:: I’m still me. I’m just me with a new novel.
At the beginning of this month, my second novel, CHASING CHAOS, came out. (It’s part of the Hollywood Lights Series.) That was pretty awesome but also weird (as I wrote about here). As I mentioned in that earlier post, despite all the build-up and expectations, after a book comes out, I’m still me. I’m just me with a new novel.
Which is why I’m a firm believer in launch parties. As in, two-cases-of-champagne, LOTS-of-food, party-dresses-and-more kind of launch parties, this one, like usual, hosted at Flyleaf Books, my local indie bookshop.
Because the party makes it real. (Or makes it feel more real, which is all that matters.)
Alt Text: Photograph of the author Katie Rose Guest Pryal reading to a crowd at Flyleaf Books for the launch party for CHASING CHAOS. She stands behind a podium at the front of a room full of people.
I was grateful for every person that came. Probably more than most authors would be (or maybe not) because I spend every moment before the start of every reading CERTAIN THAT NO ONE WILL COME. Every time.
I think that for this launch party 30 people came. And really, there might have been even more. And YET I was certain no one would come.
Until they did.
Alt Text: Photograph of author Katie Rose Guest Pryal signing books at her launch party for Chasing Chaos. She is sitting behind a gray table wearing a red and black dress.
Because I’m neurotic and out of touch with reality I’m so grateful that people come to my readings, and therefore I tend to spend way too long with each person in the book-signing line.
I think spending too long with each person in the book-signing line is technically an author faux-pas. Whatever. I can’t help it. If someone comes to my reading, they get my attention.
I’ll even conjure up a smile.
