Before I signed my contract with Tirgearr Publishing, I asked if my novel, Celebration House, would ever be available in printed form. I did this because of one simple reason: I want my dad to read my book. I know that if it’s not on paper, he probably won’t. Dad mistrusts the internet.

So I queried the publisher, Kemberlee Shortland, and this is what she told me:

“Tirgearr Publishing is firstly a digital book publishing company. At the moment, we’re the only all-digital publisher in Ireland which is getting our company a lot of notoriety here, and in the UK. We’re using that attention to bolster our worldwide operation. However, there is a call for print, albeit very small. So we have a sales incentive. For books that sell 100 books per month consistently over a six month period, we’ll offer those titles in print format. At the moment, the industry is seeing digital sales of nearly 5 to 1 over print. Print is hugely expensive to do so we’re only offering print for those books that meet sales targets. If a book isn’t selling digitally, it won’t sell in print. So, with this in mind, your book will initially be available digitally only. If it meets our sales targets, we’ll put it into print.”

So, there’s the answer: Celebration House must sell 100 copies per month consistently over a six-month period. Hmm…

Yesterday, after reading my blog, my Aunt Mary Rose sent me an email and told me that I should contact my hometown newspaper in Brookfield, Missouri, and ask if they would review my book and write a short article about me. Local girl makes good, that sorta thing.

I like that idea, and it got me to thinking: maybe the newspapers I wrote for in the Midwest would consider reviewing my book and writing a short piece about me? Let’s see. There’s the Pleasant Hill Times, the Sedalia Democrat, the Leavenworth Times and the Townsend newspaper group in North Kansas City. Okay. That’s a good start. I wonder if my mentor and former journalism professor, Les Dunseith, could pull any strings with the daily newspaper he edits for and ask them to review my novel? The Los Angeles Times reviews books, right?  

I better get busy promoting this novel. Or I better get my dad an e-book reader.

Hands and arms inside the cart, please. Next: an open letter to Kathryn Stockett