A Farewell . . . sort of

I have finally, finally gotten into the writing groove for my third novel, Going Under. I had a few freak-out moments in the past several weeks because my writing mojo was missing, and like every writer, I assumed the worst: I can't write anymore, so I'm packing it up. Clearing out. Retiring early, thank you very much. And I'm sure once I'm finished with Going Under and experience a bad writing day (oh, it'll come), I'll have the same freak-out moments and want to quit all over again!

I don't know how anyone lives with writers. I just don't.

So, I'll be disappearing for awhile, immersing myself in Charity Run High School and Brooke and Ryan (delicious Ryan) and stupid Cal and the whole lot. I thought Hoodie was controversial; that's really why I published it under "S. Walden" instead of "Summer Walden." (Like people couldn't find my first name if they wanted.) Going Under is on an entirely different plane, and I've no idea how to market this thing. It's got no definable genre. It's about teenagers but the content is so "Oh my God, I'm not letting my teen read that!" So I've no idea where that leaves me, but then again, I thought there was no market for Hoodie. I thought it was too intense. Thank you, everyone, for proving me wrong. I don't know why I keep getting hit upside the head with these stories that are so . . . subversive. I'll use that word because I like it. I just know that once they enter my brain, I have to write them. I have no other choice.

So before I return to Charity Run, I wanted to share some info with you. First off, thank you for spreading the word about HSL. I did very little to no marketing for that book, but somehow sales are chugging along quite nicely. Actually, it's outselling the hell out of Hoodie right now. Still, marketing is important, and I do have lots of things lined up for marketing Going Under. Unlike HSL (which I'm starting to think I wrote solely for my own pleasure), Going Under speaks to those fans of Hoodie. Same fast-paced reading. Same subversive tone. And while I have many Hoodie fans who want a sequel (for which I simply, out of a sense of loyalty to Anton and Emma, cannot do), I'm giving you a book I think you'll love just as much. One huge difference is that Going Under is written in first person P.O.V. My very first book written like that, and I'm totally digging it! My favorite marketing strategy for this book is the Advanced Reading Copy giveaway on goodreads. I'm entering three copies that you may win two to three weeks before it's even released! It'll be a proof as well, which can be fun in its own right. You'll own a version no one else will (unless I magically do all of the formatting and editing cleanly the first time around.) Super excited about the giveaway!

And there's a huge change coming soon to Facebook. I've created an author's page (not completely ready to go, but it's getting there), and once it's up, I'll be asking you Hoodie folks to make the transition with me. I wish FB let you merge pages, but they don't. I can't keep posting things about my other projects on the Hoodie page. It feels weird. I should have started out with a comprehensive FB page, but I was new to everything and didn't know what I was doing. Yes, I realize getting people to switch over is going to be a pain, but I want a FB that highlights all of my work. And I'm going to have a nice flash banner that does just that! Oooo, I'm excited about this page. I want you to get excited, too!

As far as my book contests go . . . um, yeah. I understand how annoying it is to join sites and "like" things and all of that. The truth is that I don't know what other kinds of contests to do. Or maybe no one cares about a signed hard copy of my books. I don't know. I know there are programs out there you can use to do giveaways on your blog (the programs manually pick a winner), but I'm no computer person, so I don't know how to do that. If any of you do, share with me. I'd love to be able to do giveaways on my blog. No effort there! Just drop your name into the running.

Now I'm off. Brooke has a lot of stuff to do. Investigating. Seeking revenge. Flirting. It's a full schedule. Be patient for the summary. It will come. Soon.