What it's Really Like to Launch a Book
if ever there was a day for Nutella waffles, am I right?
Before What Happened to Rachel Riley released, I had three main fears.
That the book would be released to complete + utter crickets. When my first middle grade novel came out, it was May of 2020. Bookstores and libraries were closed, schools were virtual, and everyone was much more concerned with grandma being able to breathe than a “quiet” contemporary story about a girl whose big sister had a mental illness. It was a huge milestone in my life, and I’ll always be proud of that book. But it’s no secret that anyone who launched a book in 2020 was pretty disappointed with its reception. Book sales were up over all, but they were up for classic names: Stephen King, James Patterson, JK Rowling. Not, you know—me.
That the book would be pigeonholed. We’ve all read a book for middle graders where it’s very very (very) clear by page 4 that the author has A Message that they think The Youths Need to Know. It makes for a really dumb story, it’s transparent, and in my opinion, it’s not the point of literature. Yes, What Happened to Rachel Riley invovles sexual harassment, and it’s often pitched as a middle grade #metoo story because marketing needs pithy pull lines. But the book is also about friendship, and gender roles, and parenting, and adventure, and has buddy-cop vibes and Clone Wars easter eggs. I didn’t want it to be painted as This Season’s Book About Consent.
That people would think it was inappropriate. Back in the day, I had a fairly well-known (3 million downloads and counting!) podcast for Christian women, and I still write a popular newsletter for that same audience. They’re my number one cheerleaders, so many of them supported What Happened to Rachel Riley, but I was worried some people would get themselves in a bit of a tizzy over the idea of a bra strap being mentioned in a book for 9 year olds. On the one hand, I don’t care—I know that the book was written with care + respect + prayer, and that middle schoolers face these issues and books can give parents and kids safe spaces to have conversations. But on the other hand, if an entire group of people wants to ban a book, it doesn’t exactly help sales, meaning kids don’t even get to read it in order to have those conversations.
I am so, so happy that exactly 0 of those fears panned out.
The book release was a resounding success, in my opinion—it’s been my splashiest book. With three starred reviews, the Indie Next list, a Publisher’s Weekly feature, becoming an Amazon Editor’s pick, and tons of librarian support on social media, my debut week sales were far and away my best. It even made the Indie Bestsellers list—a huge feat for lil ole me! The launch party was also an absolute joy; it was definitely a core memory to have so many friends and family and readers crowded into my favorite bookstore. I’m not a New York Times bestseller but that also isn’t my goal. My goal is for the book to get in the hands of kids who need it during this season of life, and I’m confident it got there and continues to do so.
It also hasn’t been pigeonholed—while the message of consent and autonomy has been emphasized, people also seem to love the mystery/epistolary format.
And while I may or may not have gotten uninvited from one school (😇), there hasn’t been this major Christian pushback by any means. Maybe because I acknowledge Jesus in the back, ha. Or maybe because the people in my audience know that our God is a God of justice, forgiveness, courage, and grace, all of which I tried very hard to weave throughout Rachel and Anna’s story.
I spent launch day in a Tom-and-Donna #TreatYoSelf vibe. I bought Nutella waffles and ate them in a cafe all by myself before hitting up an appointment, visiting the book at my local library, and taking a 2 hour nap. The launch party was completely stress free, since I’d recruited friends to do all the heavy lifting (one did flowers, one did charcuterie boards, one did the gift bags, and I made my sister be my social media manager all night). It was everything I could have hoped for.
The truth is that launching a book into the world feels incredibly daunting. The words you poured over for months, the words that were meticulously tweaked and edited and adjusted by at least 5 or 6 people, are now just…out there.
Up for interpretation.
Up for criticism and critique and careful analysis.
Once you launch a book, it really isn’t yours anymore. You created these characters, that plot, and the world it unravels in. But the book now belongs to the reader. They’ll take their own meaning from it; they’ll experience it in their very own way. Whether or not that lines up with your intentions for it is 100% out of your hands at this point. It will fall short for some people; miss the mark for others. It will be read in ways you didn’t intend and meanings you didn’t mean will be pulled from its paragraphs.
And yet.
One kid, at 8:00 PM, will stay up reading it. Past when their dad reminds them it’s lights out. Past when they remember they have a geography quiz tomorrow. Past when their best friend, that one that’s been leaving them out lately and making snide comments, spends their evening meticulously recreating a TikTok dance.
And that book will mean something to them. And when they encounter difficulties in high school, as they certainly will, they’ll pull it out from under their bed and reread their favorite chapter. And when they get rejected from journalism school, they’ll sneak it into their dorm room so their roommate doesn’t ask why they take a children’s book everywhere. And when they’re pregnant, they’ll read it in the middle of the night while insomnia keeps their eyelids peeled open. And when they have children of their own, they’ll read it together, and it will ground them and remind them of what’s true.
That’s what books did for me, anyway. And that’s all I hope my books do in this big old world. I hope they find their way. I hope they remind people. The holy power of reminding: it’s the greatest gift we can give each other. It’s the only thing we really have to offer.
In other news:
Have you left What Happened to Rachel Riley a review yet? If you enjoyed the book, a review on Amazon or GoodReads would mean the world. If you need inspiration, feel free to check out this starred review from School Library Journal. That’s three stars for Rachel + Anna + Cody + the gang! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Riiiight around launch time, I announced that I have not one, not two, but three books coming out the next three years. Y’all—this is all because of you. Reading, borrowing, rating: it means so much to me. Next year The Funeral Ladies of Ellery County, an adult book about grief + grace + grandmas, lands on your bookshelves. I also have two new middle grade books releasing in 2024 and 2025 that you can learn about here.
If you’re interested in purchasing a signed copy of What Happened to Rachel Riley (or my other two middle grade novels, What Happens Next and The Kate in Between), Books and Company in Oconomowoc has plenty in stock and is able to ship anywhere in the US!
And lastly, a book I’ve loved lately for…
Kids: My 6-year-old has been devouring the Wings of Fire graphic novels. They aren’t exactly my taste (just…not a big dragon girl), but anything that keeps a first grader up at night with his reading light on way past his bedtime is a win for me! (Unrelated, I just saw an Instagram Mom super-hating on these books because they aren’t “written well”…which, I’m all about giving kids great literature. But also, c’mon. A six year old boy is allowed to enjoy a story about dragons and swords. Y’know?)
Middle graders: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry was a delightful read about a group of girls at a Victorian boarding school covering up a murder. Very much Lemony Snicket vibes, which is so hard to do well!
Adults: The Sea Wife by Amity Gaige is a beautifully written look at a modern marriage while a family spends a year at sea. Fair warning: it’s much darker and gloomier than I was expecting. But the prose is impeccable.
Thanks for reading along!
-Claire-
Ok, I’ve been holding back because I couldn’t comment in good conscience until I had my Amazon review posted 😅 Claire, I read the book and my immediate reaction was “Claire is a genius”. It was such a fun read. It brought me back to middle school in the best way. And of course it was very moving as well. You really captured so much that I definitely never heard talked about when I was that age. I’m 25 and it honestly gave me some closure around experiences and feelings I had as a teenager. You really pulled it off. Congratulations!
CONGRATS, friend!!! I loved this update and I am adding Nutella waffles to my to-do list for my own book launch day. 😜