Last Monday, on the eve of my debut novel’s release, I was trying to figure out how to celebrate. Word on the street is most release days are anti-climactic. I didn’t want mine to be. I wanted it to be memorable. So….

We went on a book hunt!

My very first sighting! It was in the regular romance section at Barnes and Noble.

Number one bestseller at Family Christian! Or maybe the man working temporarily swapped out Courageous. Toe-may-toe, Toe-mah-toe, really.

At the park! (Brogan’s favorite part of the day)

Ending the night with a Daddy-Mommy date that involved great conversation and fried pickles.

Since I knew my book wouldn’t make headline news, we decided to take the initiative and make the day special in our own way. I have to say, it was heavenly. One of the best days I’ve had in a long time. Because one of my lifelong dreams came true, sure. But mostly because I spent the day laughing and celebrating with the two people I love most. 

That was on Tuesday.

Fast-forward to Saturday, May 12th. The day of my book launch party.

I had no idea what to expect. An article came out in our local newspaper that morning advertising the event. Books-A-Million ordered a hundred books. I thought that seemed like a lot. My husband thought it was too little (you have to love his optimistic thinking). I was a little nervous and a lot of excited. 

The poster on the door. Thanks Amy Haddock!

Walking in with the truffles

I love the set up Books-A-Million provided! 

My very first party-goer. I think the truffles drew her in. Marketing 101: Bring Chocolate

Here comes the entourage! B-man in his fedora (he wouldn’t take it off) and Aunt Peggy. Everybody in the world should have an Aunt Peggy. Sorry folks, she’s all mine.

My Dad. He’s pretty darn proud.

One of my junior high girls made me a cup!

It got busy fast! 

People chitchatting in line.

Meanwhile, my son finds more fun things to do with his cousin, Ben.

And there’s the empty rack. We were sold out by 2 o’clock. The event was scheduled from 1-3 pm.

I felt bad for the people who came wanting books, but had to leave empty-handed. Turns out, I have incredibly supportive family and friends. Not only did they come, but they invited lots of friends. I’m pretty sure my mom invited her entire gym. People in the Quad Cities sure know how to help a girl celebrate! 

If you don’t live nearby or you couldn’t make it on Saturday, I have good news! I’m having another launch party. This time online. I’ll be joining three other amazingly awesome debut novelists. There will be live video and lots of really cool prizes! It’s tomorrow evening. Check out the official invite for details. I would absolutely love to see you there!

Let’s Talk: How was your weekend? What did you do?

For a chance to win a copy of my novel, Wildflowers from Winter, hop on over to Sarah Forgrave’s blog and Cindy Wilson’s blog. Sarah gets me to confess that I was  mistaken for a boy for a third of my life and Cindy writes a lovely review of my novel. 

Excited, giddy, nervous, uncertain, tired, ecstatic, anxious, happy, encouraged, discouraged, frazzled, blissful, delirious, hyper, hopeful, insecure, optimistic, pessimistic, confused, deflated, confident, overwhelmed, ready…

I got “The Call” from my agent on Friday, October 29th, 2010. Almost a year and a half ago. In that time, my emotions have run the gamut.

Now somehow, it’s here.  

Tomorrow, one of my lifelong dreams becomes a reality.

My novel, Wildflowers from Winter, will be in book stores and libraries, on Kindles and Nooks. It will be out there for anyone to see. 

And my body can’t choose an emotion. It switches back and forth, like malfunctioning traffic lights. Only instead of three choices, there are hundreds. 

In a genius post titled Don’t Miss the Good Stuff, my agent, Rachelle Gardner, reminds us all to savor the victories and the milestones. In the busyness that surrounds the launch of a book, especially a debut, it’s easy to forget to savor. 

I don’t want to forget. 

I want to commemorate the day by doing something special. 

I want to celebrate. 

Here are three ways you can join me:

• Post a review on Amazon or Christianbook.com
• If you find my book in a store or if you get a copy in the mail, snap a picture and send it my way! I’d love to post it on my Facebook page.
• If you chose the book for a book club, take a picture of your group so I can add it to my book club page.

