I had a GREAT phone conversation with Megan, the program manager of Kindle Scout yesterday and things are moving along nicely for my novel, KELPIE DREAMS.
The book is currently with an editor. I will receive an edited draft by April 4th at the latest. I will then have five days to run through the edited copy of the manuscripts to make and/or approve any edits that have been made and/or suggested by the editor. Megan told me that I could have more time to go through the edited draft if I felt I needed it – but that would have an effect upon the time table of my release. I told her that I was fine with five days and I am fine with it. I have worked with editors before and I have often needed only one or two days to turn over an edited manuscript. For me, writing the book is usually what takes the most time.
Assuming I can get the book back to them promptly then my pre-order should go live on April 19th. That is when all of those folks who were kind enough to actually nominate KELPIE DREAMS will receive their free advance copy and THAT is when I will REALLY need to have to hope for some strong early reviews. The plan is to have a good amount of strong early reviews in time for the book’s official release date of May 3rd.
The judging committee said that KELPIE DREAMS was a “funny, exciting, romantic adventure with a complicated protagonist who you could really root for”. They said a few more things as well – but I didn’t get it all written down and I was a little too embarrassed to ask her to repeat it.
I am REALLY excited with how well organized the Kindle Scout and Kindle Press crew are and I am very excited to work with them again in the future. I am already working on a second book in my Kelpie series and I was very excited to find out that because I have already placed a book with Kindle Press that I would have the choice of either submitting to Kindle Press directly – once they’ve had a chance to see how Kelpie Dreams actually sells – or I could choose to run another Kindle Scout campaign.
That last bit of information was GREAT to find out.
I am rough-drafting the second book in the series but I haven’t yet decided how I am going to approach the submission next time.
One thing is for certain.
I do want to see KELPIE TEARS out under the Kindle Press banner, right beside KELPIE DREAMS.
However, whether I approach this as a new Kindle Scout campaign or just pitch the book to them directly has yet to be decided. One thing is for certain – I really am excited with the thought of my book reaching a bunch of interested pre-release readers like Kindle Scout allows you to do. The thought of maybe seeing some fine fat reviews on the day of release is enough to make any indie author’s heart tingle.
For now I am working on a new submission to my local publisher and am also working on rough-drafting an outline for KELPIE TEARS.
Long story short – I’m getting busy with some honest to keyboard writing, right now. March, April and May I expect to be writing just as fast as I can.
Wish me luck.
Yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
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