Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Countdown to Book Release

It's 30 days to my launch party for Cleopatra's Moon.

Twenty-six days before the official release date.

Almost 800 from the day editor extraordinaire Cheryl Klein (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic) purchased it.

And nearly 1,500 days since I began writing it (thanks to good friends Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Diane Capriola and Liz Conrad who encouraged me to give it a shot).

Recently, several events have made the actual release of the book seem shockingly close:

-  An excerpt from the audiobook, by Oasis Audio, was recently posted on Youtube: http://tinyurl.com/3j9mcgx  (The audiobook also releases August 1)
-  An interview with yours truly, was also recently posted on Youtube via Oasis Audio: http://tinyurl.com/3shvr8v

-  A book in hand ( I have one copy!)

- And plans for an actual party with my good friends at the best
   children's bookstore in Atlanta: Little Shop of  Stories.

The "partay" is on Friday, August 5th at 7:00 p.m. Elizabeth thinks we should make it a toga party. Waddaya think?

"I demand you make this a party for the ages!"
Seriously, I need suggestions for making the event memorable, especially since "Drag Queen Cleo" has taken to staring me down over it.

She demands a party even better than the one she gave Marc Antony where she drank a pearl. I keep telling her that there will be no imbibing of precious stones but she just laughs knowingly.

I may invite a gladiator but I don't want to make any promises. ("And, no, Drag Queen Cleo, there will be no naked wrestling!" Geez!)

You see what I'm up against? Any ideas you have to get her off my back...er, I mean, to help me make my launch party lots o'fun will be very much appreciated.

13 comments:

Cathy C. Hall said...

I'm oddly cheered up about that 1500 days (It's only been 700ish days since I wrote PEN PAL)so I've still got a 100ish days left to sell it and be on track. :-)

I think everyone who attends the opening book release should receive one of those awesome golden tiara crown thingies and maybe a gummi snake.Oh! And Steve Martin's "Walk like an Egyptian" should be playing and you could have a limbo contest.

Limbo contests always add a little je n'ai said quois to any event. (Hope to be there!)

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Awesome, Cathy! Will you be my party planner?

Amalia T said...

Wow! When you see the process laid out in days, it's pretty staggering just how slowly these things move-- and then to suddenly be on top of it after all that time! Congratulations!!

I think Cathy's ideas are pretty good ones, too :)

Carrie at In the Hammock Blog said...

Only 30 days! That's awesome!! I can't wait to read the book!! I love Cleopatra Selene's story!

Robyn Hood Black said...

I just wanna know how you managed to get Nat Geo to feature a cover story on Cleo for their July issue ... A party will be easy to plan after that! ;0)

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

@Amalia, so true. The pace of publishing is downright GLACIAL!

@Thanks, Carrie.

@Robyn, yeah National Geographic was all over the idea when I suggested it to them (ha!).

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

I am so, so happy for you chickie!!! And I'm so torn - read/listen/read/listen... :)

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

FABULOUS interview!!! You ROCKED the HOUSE!! Go Vicky, Go Vicky!!! :) e

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Thanks,e! I can't bring myself to listen to it!

Ashes said...

I think we should ALL wear bright blue eyeshadow up to our Eyebrows - just for Drag-Queen Cleo! Hmm. What else? We could get a basket with a lid and put a a bunch of plastic snakes in it except one is the VENOMOUS SNAKE and then we pass it around and draw out a snake each and the venomous one WINS! something.....

Can't wait for your party and ALSO WOW. So stunning to see the days-count. I am so not even. No no no. Not even counting. Nope. Not gonna do it. *fingers in ears* DEPRESSING LA LA LA!

Anonymous said...

I think everyone should bring a pint of milk and then you all have a bath in it?

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

@ Ash: sorry about making you sing LaLaLaLa over the numbers. It was supposed to help!

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

@Paul, hmmm. Interesting idea. Could get messy and sticky though...