This is not a journey to be traveled alone. Thank you so much for being a part of mine. None of this would be nearly as fun without all of you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.  

Raise your hand if this has happened to you….

You submit your manuscript to a contest or send it to a critique group or get feedback from agents.

One judge says your characters are well-developed. The other says they are one-dimensional.

One critique partner says your plot is too slow. The other says you’ve written a page-turner.

One agent says your work isn’t ready. The other says you’re so very close.

I think most of us can raise our hands. I think most of us understand that feedback can be confusing and contradictory.

As my debut novel makes its way into readers’ hands, I’m learning that the confusion and the contradictions don’t end with contests and critique groups and agent searches. It continues after publication. In a little land called Review World.

I’ve taken some snippets from various reviews of Wildflowers from Winter to highlight my point. It was a highly entertaining endeavor…

Overall Impression:

• This is a decidedly light, romantic novel.
• At times I felt as if the emotion was so overwhelming I couldn’t breathe.

• It’s a great book to take on vacation. One that’ll help you unwind after work.
• It’s not what I’d call a “bathtub” read. It’s full of meat and potatoes.

The Genre:

• Although at times I wanted to roll my eyes at the corny romance plot that is present in so many Christian novels, Wildflowers from Winter can be recommended for those who desire a wholesome read with a fast-paced plotline.
• I am proud to say that I FINALLY found a Christian romance that I liked, and even scarier, related to! This book restored my faith in Christian romance. (emphasis not mine)

The Plot:

• Somewhat predictable
• Twists that keep you guessing

The Prologue:

• The prologue set me off on the wrong foot. Actually, after the prologue, I didn’t even like the book. But take my word for it and stick with it!
• I barely made it through the prologue before asking myself, “WHO is this new writer and WHEN is she writing the next one?” (emphasis not mine)

Alright, So what gives?

How is it possible for one person to love Bethany and another to hate her? How can one person say the book is a lighthearted easy read, yet another call it “gut-wrenching” and filled with depth?

Who’s right?

Are you ready for the beautiful, amazing, glorious truth?

Neither. Both. Nobody. All. 

Because taste is subjective. 

Thank the Lord, taste is subjective!

If you have the basics mastered, like Jody Hedlund talks about in a post titled, 2 Tests that Can Help Writers Sort Through Feedback, then be prepared for…

• Some people to love your work and some to wrinkle their nose at it.
• A nearly perfect score from one judge and an in-the-pits score from another.
• One agent to toss your story aside, another to snatch it up.
• One editor to reject your book after two pages, another to be your biggest advocate. 
• One reader to swear off anymore of your novels, another to become your newest, biggest fan.

It’s impossible to please everyone. 

Absolutely impossible.

Especially if we’re going to write from a place of honesty. Especially if we refuse to play it safe and write from the soul.

Some people will love what we have to offer, because of their background or personal preference or set of beliefs or (insert whatever you want here). And some people won’t, because of all those same reasons.

That truth shouldn’t give us ulcers. It should set us free.

And it should make for really great book club discussions. Speaking of, Wildflowers is the May pick for the online Christian Fiction Book Club. 

Let’s Talk: Have you ever received contradictory feedback? Feel free to share it here. I promise, it’s therapeutic. 

If you’d like to read my debut and decide for yourself which reviews you agree with, it’s available for preorder on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com. 

Insanity.

That would be the best word to describe what it’s like preparing for the release of my debut novel.

Sure, I’m also in the throes of planning a large fundraising event for our adoption, which is a whole other box of crazy. But still….

Insanity.

Completely fun, substantially stressful insanity.

Filled with highs….

• Humbling endorsements from authors I admire

• Early reviews that make me smile 

• Encouraging emails from readers 

• Hearing that Wildflowers will be sold in select Sam’s Clubs

• Working with some really great women on an online launch party of epic proportions

• Sharing an incredibly exciting time with such a supportive group of friends and family

• Emailing and chatting with my amazing marketing director, Amy Haddock 

A few lows….

