Has it really been a year?
On March 3, 2020, my sophomore novel Keep Me Afloat was published.
Prior to publication, I had taken two weeks off work to prepare my marketing strategy. I sent out press releases. I prepared social media posts. I confirmed book club visits. And, of course, I drafted the notes that I would use on my eight-stop book tour around the state.
I even had a book launch in Port Townsend (my hometown and the setting of Keep Me Afloat) with friends, family, and community members!
Then the world came crumbling down. The lockdowns were announced, I frantically emailed with the independent bookstores to reschedule for summer (remember when we thought covid might subside with the warmer weather?) and then, one by one, each event was canceled. The book clubs moved online, but the bookstores were still scrambling. I wasn’t one of the lucky authors in 2020 who had some warning and could shift their events and other plans online. Everything I had set up was simply…canceled.
But Keep Me Afloat wasn’t canceled.
So I made some book launch videos at home. In my videos, I gave the readings I had planned for bookstores. I took readers on a tour of Port Townsend and introduced them to my process with behind-the-scenes glimpses.
I also ran giveaways in Facebook reader groups, Zoomed with book clubs all over the country, and connected with the BEST bookstagrammers. I found an even larger community of readers, right at home, on my couch, through my phone.
2020 was a year of challenges — but it taught me to think outside the box. I was able to connect with so many amazing readers all over the world. And what a gift that is.
So, for Keep Me Afloat’s anniversary week, I thought I’d share some photos from the year. But first: thank you. Thank you for reading my book, thank you for being a part of my newsletter community, and thank you for being a reader. Book lovers make my world go ‘round.
I went on multiple whale watching trips when researching Keep Me Afloat. Here’s a photo from one of them. That’s a humpback whale’s tail.
Keep Me Afloat hit some #1 categories right out the gate!
Soooo many bookstagrammers shared their photos. It brought me so much joy!
All in all, it was a pleasure sharing this book with you.
If you enjoyed it, but haven’t reviewed it on Amazon yet, would you consider sharing your thoughts here? Reviews are a big help for authors. And if you have any friends who might enjoy the book, make sure to tell them that it’s FREE for Prime members right now!