The Tarot for Writers Cover
My next book, Tarot for Writers, is already available for pre-order on Amazon.com! It’s a complete guide to using tarot cards as a tool for creative writing, with explanations, spreads, prompts, and practical suggestions for using the cards at every step of the writing process.
You can see the amazon listing here:
http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Writers-Corrine-Kenner/dp/0738714577/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218394501&sr=8-1
I have to tell you, I’m a little surprised … because I’m still finishing the manuscript! It’s just bizarre to see a book advertised in one window on my computer, and have a draft open for editing on another screen.
A lot of people are surprised by the time it takes to publish a book. I finished the first draft of “Tarot for Writers” in October, 2007. I remember that I mailed it to my publisher, Llewellyn Worldwide, on October 24 — my daughter Emily’s birthday.
I didn’t have a contract or anything … I simply sent the book on spec. Once it was at the publishers, it took a few months for the acquisitions committee to decide they wanted it. First they had to send it around to outside readers for their assessments, and then the sales department had to determine whether there was a market for the book. Llewellyn ultimately gave it a thumbs up in February, 2008.
I polished the manuscript a little and submitted a second draft in April. During that time, a committee of editors and graphic designers developed a cover — the groove-tastic red image you see above.
Since then, my editor has given the book a preliminary once-over, and she’s come up with a list of suggestions for improving the book. I have to admit, they’re pretty good … and as I go through the manuscript, I’m finding some room for improvement, too. I’m adding more examples and writing samples, and clarifying some of the instructions.
Even so, I think this book is the best thing I’ve ever written. Usually, by the time I get to this point, I feel terrible about my work. I worry that I’m making huge, glaring mistakes in both my content and construction. I worry about confusing my readers, or sickening them with my sense of humor and writing style. I worry about missing final deadlines, and I worry about looking fat in my author photo.
Not this time. In fact, this book has led a charmed life, and it feels like it practically wrote itself. Actually, I researched it like crazy — but it was just so much fun to put together that it didn’t seem like work. Other writers and friends who have seen the early drafts and tested the techniques I’ve developed think it’s pretty good, too.
The next step is production, when my editor will do a thorough line-by-line review, and a designer will develop a custom look for the pages. That process is scheduled to get underway on August 18, which means I’ve got a week to finish everything on my end. (I keep telling myself, “No problem!” … but then I waste time by looking it up on Amazon!)
After that, I’ll see page proofs. At that point, there’s very little room for change. Basically, it’s a final chance to catch any mistakes. I really have to do my best to catch them now, this week, so we don’t have to make changes at the last minute.
Once everything is done in production, the book will go off to a printer – probably in China. It should be in the publisher’s warehouse in January, 2009, and in bookstores by February.
You can pre-order a copy now, if you like. Amazon even has a special offer, which will lock in the low pre-publication price they’re advertising of $13.57. Apparently, the cover price isn’t set in stone yet … but I think it’s going to be worth every penny. In fact, I’ve already pre-ordered my copy … because I read somewhere online that it’s going to be good.
