When I began writing Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash over seven years ago, I had very few expectations. I honestly had no idea whether I would finish my novel much less get it published. I was just an amateur genealogist and historical fiction fanatic who had a tiny seed for a story. I had no outline or master plan for how my plot would unfold. I simply let the characters show me the way and went with my instincts instead of overanalyzing every decision like I normally do in real life. Who knew that surrendering my obsessive tendencies would allow me to tap into a creative well I never knew existed? Granting myself the freedom to write a story in a way that felt right to me—not the way a novel writing textbook might recommend—resulted in a riveting and emotional tale that is leaving a lasting impression on readers.
Now that my novel is out in the world, I feel immensely grateful. It's so rewarding to read the Amazon and Goodreads reviews and hear how people have connected with my characters and their struggles. It's also been thrilling to see Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash featured on so many Instagram posts. The collage above is just a small sampling of the beautiful photos readers have posted along with their amazing reviews and recommendations. It's been an exciting three weeks, and there's still more to come. You'll find all the details below.
The Launch
My Facebook Live event with my best friend, Stacy Riggle-El Sabbagh, was held on Wednesday, September 22nd, and I am so relieved that it went off without a hitch. We discussed the inspiration behind my novel, the history of the Burgh, and my writing process. We took several questions from the audience, which was composed of long lost friends from high school, new author friends at She Writes Press, my family, and everyone in between. It was such a special night. I could feel the love and support coming through the computer screen. During the launch, I also revealed the shocking discovery I made about Stacy while conducting research on Ancestry.com. Click on the link below to watch a recording of the launch and find out why we look so happy.
events
I will be signing books at the Student Book Store in State College, Pennsylvania during Penn State's homecoming weekend, which is October 22nd-24th. The times are listed below.
I will be signing books at Riverstone Books in McCandless, Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 13th from 12-3pm.
I may have more events in the coming months. I'm hoping to do some signings closer to home in Maryland and Delaware.
blog tours & instagram tours
My Blog Tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club kicked off on September 21st and is running through November 23rd. Below is a list of all the blogs where my book is being featured. Some will have excerpts from my novel, while others will have interviews with me or guest posts written by me.
My publicists at BookSparks kicked off my Instagram Book Tour on September 21st. Below is a list of all the instagrammers featuring my book through October 21st.
A SNEAK PEEK AT CHAPTER ONE
SEE THE BOOK TRAILER
BUY THE BOOK
Click on the link below to order a copy of my novel. You will be taken to my website's "Book" page where you will be given several choices for ordering. You can also ask your local bookstore to order a copy since my novel has traditional distribution through Ingram Publisher Services.
REVIEWS
I would be so very grateful if you would review my book on Amazon and Goodreads. It’s the highest compliment you can pay an author, especially since reviews have become the most important factor in getting an author exposure in the highly competitive world of book publishing. And don’t worry … your review can be as short as one sentence. No book reports necessary!
final thoughts
I had an incredibly busy and chaotic summer preparing for my book's launch and often wondered if the family time I was sacrificing was worth it. Would people actually buy my book? Would the reviews be positive, or would they crush my soul and send me crawling into the nearest hole? It's only been three weeks since my publication date, and it's still too early to tell how successful my book will be. However, I have several reasons to be optimistic. The reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are even better than I imagined, the interest on social media is high, and books are moving out of the warehouse.
Things are looking good for this debut author, but even if my sales plummet, I will still walk away from this experience a winner. The support I’ve received over the past few months has been overwhelming, and I can honestly say I have never felt so much love from my family, friends, and perfect strangers. I came home to a house full of balloons and cards from my family the night before my launch. Old friends and new friends attended my Facebook Live event and contacted me to congratulate me and tell me how proud they are. And people I've never met sent me messages on social media to tell me how deeply they were moved by the story of the Kovac family and how my novel filled in some of the missing pieces of their own family histories.
This long, bumpy publishing journey has shown me that I have many reasons to be grateful. I am blessed to have so many wonderful, supportive people in my life. Having Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash out in the world is just icing on the cake!
I love seeing photos of Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash on Instagram! Take a picture of my book in your part of the world and tag me at @authortammypasterick.