“What a long, strange trip it’s been”
–Grateful Dead
In 1979, Iranian students, encouraged by fanatical cleric Ruhollah Khomeini, stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, grabbed 52 hostages, and held most of them for 444 days. President Jimmy Carter negotiated their release on his last day in office, and the entire nation sighed and quoted former President Gerald Ford, saying, “The long, national nightmare is over.”
While my struggle to get my first novel published hasn’t been as dramatic as that famous event, it certainly has lasted longer. But, at long last, it appears that my hostage situation is coming to an end. In any case, I am pleased to finally announce a celebration party for the release my novel, The Forest Primeval. For those in River Falls, you are invited to a party on Saturday, August 2, from 3:00 to 5:00 at the storm shelter in Hoffman Park, behind the baseball stadium. At 3:30, I will play a couple of songs and talk briefly. We will have cake, beer, wine, and soft drinks, and books will be available at a lower price than those available on the Written Dreams website.
I mentioned the Iran Hostage Crisis because that’s what I feel I have experienced in dealing with my publisher. I signed my contract with Written Dreams Publishing on August 31, 2022. My release party is scheduled for August 2, 2025. That’s 1066 days, for those counting at home. So, my book and I have been held hostage for longer than JFK was president, longer than the Spanish Civil War, and about twice as long as the marriage between Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett.
The saga began when I signed on (August 2022) with Written Dreams, a small, mom-and-pop publishing company from Green Bay that specialized in Wisconsin writers. It has been more like a Written Nightmare since then. They promised the release of the book in “just over a year.” Everything seemed to be in order, and, in spring of the following year, they even announced the “cover reveal,” with a release date scheduled for “Fall 2023.” The problems started when my editor’s family had health issues, and my book was ignored for many months. The next thing I saw was another press statement announcing that my novel would be released in “Summer 2024.” Many more months passed. Whenever I contacted her, I was assured that she was working on it and completion was imminent. None of this was true, and she didn’t actually begin editing the manuscript until November 2024. I completed my rewrites in two or three weeks, and my part was done in January of this year. Then . . . nothing.
(A brief aside which speaks to her ability as an editor. In writing this book, I was inspired by such authors as John Sandford (Lucas Davenport, Virgil Flowers), Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Justified), and Michael Connelly (Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer, Ballard), and I wrote my book as fitting into that genre of crime/suspense/mystery novels. Meanwhile, my editor/publisher kept pushing me to turn it into a Young Adult (YA) book because the main protagonist is a 15-year-old girl. While editing, my publisher expressed surprise and horror that the story included violence, and argued that the girl should never use violence to defend herself. I said, “Have you ever read Hunger Games, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, or seen The Game of Thrones? Those stories all have young, female protagonists who are violent heroines.” She finally agreed to produce the book the way I wrote it, but it all led me to believe that she had never read those sorts of books in her life and was absolutely the wrong person to edit this book.)
To spur her to action, I was again forced to harass her with calls, texts, and emails. Finally, I threatened to withdraw my book from her company. She called me right back, apologized profusely, and promised to have it completed by May 31. I no longer believed her, so I gave her an extra three weeks to finish the work, and we agreed on a “release date” of June 20. A short time later, I told her I was planning a book-signing party in late June. Her response was, “Do you plan to have books there?” I said, “That would seem to be a basic requirement for a book-signing event. That and a pen. Of course, I want books there.” She then informed me that it takes 3-4 weeks to have the books printed and shipped to me, so they wouldn’t reach me until late July. I inquired as to the meaning of the term “release date” if nothing was actually released, but she failed to respond to my sarcasm.
Thus, I am announcing this book release event without knowing for sure that the books will arrive before that date. Even though she has not honored a single one of her promises, I am taking a leap of faith here and hoping for the best. Anyone who lives close to River Falls is invited to this event and encouraged to bring their friends.
Meanwhile, I am still planning to have similar parties in Chicago and Nashville in the near future. I will keep everyone posted as to times, dates, and locations. I have also asked my beloved publisher when the book will be available on the Written Dreams website and when those who preordered the book can expect delivery. I have heard only crickets in response. I will send out that info as soon as I know something concrete.
Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me in this lengthy process and I hope you enjoy the book.