Last Tuesday (just over one week ago???), we officially welcomed The Eleventh Trade into the world! This debut week has been seriously amazing and also seriously so fast, so I’m going to try to capture it quickly for you all!
Tuesday, September 18:
Sarah Driver flew in from the UK prior to my launch, and together we presented a talk at Christopher Newport University entitled Research & Creative Writing. I had reserved a room for 50 people, but we overshot that a bit and had some students sitting on the floor. We talked about the why, where, how, and when of researching, and pretty much blew everyone’s minds. Honors students have to write reports for events like these, so I have written proof that Sarah and I were super inspirational.
Stock photo of a college lecture hall (movie… set?) because I didn’t take any pictures, just pretend like these kids are being amazed by Sarah and me
After single-handedly motivating the Next Generation, Sarah I went to a salon to get hair and nails done, like the professional authors we are. Then we raced up to Richmond, stopped to change and grab friend and fellow-grad Annie, and then zoomed over to BBGB.
BBGB is a wonderful indie bookshop in Richmond, operated by a lovely lady named Jill. I actually met her at a signing for Shannon Messenger last year, and it was great to see her again… this time as the author of the event.
I set out some of my postcard swag and then was swept away to the backroom to pace and sip water. I’d torn my esophagus pretty severely a few days before this (don’t ask how), and was still recovering. Luckily, with the extra rest, my voice was ready to go when Jill finished her introduction and called me out.
We had a fabulous little crowd: one part family, one part friends, one part random people, and a big part local homeschoolers. I started off with a brief retelling of how The Eleventh Trade came to be, which was essentially a verbal version of this gif post. I also shared my original outline for the book, which you can appreciate in this clip:
Once I had warmed up the crowd with my shenanigans, I read the first chapter of the book. Then we did a short Q&A between me and the audience. All in all, it was loads of fun! And, in my strange and mysterious ways, I wasn’t nervous at all. This bodes well for school visits, I hope.
Finally, it was time to sign books! I did this for a while! We sold out of books! I signed postcards! Here are some pictures!
We rounded off the evening by grabbing dinner at Mellow Mushroom (my first actual meal of the day), and then we made the trek back home. All in all, a very successful launch.
The Week:
Throughout the week, it was a joy to watch my parents stalk Amazon (which, I believe, sold out of books) while locals complained that Barnes and Noble was quickly losing stock. I also got delightful messages like these:
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On Friday, I finally timed my visit to a local Barnes and Noble right, and I got to fulfill a life-long dream: I saw my book on the shelf for the first time. Here’s what I wrote about the experience:
Today I found my book on a shelf for the first time. Approaching it, I closed my eyes and tried to block out all my thoughts. I found myself afraid to feel, to be disappointed, afraid it might not be there or even exist anymore.
It was there.
A memory sprang into my head: Me, age 11 or so, in a corner of Barnes and Noble finding the blank spot where my name would go. Realizing for the first time that I could actually put a book there.
Standing in front of it, I imagined that I could transport that girl here. Maybe even lift her up so she could reach the shelf. Imagined her delight and wonder — feelings I’ll never be able to feel with the same ferocious fervor. The girl I was has grown up a little bent and broken, but stronger and braver for it. I’m not sorry to be a different person, but I am a little sorry my 12-year-old me can’t meet my 12-year-old Sami.
I stood on my tiptoes and tugged the spine loose, pausing to really feel the resistance from the books around mine, which hugged tightly to the sides. Slowly, I pulled mine free. I wiped residue off the cover from one of the neighbor books. Then fished out my bronze pen and turned to the title page.
Some rando dude was wandering along the shelves in my direction at that point, so my somewhat borderline insane introspection had to hurry along. I signed my name, appreciated the way the bronze shimmered on the page, and then carefully wedged my book back beside its friends.
I probably should have taken it to the front to get a special sticker, but I kind of like the idea of this particular book waiting to surprise someone on the shelf.
A very, very good week.
Sunday, September 23:
Then this Sunday, I flew up to NYC for a quick visit. I went to join authors Andrea Davis Pinkney and Katherine Marsh for a talk about culture and stories over at Books of Wonder. I admit, it did feel pretty glamorous to jet up in a little plane (little because the flight is so short, not because Macmillan hired a plane for me, not yet anyway), catch a cab to my hotel, and then collapse with so much grace on my bed.
JK, the last part is a lie. There were multiple glitches with the check-in process and my publicist had to have kind-but-strong words with someone in Power and then suddenly there was a room ready for me. By then I only had time to sip some water, change clothes, and fly out the door, but I’ll take it! Also, the view was CRAZY.
Once I looked a little less ragged, I hurried to a Starbucks near Books of Wonder to meet up with Katherine Marsh, who would be moderating our panel discussion. I knew it’d be good for my shyness to start the conversation before the event, and I was right! I love Nowhere Boy, Katherine’s most recent book, and we had a great time chatting about our experiences here and abroad. When it was time, we hopped down the block to the book store.
Before the event began, I got to finally meet my editor, Kate!!! Who I didn’t get a picture with because I am very dumb. But it was kind of hilarious to recognize her voice as the calm giver-of-wisdom wizard I know and love even though I had never seen her before. I also had the chance to meet my publicist (and hug her many times for the hotel room), and other awesome people from Macmillan. Andrea Davis Pinkney arrived, too — she is so cool and astounding and I was in a bit of a starry haze.
We had a small but kindly audience for our talk, which suited me fine. We started out by introducing ourselves and reading an excerpt from our books. (Andrea’s nearly made me cry. So powerful.) Then Katherine Marsh delivered some great questions, we dialogued back and forth, and finally we opened it to Q&A. Then we signed books for people, and then we signed books for the store’s stock.
Miraculously, my hands were fine! It was a good trial run.
When the event wrapped up, Kate, Liza (her editorial assistant), and I went down the block for dinner at a nice Italian place. We had a lovely wind-down evening talking about stories, funny life experiences, and the future. I was home (at the hotel) by 8:30, in PJs admiring my view and feeling very little-but-happy. Humble-blessed? Quiet-full? Not sure the combination of words for it.
I flew home the next day (Monday) and now am back at work. For a week. Until I jet off for my next adventure.
All in all, an excellent debut.
