LINGER IS OUT IN THE WILD!

So. Yesterday, LINGER officially came out in stores. I should have done my giant LINGER launch day post then, but in my defense, a) I was in North Carolina standing in the ocean and b) I really thought I'd have until next week to post something on my original release date, the 20th. So one day late. This is the one time a year when I say oh please if you are going to go buy LINGER at some point do it now because first week sales are like the first day of mother's breastmilk. Which is to say, the most filled with vitamins or whatever. I'm not sure where I was going with that metaphor. But . . . the point is, it's out nearly everywhere in the U.S. and gettin' there in Canada -- and will be out on the 20th in the U.K.

(I should also mention that I stopped at several stores on the way to Nags Head on Monday and Tuesday, and signed books, so if you're in those areas looking for signed copies, they have 'em. Borders and B& N in Newport News, Barnes and Noble in Chesapeake, Barnes and Noble in Hampton, and the Barnes and Noble in Norfolk. I feel I have forgotten a Borders in there somewhere . . . )

So I was not sure what I was going to do as my official launch post. Then I thought, you know what, we're gonna do a timeline (this is probably because I just created a timeline for FOREVER). From the conception of baby LINGER to its birth.



December 2008: brainstorming begins having concluded edits on SHIVER.

December 9, 2008: I decide that Cole's character looks like Kurt Cobain.

December 10, 2008: Cole's character comes into focus. I want him to be Cole Saint-something. Tessa (Gratton) suggests "claire"

January 1, 2009: writing begins.

January 16, 2009: An 11 page draft features a tiny Cole scene, but no Isabel. The first chapter starts with "Day 90" as it was originally supposed to count down to the end.

January 19, 2009: A 17 page draft sent to Tessa. Subject of email “the latest suckfest.”

January 28, 2009: I decide that Cole's character looks like Henry Cavill.

February 21, 2009: Another draft sent to Tessa, this one 88 pages long. Entire contents of e-mail: “This will need to be edited SO DAMN MUCH.”

February 21, 2009: excerpt of chat with Tessa

me: especially since once again Cole is naked

 

 Tess: has he had clothes on at all?

 me: (with Isabel this time)

 
Tess: heh

 
me: He has worn clothing, twice.

Tess: good puppy

March 16, 2009: I decide Cole's character looks like James Franco.

April 16, 2009: A 70,000 word draft sent to both Brenna (Yovanoff) and Tessa. I note: “But on the other hand, there are massive massive massive holes in there that I already know of and need to go back and fill.”

April 18, 2009:  E-mail sent to Tessa. Subject line: “friggin . . .” Excerpt: “It becomes painfully obvious that I have built my snowman in the wrong order -- I have the head-sized ball in the middle.”

April 21, 2009: At 1 a.m. Finished draft sent to editor Mixtape (David Levithan), Tessa, Brenna, and my sister.

April 22, 2009: At 7:46 a.m., e-mail from my sister. “Oh Maggie. It’s. Perfect.”

May 14, 2009: Editorial call with David; edits begin.

June 22, 2009: Me, during edits, finally watching it come into focus. Excerpt from chat with Tessa:

me: awwww

  I'm awwwwing over my own damn scene

  I'm ashamed o fmyself.

 Tess: lol

 me: EmoPet rocks!

  well, fingerpicks his guitar

  but it's as close as he will get to rocking.

 Tess: awwww, yeah

July 6, 2009: big edit done, line edits begin

July 24, 2009: We receive the rough cover art for Linger (which you guys might see next week when I interview the cover designer!)

August 1, 2009: I receive a red coffee pot from editor David in honor of finishing the novel. (readers of Linger will understand why)

September 1, 2009: Scholastic Audio drops me an e-mail to ask if I'd like to be part of picking out additional narrators for the Linger audiobook, which is a question too obvious to answer.

September 9, 2009: Copy-edits arrive!

September 19, 2009: Copy-edits done!

September 28, 2009: I get a cover flat. It's green!

October 12, 2009: I get page proofs to look at -- basically, the pages set up as they will be printed, and my last chance to change tiny things.

November 19, 2009: ARCs! Just in time for my birthday.

February 12, 2010: Linger audio auditions go down. Dan Bittner, otherwise known as the sex-on-a-stick voice of Cole, was originally auditioning for the new voice of Sam, but I said whooooa nelly, that is Cole. And so he was.

May 10, 2010: I complete the Linger trailer.

July 2, 2010: My author copies of LINGER arrive. I start panicking and making lots of baked goods to distract myself from my release day.

July 13, 2010: LINGER's release date!


I still am totally not ready for this. Ask me again on the 20th if it's sunk in yet.