Many aspects of our industry have been upended during the
pandemic, including publishing. What is an author to do when her book is about
to be released and the media world turns upside down? Now book launch parties
(unless it is virtual) and interviews on the book may be postponed while
coronavirus news fills the airwaves. And
there is the looming question – will the pandemic alter the future of
publishing and if so, how?
AP Murray is one of those authors whose new book, Greedy Heart
, is set to launch without the usual launch pad. She describes her new
novel as, “The Big Short meets The Dutch House and has been described as a
Romantic Thriller,” and having read it as a first-iteration PDF, I add that her
novel also has moments of clarity (how the financial system works) and levity (with
a range of unique characters.)
, is set to launch without the usual launch pad. She describes her new
novel as, “The Big Short meets The Dutch House and has been described as a
Romantic Thriller,” and having read it as a first-iteration PDF, I add that her
novel also has moments of clarity (how the financial system works) and levity (with
a range of unique characters.)
Charlene Weisler: Give me a short timeline of your book from its
submission to the publisher to now.
AP Murray: I was offered a deal on Greedy Heart in September
2018. The manuscript was in pretty good shape, so the editing cycle was short.
I’m still astounded at the effort and time that goes into a cover, and the
final-final-final copy editing process. That took months.
Weisler: What had been planned to launch the book and how has that
changed now
Murray: I had planned several in-person events in different
areas of the country and, of course, a launch party. Now, all of that is
cancelled. But I’m astounded and encouraged by the wonderful outreach to
authors during the pandemic. For example, Caroline Leavitt and Jenna Blum have
started a new social media initiative called “A Mighty Blaze” to help support
authors launching books during this crazy time.
Weisler: What is the publisher doing at this time to launch the book -
any change in marketing, outreach etc?
Murray: The great thing about my publisher, Tule, is that
they have always been digital-first. From their book club on Facebook and
mastery of social media—they have the digital game down. Thankfully, we don’t
have a ton of traditional media to re-plan.
Weisler: How will you, yourself, be marketing the book and is that a
change from your initial plans?
Murray: My book is about a financial crash and a natural
disaster. The book is also about the courage and community of New Yorkers
during a crisis. So… YES, our ideas about positioning the book and talking
about it have changed. Early coverage and reviews are calling my novel, “a book
for the times.”
Weisler: Talk about the differences in marketing approach (if any) from
the text version of the book to the audio version and how the pandemic might
help or hurt these efforts.
Murray: Amazon is now prioritizing deliveries of essential
supplies. So I’ve heard from a bunch of my pre-order people they’re afraid they
won’t get their print versions. I guess we’ll see. Some, bless them, have gone
ahead and ordered the e-Book version just to be sure. We’ll be reminding people
that there are no shipping delays on e-Books! As for audio—that version will,
unfortunately, be delayed because studios are closed. I’m considering recording
it myself and putting a “homemade” version out there.
Weisler: Do you see media cross over with your book? How and where?
Murray: Greedy Heart has been included in the Hollywood
Reporter in their listing of “10 Books to Read Based on TV Favorites” This is
really exciting!
Weisler: What advice do you give writers during this time?
Murray: Give yourself a break. Writers dream about having
“quiet time at home to write.” Now we’re under stay-at-home orders. And yet so
many of my writer friends are reporting they can’t seem to focus and write.
It’s causing a lot of confusion. I wanted quiet time. Now I have it. Why can’t
I write? The answer is, this is *not* quiet time. There’s a ton of anxiety and
stress. It almost feels as if the atmosphere is electrically charged. Add to
that homeschooling and who-knows-what-else. That ain’t “quiet.” I think we’ll
get used to in in a couple of weeks and be able to settle down and focus.
Sooner than that is probably unrealistic.
Weisler: Do you think that the publishing industry will permanently
change from the lessons learned in the pandemic? If so how?
Murray: I’ve heard a lot of people worrying if this will be
the final blow to indie bookstores. And that would be sad. I also think the
pandemic has had a tremendous leveling influence. If you were a big name with a
big-publisher-financed book tour and ad campaign, that got cancelled. Writers
have griped for years that publisher’s focus on big names and put all the money
behind them, leaving newcomers to fend for themselves. Depending on how some of
us upstarts sell in the pandemic, the near-exclusive focus on big names may
change.
Here’s a
short blurb on Greedy Heart:
While biding
her time in Florida paying off crushing student debt in 2006, protagonist Delia
Mulcahy discovers the inevitability of a looming crash and, most importantly,
how to make billions off of it. Now the two top hedge fund rivals in New York
City want her on their team and are willing to pay her for it. What they don’t
know is that Delia has some calculated intentions of her own regarding her
family’s historic Manhattan legacy and Fifth Avenue property. A spectacular
drama of real estate, inheritance, attraction, greed, and morality told through
a fictional tale of the financial crash, the collapse of Greece, and one
eccentric New York family.
