It’s August 8th, which means it’s been ONE WHOLE YEAR since Text Appeal was released—and exactly two months until Haunt Your Heart Out hits shelves in the USA, digitally and physically! Someday I’ll end up organized and send this newsletter on a schedule—but, friends, today is not that day.
Instead, I’m going to ramble a bit—as a little treat.
I want to share THE secret I learned during my debut year. The number one, most important, totally need-to-know-it thing about being a debut author. It’s pretty relevant in all parts of life, actually.
Ready for it?
Even if you planned for everything, no you didn’t
I had lists and plans and schedules worked out well before my book release. I promoted my little heart out and was completely prepared for everything to go exactly as planned.
Spoiler alert: It didn’t go exactly as planned.
Instead of popping into bookstores to sign stock and snapping cute little pictures, I spent much of my debut month caring for my husband, who unexpectedly spent a significant portion of August 2023 in the hospital. He’s fine now! But, whew, were my carefully laid plans unceremoniously torn to bits.
When I write, I’m a what’s called a “pantser,” meaning I write “by the seat of my pants.” I like to discover as I go instead of outline.
In real, non-writing life, I’m a total planner: I make lists of what I need to remember to put on my lists, then re-make lists after I’ve checked off things to make sure I haven’t missed a step.
So, when all of my plans for release week/month/season went out the window, it wasn’t, uh, ideal.
But I made it!
I attended multiple Vermont bookstore events, including two that sold out of Text Appeal entirely. I signed stacks of books and gave away a bajillion stickers and bookmarks. I was tagged in so many lovely “in the wild” book sightings and book haul lists. People were telling me they were listening to the audiobook format of MY book 🥲🥹 (Pssst: It’s actually on sale for 75% off right now! Get Text Appeal on audiobook for only $5!)
Everyone made release day (week, month, year!) so special and I appreciate every message, comment, and photo I’ve received.
I’d love to tell past-me: Create a plan, but also expect that it might mean nothing in the end. Let go of the things that you can’t control, and focus first on the things you can control. Pre-order numbers? Out of my control. Eating lunch even though everything was chaos? Within my control.
Do you have tips for keeping it together when your plan is falling apart? I wanna hear ‘em!
Fast Forward! 🏃🏻♀️➡️
One year later, even if my planning meant nothing because the world had its own ideas, it’s pretty neat to spot MY book in bookstores. Honestly, I don’t think it’ll ever get old.
But you know what’s super extra cool? The fact that there’s a page in Haunt Your Heart Out that lists books “Also Available By Amber Roberts” 🤩
August 8 is also the 2 months ‘til release mark for Haunt Your Heart Out! My snowy/spooky fake ghosts/real feelings book releases in the USA on October 8, 2024. I’ve already rambled about it plenty, but because it’s my favorite thing I’ve written (so far!), here’s the recap:
HYHO is set in snowy Stowe, Vermont and features a documentary filmmaker and the woman who made up the ghosts he’s investigating. It’s full of fake ghosts, chilly weather, literary references, doggy antics, and Hallmark-style feels.
I am so incredibly honored and excited that HYHO got a STARRED REVIEW from Library Journal: Featuring wonderfully developed characters and fluid, well-paced writing, Roberts’s (Text Appeal) latest is highly recommended for fans of small-town and supernatural romances.
Since it’s a milestone date in my author journey, I couldn’t let today go by without squealing a little bit. I’ve got some neat news coming soon, so stay tuned for that!
Bits and Pieces!
What I’m Reading: ARCS, mostly 📚
Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks was a spectacular read—and I was totally honored to blurb it recently! (Out August 20, 2024)
If you want to know what I want in a book, it’s everything in Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe. (Out August 20, 2024)
I ate up the holiday vibes and exes-to-lovers banter in All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard! (Out September 24, 2024)
The Christmas Crush by Noelle Douglas—which you can pre-order from Love’s Sweet Arrow to get exclusive pre-order goodies—brings all the cozy Christmas book feels. (Out October 8, 2024)
I just finished The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong and cannot wait for my physical copy to arrive. (Out Nov 05, 2024)
What I’m Writing: Revising a f/f fake dating, destination romance with Written in the Stars X The Unhoneymooners vibes.
What I’m Listening To: It’s been a Smashing Pumpkins kind of week.
📍Haunt Your Heart Out
HYHO pre-orders are open now, and if you’ve ordered an early copy or requested from your library, make sure you fill out the swag request form! You can also get signed, personalized pre-orders from Northshire Bookstore, Phoenix Books, or Bear Pond Books—and you can request signed copies of Text Appeal at Northshire Bookstore.
Pre-Order USA Edition | Pre-Order UK Paperback Edition | Recommend to Your Library Via Libby | Add to Goodreads | Add to StoryGraph | Request Pre-Order Swag
That’s all I’ve got this time around!
<3 Amber