• Panicking about spoilers. I’m pretty much over this now, but it did induce hyperventilation at first.

• Getting my first bad review. I thought I had thicker skin. But nope, I don’t. Being a people-pleaser and an author is not a good combination. I’ve never been too good at shaking things off. Especially words.

• Total insecurity over book two. You’d think the positive reviews would boost my confidence, right? They do. I appreciate every single one. But they also totally wig me out. Because what if I let everybody down with my next book? 

And mostly, the daily grind…

• Finishing book 2 so I could send it off to my fabulous editor

• Writing blog posts and interviews and guest posts

• Mailing out ARCs

• Staying on top of emails and welcome pack sign ups (I love sending these out! You can sign up by scrolling down and looking left.)

• Driving around to local bookstores and churches to hand out bookmarks and postcards

• Preparing for a launch party at Books-A-Million 

• Spreading the word about book signings in Minneapolis 

• Brainstorming and trying new things, like the Wildflowers from Winter blog hop

The other day, I was chatting online with Erica Vetsch about the craziness and she said:

All the details are like getting nibbled by ducks.

I had to laugh because it’s very true. I think I’m on top of everything and then all of sudden, it’s like, “Ow! Shoot, okay, I have to do that…” And then, “Ow! Shoot, okay, there’s that over there.” And then, “Ow! Dang it, I can’t forget about that.” 

It’s funny. I’m living my dream, you know? For so long, I’ve wanted to get a book published.

Now that it’s happening, I have to remind myself to take a deep breath and soak it in. 

The whole thing reminds me of this quote from Felicity (any old-school Felicity fans out there?).

She and Ruby are talking about this boy Felicity followed to New York City. His name’s Ben and he ends up falling in love with her.

Ruby says, “How many girls get to date their fantasy?”

And Felicity says, “Fantasies are beautiful and shallow. The actual relationship is a whole different thing.”

Me thinks those are some wise words.

Fantasy and reality are never the same.

Reality is deeper and better, but also….more real. 

With rough spots and low spots and inglorious spots interspersed with awesome spots and happy spots and a whole lot of this-is-hard-work spots.

It’s a crazy, sometimes overwhelming ride.

One that requires a large quantity of grace (I’m pretty good at extending grace toward others, not the best at extending it toward myself) and a large quantity of organization. 

A ride I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Let’s Talk: Give me an inside look at your life right now. What are some highs? What are some lows? What is your daily grind?

In 2009, I went to my very first writing conference. I sat in a banquet hall in Denver, surrounded by hundreds of other writers, listening to Debbie Macomber give the key note speech. She talked about dreaming big.

It was 100% inspiring. 

Now here I am, three years later, on the cusp of my first ever book release. Wildflowers from Winter hits shelves in twenty-one days (insert hyperventilation here). And most of the time, I find myself playing the part of a giant pendulum.

Swinging back and forth.

Picturing a career like Karen Kingsbury one minute. Grounding myself in reality the next. Climbing imaginary ladders that reach into the stars. Then curling up into a ball on the ground, afraid to dream of anything remotely grand.

I won’t lie. 

The balance between dreaming big and staying realistic is not an easy one to maintain. 

On one hand, it’s important to dream big.

Because big dreams inspire us to reach for something higher than ourselves. Big dreams motivate us to work hard. Big dreams fill us with excitement and possibility.

You don’t accomplish big things by dreaming small. 

But on the other hand, big dreams can be dangerous. 

Because those dreams can set us up for disappointment. They can lead to discontentment and disillusionment. They can become idols.  

So what’s a writer to do? 

Rachelle Gardner told me something once that really stuck with me. It was at the 2010 ACFW conference. We were having a little chat and I remember her saying this:

Big dreams are great. It’s when those dreams become expectations that we get ourselves into trouble.

Let’s Talk: How do you maintain this balance? Are you more prone to dreaming big or are you more prone to staying grounded?

