon: http://www.blogger.com/goog_107134908

f. Website: http://meirapentermann.com/

Thank you for stopping by today, Meira.

Thank you for everything.

xoxo,

Tracey

P.S. I accidentally published this post last night before I'd edited or added pictures and live links. If you're wondering why you saw it but then it disappeared that's why. Clearly I have no idea what I'm doing here.

Here's the announcement in Variety :)

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053934