This is our second day of December rain but I’m still trying to feel festive—right now I’m baking cookies for my students and last night I hung my wreath on the front door. I also got a special delivery today—advance reader copies of my next novel! So far I’ve been presented with two covers and neither one fully captured the essence of Ship of Souls. It’s an urban ghost story so the cover needs to be gritty yet magical…they’re still working on it. In the meantime, this plain cover doesn’t thrill me but I’ll now be able to share the book with family and friends. If you’re an educator or librarian or book blogger and you’re already on my list, you should be getting your ARC in the next week or so (directly from the publisher). If we haven’t met but you’d like to check the book out, just leave me a comment.
Amazon made a big announcement this week and the reactions have been interesting. If you like my writing and want to check out Ship of Souls, you should know that some booksellers are vowing never to sell any book published by Amazon. I respect the right of others to stand up for what they believe is right—I just wish we could generate as much outrage over the racism that excludes so many unique voices from the traditional publishing industry. I also can’t help but wonder how many of those indie booksellers stock children’s books by black authors. How many stock books by Lee & Low—can you find Bird in those stores? And how many are open to self-published authors? I want a publishing industry where readers and writers have options. When one door closes, you’re not completely shut out because you can always try another. As I said in my acknowledgments:
I want to thank my agent, Faith Childs, who read the manuscript and responded with enthusiasm and encouragement. I also thank her for persisting in an industry where doors and minds are so often closed to writers like me.
Lastly I thank the AmazonEncore team for keeping their door open.
Fledgling 
Such a great point – most of the indies have such a pitiful selection IF they have anything. Thank you for reminding us of this because it’s really important. So many are dismissive of the various options outside of big box and indie bookstores, but they don’t stop and think about the limited options for those writing about topics and characters still ignored so often by the big ones.
Also – congrats on having books! Very exciting I’m sure 🙂
Thanks, Amy. I was going to add a section on black books in Canada but will leave it for now. I doubt Chapters Indigo will carry SoS; they won’t carry Bird and only sell Wish on their website. Still need to reach out to Another Story…
So frustrating… I hope that Another Story carries it at least – let me know if you want me to go asking for it 😉 And what about Toronto Women’s Bookstore?
Me! Me! Me! I want an ARC!
I’m pretty sure I’m on your list, so I’ll be watching my mailbox next week. And I read the big news about Amazon and Marshall Cavendish. Your point about the level of outrage about Amazon Publishing vs. the level of outrage about racism in publishing is an important one that needs to be made over and over. Thank you for starting the discussion.
Hi, Lyn! I’m glad you spoke up because I think I only have an address for you at Multicultural Review. Can you email me your new address? I’d love to know what you think of SoS. As for starting the discussion, I doubt that’s what I’ve done. People are anxious about the transformations happening within the publishing industry, and that’s understandable, but it’s unfortunate that so many can’t see that the industry as it formerly existed wasn’t serving all–or even MOST–of us. If bookstores choose not to carry Amazon books, that’s their right. But I do wonder how review outlets and award committees can justify excluding these books…
TWB will carry my books on consignment, which I appreciate. And I believe they’ll order books if customers ask for them. Indie stores can’t carry a whole lot of books–I understand that–but I’m hoping A Different Booklist will get on board this time. Thanks for offering to do the legwork but my enormous extended family usually handles that–and my former English teacher—she was outraged that Chapters didn’t even have Bird in their online database.
Zetta, I think the major vendors like Baker and Taylor will carry SOS however, it needs to get to their catalog as well!! Amazon needs to do a major push to get it on the Black History month lists. Awards committees ignore the books?? We’ll have to find out how to get the book considered for state reading lists.
Hey, Edi. Ingram and B&T definitely carry the books and Brilliance Audio as well. So stores *can* stock the book if they want to. I forget which award requires the publisher to belong to a certain association…so I think we’re excluded on that basis unless/until Amazon joins and is recognized as “legit.” Here’s what Roger Sutton posted on the Horn Book site: “With us, if the book is hardcover and from a U.S. publisher listed in LMP, they know they will get a review from either the Magazine or the Guide.” So no Horn Book review for SoS…
I meet with the publicist and marketing team next week and will see if they have any ideas about getting SoS on those lists. Thanks for the ideas!
Do they ask for your input on the cover design?
Yep. The first cover was ok, but they designed it to look like Wish and I wanted a new look for the new trilogy. The second cover was a disaster…so we’re on #3. Fingers crossed it hits the mark.
Funny how a simple picture could be so inspiring. Looking forward to the day when I get ARCs in the mail. Hope you get the perfect cover you deserve!
Thanks, Summer. Can you send me your mailing address?
Congratulations!!!! Cant wait to see the cover.
[…] angry sentiments were coming from people responsible for reviewing books for children. I wrote my own post about it, but I was thrilled when Debby Dahl Edwardson let me know that she had written an […]
Somehow I missed this post until now! Can’t wait to read SOS! (is it weird that I kind of like the ARC cover?)
Hey, Em! I just got the latest cover design today–we’re almost there! In the meantime, email me if you’d like an ARC…