Julie Cantrell is interviewing me on her blog today. Stop on over and leave a comment for a chance to win an advanced copy of my book!

A friend shared this very enlightening article with me the other day and it made all kinds of light bulbs go off in my head.

Basically, the article discussed four doorways, or access points, of fiction:

• Story
• Character
• Setting
• Prose

As readers, we gravitate to certain doorways.

There are those who pick up a book, hoping for a page-turner. Story is their flavor of choice.

There are those who pick up a book, hoping to fall in love with the protagonist. Character is their flavor of choice.

There are those who pick up a book in hopes of being carried off to a different place, perhaps a different time. Setting is their flavor of choice.

And there are those who pick up a book, hoping for a well-turned phrase. Prose is their flavor of choice.

Nancy Pearl, the author of the article, thinks we often go about recommending books in the wrong way. We ask a person what genre they prefer. Or what topics interest them. But maybe, it’s all about the access point.

Nancy says, ”When we want a book exactly like the one we just finished reading, what we really want is to recreate that pleasurable experience.”

How true is this?

She goes on to explain that every book has a prominent access point. The key is finding which access point a reader prefers and recommending books accordingly.

I found this all to be incredibly fascinating. Especially in light of the great branding debate. 

Rachelle Gardner recently wrote a post titled Can I Write in Multiple Genres? A very informative, helpful post about the importance of specializing, especially for those of us early in our careers.

I agree with everything she says. I don’t think any of us should aspire to become the jack of all trades.

But what if our brand is much less about genre, and much more about the experience we create for our readers? Maybe it doesn’t matter if we branch out a bit, so long as we keep our primary access point the same.

For all I know, this could be horrible advice. I just think it’s interesting thought fodder.

After reading the article, I asked my friend which doorway she gravitates toward. She said character. Then she said something else that really resonated:

The really great books? The ones we can’t put down. The ones we read over and over again. The ones we share with our friends. They excel in all four.

As authors, that should be our ultimate goal. 

It reminded me of the post I wrote on Rachelle’s blog last week, Finding the Sweet Spot. I talked about excelling with our prose and our story. But really, that’s only half of the equation. The super sweet spot comes when we master all four – story, prose, character, and setting. 

Let’s Talk: Which doorway do you gravitate toward? Have you read a book that combines the strengths of all four doorways? What do you think is more important when it comes to branding – doorway or genre?

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it.

Because I have an idea that will hopefully:

• Bring God glory
• Bless others
• Create buzz 

There is something incredibly beautiful about these stories. 

God bringing beauty from pain. God bringing life from that which feels dead.

So many people have stories like this. And every single one touches something deep in my heart. It’s no surprise, then, that I would explore this theme in my debut novel. It’s no surprise that the very title speaks to this truth.

That the snowiest of winters bring about an abundance of wildflowers come springtime.  

Nature’s testimony that God can use what seems dead and cold and lifeless to bring about something breathtakingly beautiful. 

While reading your comments, an idea was born….

An idea that would celebrate the work God has done and is doing. I want us to shout it from the rooftops. And I want to offer much, much hope to those who are currently going through a barren season in their life. 

The Idea

Every Friday in April, a guest is going to share their real-life “wildflowers from winter” story. 

Four amazing women who I greatly respect and deeply admire. Four women who are living testimonies that God can bring beauty from the deepest of hurts. I can’t wait for you to read their stories.

The Celebration

Then, on May 4th, I’m inviting you to share your “wildflowers from winter” story.

Not on my blog, but on yours. If you don’t have a blog, no worries. You can post your story on Facebook.

I will gather all the links and put them together in one blog post.

Everyone who participates will be entered to win a $50 gift card to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Christianbook.com (winner’s choice). 

To be entered, all you have to do is:

• Write about a time God brought beauty from a painful situation in your life or in the life of somebody you know.
• Include a link to my blog or my Wildflowers from Winter book page (your choice). 
• Publish your post on Thursday, May 3rd or Friday, May 4th. 
• Email me the link (katie@katieganshert.com) or paste the link in a comment. 
• If you don’t have a blog, you can post your story on Facebook and link to my blog.

