The Deixis Press Weekly - Issue #25
Back in the saddle? I guess? I forgot how to sit in that saddle, but here we go …
Monday, 1 November
Aahahaha it’s November. Great. Great great great. You haven’t heard from me in a while, and that is mainly because I couldn’t focus on anything except the launch party for Some Rise By Sin and The Workshop of Filthy Creation, which took place on 16 October at Vout-O-Reenees. Ultimately I feel that the launch was a huge success and lots of fun (I hope for everyone), though of course one always hopes that one will sell a certain number of books or have the pleasure of welcoming particular guests or meeting particular types of industry folks. But I was so, so pleased to see the numbers of truly wonderful folks who turned up.
After that–well, I went directly into half-term mode. So there are people who I believe placed orders (they’re all in my email) which I have yet to post out, and there was research I needed to do for prizes that hasn’t yet fully happened, and there was a (paid) proofing project I was supposed to do well ahead of the half term that came in late, so I spent a lot of time on planes doing proofing while settling my children in front of their own screens.
YES, PLANES! I got to see some of my friends and family in America for the first time in two years (some for the first time in THREE years). So I tried my hardest to have a break, though every time I have a break it feels like a disaster, like I’m letting everyone down. And, because I’m the only one running this press, in a way, I am. Nothing does itself.
This break’s timing was particularly unfortunate because The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz was officially launched into the universe on 25 October. Sales are good and reviews are great, so I am really happy with the state of affairs there. But we can always do better. I. I can always do better.
Today? I have not done better. It is excruciating trying to get back into the swing of things after a long time off. I have, however, figured out (I think) my exact sales figures to date and addressed my responsibility to the ICO. I’ve also sent off that freelance work and made a plan for tomorrow. And I’ve even written my Revue entry for the day. I think I’ve done what I can.
Tuesday, 2 November
Today has been a day of organization, not of my desk (it’s still a huge mess because it’s the dumping ground for everything that comes in the house), but of all of the invoices I haven’t paid PLUS the invoices I haven’t sent out, plus all the emails I haven’t replied to, plus the post office bits I need to prep and drop off.
I find working in a messy environment (physical or digital) pretty demoralizing, so doing this digital clearout will make the rest of my week easier. Or so I tell myself. If I examine myself closely, I may find that I am procrastinating because I have a handful of particular (important) tasks that I know will take me less than an hour each. Something about having straightforward tasks to do breaks my brain–I will always do the hard, unimportant stuff before the easy important stuff. Or, in Wait But Why terms, I’m not really a Dark Playground person in terms of video games or general goofing off, but I am definitely a Succestinator.
One thing is definitely true, though, and that is if I don’t maintain a clean inbox, I lose things in it. So it is kind of important to go through and make sure I haven’t missed things. Today I’ve found a handful of missed bits. I know there are more.
Wednesday, 3 November
I started this morning dropping copies of both books off to a film producer I know, primarily to say thank you for some advice he has given me, but it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he happened to read them and then decide to make films out of them, you know? I also included a copy for him to pass on to a particular actor he knows–someone who I reckon would make a great lead for Some Rise By Sin. If you were casting SRBS, who would you pick for Sammy or Facey? Let’s see if my ideas and yours align.
I also spoke to Siôn this morning about some marketing ideas for Some Rise, especially now that the audiobook is almost ready and we have a potential app idea that complements the book; I would like to update/reprint a few more hardbacks but not before we decide on the app. We are thinking of launching a competition that will involve people dressing up; I certainly hope people will take part in such a thing but I suppose we shall see!
The rest of the day really has to be stuff I’ve put off for too long, specifically final typesetting. None of the books I’m finishing off needs to be typeset right this minute, which means they aren’t, because I seem to be incapable of working ahead. But I’m going to try to snap myself out of that mindset today. Editorially I’m waaaay ahead of where I need to be, and that’s probably because editorial work is the work I enjoy the most, so I can focus endlessly to get it done despite obviously suffering from untreated and undiagnosed ADHD.
… Yeah, this newsletter is basically therapy; thanks for volunteering to be my unpaid shrinks.
Thursday, 4 November
I’m absolutely delighted to say that the audiobook for Some Rise By Sin has now been produced; I’ve approved it but now it has to go through some Amazon QA checks before it goes live. They said it will be available in something like 10 “business” days (what is a “business” day in today’s modern world? every damn day, that’s what).
Meanwhile, if you have Kindle Unlimited, don’t forget that you can download it for free for a limited time. You can also buy it in hardback (until I’m out of hardbacks!) or order it in paperback or hardback from your favorite bookstore. Tell your friends and family! Somehow STILL not convinced? Check out this incredible recent review:
I’ve now finished up the typesetting process for Adam Saint’s high-adrenaline technothriller The Transfer Problem, which I originally slated for March next year but now thinking April, just to make promotion easier rather than trying to sell two books at once. My gorgeous publicist Hannah suggested we should get Elon Musk to read it; unfortunately, I’ve lost Elon’s number, but let me know if you’re in touch with him.
I’m now working on typesetting the fully edited After Silence by Jessica Gregson; this is a little out of order since Genevieve’s book is actually out first, but I need to get Jess’s done first so that I can submit it for a particular prize that has stupidly early deadlines.
I wish I had, like, a team of people to do stuff like research prizes, and typeset, and proofread on demand, and do cover design, and help me read and commission–oh, I guess like a large publishing house. Well, I suppose that means I need to try to get A LOT more people to buy the books I’ve already produced. (I also wish I had a sales team. And my own in-house printing and distribution operation. That would save money. I mean, eventually. Over time.)
Friday, 5 November
Remember, remember, it’s my husband’s birthday coming up so I’d probably better get him something. Thank you, centuries of UK history/culture for providing me a useful little mnemonic there.
Actually, I’ve typed that out in preparation for tomorrow, but there’s not a lot to see here. I’ll just be finishing up typesetting on Friday. No drama, no excitement, just squiggles on pages arranged in a pleasing order. Delightful. So I’ll go ahead and send this out a day early (or a few weeks late, depending how you look at it).
Yours,
Angel