It's A Love Story is out today! 🎉

I'm not crazy about the term 'book baby'

I’m up! Pup’s up! IT’S A LOVE STORY is out in the world! I woke up a thousand times last night worrying about it, which reminds me of how people always compare releasing a book to having a baby. This has never resonated with me.

Having babies felt like ushering strangers into the world. I’d never met them before. They were mysteries to be figured out - a little me, a little Tom, a lot themselves. Sure, I took vitamins and avoided raw meats, but I find it impossible to take credit for the million little miracles that colluded to make them who they are. Also, I wasn’t sending them out in the world to be reviewed; I was taking them home to a basinet.

I think releasing a book is more like sending your kid to college. By that time, you’ve toiled. And I mean TOILED! Late nights, long days, giant setbacks, victories, laugh-till-you-pee jokes, and tears. That’s actually a perfect description of writing a book. You’ve poured your whole heart into something, often at your own peril and under duress, and you know it by heart, because it is your heart, and then you send it out into the world. You hope you did your best, but honestly who knows.

What’s nice about raising kids for eighteen years is you get lots of early reviews. Teachers, coaches, other parents. The occasional law enforcement professional. By the time I sent them off, I had an idea of how my kids would fare in college. I have been comforted and reassured by the many early reviews of It’s A Love Story. Readers are relating to Jane Jackson in a really beautiful way. They’ve started the conversations that I’ve been hoping to have - about our ideas about our own worthiness, about the costumes we wear to hide our authentic selves, about the nature of real, enduring love. And they like Dan. But honestly, who wouldn’t like Dan?

So today I’m going to get my nails done and drink my weight in rosé while hosting a party for three hundred people. Again, not like childbirth.

Let’s get the ball rolling…

I’m excited to be celebrating at 12 noon EST today on Instagram live with one of my very favorite writers, Paige Toon. Paige is the Emily Henry of the UK and happens to be one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. It’s A Love Story is out as an ebook in the UK today and in paperback on Thursday, so this is a pregame for that. Please tune in at noon on her Instagram page. Her accent alone is worth it.

I’m in New York and CT these next few days, then New Jersey. Then I will be hopping on a plane every day until I wind my way back to The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn. If any of these stops are convenient for you, I’d love to see you.

(A bunch of events are sold out and others are very close. If you think you might come, please click the link above to see if tickets are still available. Many events have waitlists, so please sign up.)

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Action items, if you’d like to boost this book:

• buy a copy from your local independent bookstore

• request one from your library (“Oh, no i’m not supporting you if I check it out from the library.” Yes you are. In fact you’re supporting all of us. The library supports authors, authors support libraries, and frankly libraries support an open society where the full breadth of information is available to everyone. Go to the library.

• Forward this to your friends!

• Post something on social media!

• If you read it and like it, please leave a review on Amazon and / or Goodreads

• Come see me on tour. I’ll be speaking on my own in some spots and am in conversation with the most delightful people in others. Click below:

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A million thanks for being here and following along as I release this book teenager out into the world. Please tell me in the comments - have you read it? Do you plan to? Have you seen it around? Does it seem happy?

lots of love,

Annabel

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