I have some copies of my book I’d be happy to give away on blogs. So if you’d like to host a give away when you post your “wildflowers from winter” story, just let me know! 

Spreading the Word 

There are people who are grieving or depressed or hurting and they wonder if life will ever be good again. This could be a great opportunity to lift our voices and offer them hope.

There are so many amazing stories out there. Real life stories that need to be told.

Would you consider telling yours?

And would you  help spread the word?

On Facebook. On Twitter (#WildflowersfromWinter). Even emailing this post to friends or family. 

Easy Tweet suggestions:

• Has God brought beauty from something painful in your life? Offer hope to others: http://bit.ly/HrFmid #WildflowersfromWinter
• Celebrate hope and healing on May 4th! God can bring great beauty from pain: http://bit.ly/HrFmid #JesusTweeters

I hope this will be a great time of celebration. Make sure to tune in next Friday to welcome our first guest as she talks about hope after abandonment.

Let’s Talk: How about a blast from the past? Remember 3 C’s? I’d love to read any cares, concerns, and celebrations you have today. If you have any questions about this post, please ask them here.
 

I have such a tendency to over complicate things.

My book releases in a little over a month. A lifelong dream is coming to fruition before my eyes.

Yet I find myself getting overwhelmed with thoughts of sales and buzz and reviews and will my readers like my second book as much as the first and what can I do, what can I do, what can I do!?

It’s right about then, when I get all frazzled, that I take a deep breath and remind myself to KISS.

To revisit a very simple question.

Why am I doing this?

Yes, I want to create buzz.

Yes, after everything my publisher has done, I would love to give them a book with great sales.

Yes, I want good reviews and yes, I want to give my readers stories that get better and better.

But when it comes right down to it, I only need to focus on two things.

Just two.

• Glorifying God
• Blessing others

A month and a half until my debut novel hits the shelves and my mind has shifted into marketing mode.

Buzz is on the brain. 

In a post titled The Birds and the Bees of Marketing, popular blogger Jody Hedlund defined buzz as the chatter, the excitement, the hype that surrounds our book.

So how can I generate this buzz? 

It’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. 

Thankfully, I don’t have to carry the marketing load on my own. Not even close. I happen to have the best in-house marketer in the world. Plus, an amazing in-house publicist and an amazing sales team. These people are doing things I could never even begin to accomplish on my own. They are the epitome of awesome. 

But still, I want to do my part. I want to do everything I can to help.

So I’ve been doing a lot of brainstorming. And I’m pretty excited about what’s on the horizon.

Will these ideas work?

Will people respond well?

Will they generate buzz?

Honestly, I have no idea. 

But as I dive into the unknown, here’s the biggest, most important lesson I’m learning about marketing:

We can’t be afraid of failure.

Not every idea will work out. Some things will flop. And you know what? That’s okay. 

Sure, public failure is embarrassing. Anytime I get a poor response (whether that be to a blog post or a Youtube video or a Facebook update or a contest or whatever), I feel stupid. I find myself second guessing the effort. Maybe even wishing I could take it back.

But here’s the thing.

We’ll never know unless we try.  

I remember sitting in a workshop at last year’s ACFW conference, listening to Allen Arnold and Jim Rubart and Julie Gwinn. One of them, I can’t remember who, brought up the Single Ladies Devestation Youtube video posted by Carlos Whittaker. It had millions of hits.

And Allen or Jim or Julie said, “Do you know how many videos he posted before that?”

Moral of the story?

It wasn’t his first.

He’d posted plenty others that languished in obscurity. But he kept publishing videos until one of them went viral. He had no idea that one would become so popular.

All he could do was throw it out there and see.

This is what I’m learning.

We have to be willing to throw things out there. To take risks. To try. Some stuff won’t work out. Hey. No big deal. Shake it off and keep throwing until something sticks.

Let’s Talk: What lessons have you learned about buzz and marketing? What ideas have you tried?