Charcoal and Smoke is Now Available… ish
The eBook version of Charcoal and Smoke is now available. But the print versions?
Back when I agreed to release Charcoal and Smoke on 3/23/23 and take on the pressure of yet another preorder date, I told myself I’d get it done.
After all, this would be my third time through the indie-publishing process. I’d learned the secrets and the gotchas. The cover design was 99% done. I knew the story and which parts of the process I’d struggle with, but I was ready to work.
I’d scheduled and prepped my team. Ready for the interior formatting, I’d loaded the newest version of Vellum onto my MacBook and ensured the Elemental Artist settings were on board.
I booked a stack of price reduction promotions on Oil and Dust to help hype the book launch. We even made reservations for a special, fancy dinner to celebrate the win.
Nothing could go wrong.
And you know what? The year slid past and everything continued to click along. On schedule. As expected.
I know, I know. As a story breeder, feeder, and reader, I should have known better.
Remember how I said the cover was 99% done? Yeah. 99% is not 100%.
So, I continue to wait. And refresh my email. And wait some more.
Print readers, I apologize for the delay. I really wanted to have all versions available on the book’s launch day.
Now Available?
As soon as I receive the finished cover files, I’ll upload them to both of the print on demand services I use. It takes longer for the books prepared by IngramSpark to make it through the systems, so the hard cover version will probably take the longest to hit the stores.
When the print versions are available, I’ll send an update to my newsletter subscribers. If you’d like a reminder too, join us! Besides the updates, you’ll also get the bonus prequel short story, A Garland of Cedar and Snow.
In the meantime, this latest snafu will go onto my ever-expanding list of things-to-get-right-on-the-next-launch. Pinky-swear.
How many “perfect” book launches have you enjoyed?
Header Photo by Lacie Slezak on Unsplash
Well done! (I’m a fast reader!)
No spoiler review for those who haven’t started or finished yet:
As Matthew’s found family increases in size, conflicts are certain to occur. Throw in a cross country journey across a post-apocalyptic Midwest landscape, and those conflicts begin to escalate. Matthew’s bonds with his companions are tested again and again, sometimes by circumstance beyond anybody’s coontrol and sometimes as a consequence of decisions they’ve made.
Many of the character grow and develop, some in surprising ways, but they remain true to themselves. In the same way, the themes introduced in OIl and Dust also mature in this third volume. The problems no longer have simple answers and priorities must be balanced.
And we know that Matthew is not blessed with an abundance of balance!
Charcal and Smoke is a more introspective book than the first two; it’s more character driven than plot driven. This isn’t to say there’s no action; there’s no such thing as an easy journey across the prairies and deserts of middle America. And they still must try to avoid Carter and his minions, but it becomes increasingly difficult to tell friends from enemies as mutiple factions emerge, both allied and opposed to Matthew and his quest to find his family.
Certainly a strong addition to the series! I’m looking forward to the next and final(?) book in the series!
Thank you so much for your review! It’s so exciting to see how and where the story connects with readers.