Crunch time: What to do release week

This is it. One last post for the books before Monday, which officially kicks off release week. So I thought now would be a good time to talk about what my plans are for next week.

Later on today I'm planning to record the video for what I'm doing on the actual day of the release. But that's just one day. I realized a few weeks ago that there was going to be too much to do in those days leading up to release. I knew something would have to give and I was concerned that "something" would be this blog.

At this point, I've got most of the must do items complete. I, sadly, still have a few guest posts to write. Apparently those are harder to do than I imagined. In the past, all my guest posting was done at blogs where I talked about being an agent or marketing. This is the first time where I'm talking to audiences about my book that aren't you guys. You guys are safe, you get that I'm a bit weird, and pretend that we have conversations as if you were sitting in my living room. But these new readers don't know me. So writing for them has been a new challenge. Lesson learned, start guest posts super early. In fact, I would suggest writing some up now, no matter where you are in the process. It can't hurt to have a few of these in the bank. Plus, I was only given direction on topic from one blogger. Everyone else left it up to me, so you can really pick any topic. When I finish these, I'll be brainstorming new ideas and putting together some talking points for future guest posts.

I've got the first round of blog tour letters out for the great folks who are up in the first week and a half. Next week, I'll send out the other half. I wanted to put a little space there so someone wasn't getting a reminder email three weeks before their post.

My books have finally arrived so I've got a trip to the post office in my future. I have various folks to send these to and I want to get them out as soon as I can. Also, now that I have physical copies, I'll be heading out to my local book store next week to see if I can get a few stocked there. I feel like the importance of this varies depending on your genre and age group. Our local store always has teens browsing the aisles and they will sometimes put up a local authors table in a prominent spot in the front. This extra exposure is well worth the effort, but it might not make a difference for you. This is one of those, no one-size-fits-all situations.

I'm also off to the local library to offer a few donated copies to them. Our teen librarian is fantastic so while I'm there I'll also talk to her about possibly offering a workshop or Q&A with her teen groups, probably some time after the new year.

In addition to all of this and a few other ideas I'm tossing around, the tour kicks off on Monday. That means I'll be busy updating the website with live links, visiting blogs and answering any questions that pop up and promoting all the fantastic bloggers and booktubers who are helping me spread the word about Rite Of Rejection.

So keeping the blog going in the midst of all that felt a bit like overkill. Plus, I thought you guys might be getting tired of me talking about this book launch already. Seriously, you guys have been fantastic, but I'm even sick of it and it's my book.

Instead of letting the blog go dark, I decided to use the open space to help give some other authors some much deserved promotion. While I'm off trying to convince the world to take a chance on a no-name debut indie author, four really talented authors will be here to share their experiences with Rejection (because I can't help myself).

I'll be back at the end of the week, probably in a state of exhaustion and delirium, to talk about the launch. Alright, I'm off for more pie and something unproductive, like Lego Harry Potter video games. Sounds like a plan.