In this piece Peter Swanson, author of The Kind Worth Killing, shares some advice for BookBitch readers who may be writers or aspiring writers.
Book Release Day by Peter Swanson
My second novel was just published at the beginning of this year, and to be honest, release day for book two was more nerve-wracking than release day for my debut novel. I think that when my first book, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, came out at the beginning of 2014, I was far too excited to be that nervous. I also had zero expectations. I had one goal in my writing life—to publish a novel—and it had just happened.
But this year it felt a little different. More anticipation, somehow. More hope. Also, your goals change. I am now hoping to publish more than two books, and it seems important that I secure some good reviews, plus some decent sale numbers, to make that happen. Hence, the nerves.
But here’s the thing about Book Release Day. There’s nothing you can really do about it. You’ve already done your work and the book, for better or for worse, is out there. I suppose you can check out twitter for people mentioning you, and then thank them for the mentions, but that’s about it. If you live near a bookstore, you can go there and sign copies (if they have them), and bring the booksellers doughnuts.
What I recommend is that you have a few drinks (alone or with company) at your favorite local bar or restaurant. And do it without a laptop or a smart phone handy. Sometimes it’s nice just to celebrate the day without looking to see if you’re getting any comments on twitter, or blog reviews. Just be in the moment. Your book is out in the world.
Then, when you’re done celebrating, go and start work on your next book.
About The Kind Worth Killing
On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.
But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .
Back in Boston, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda’s demise. But there are a few things about Lily’s past that she hasn’t shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.
Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
About Peter Swanson
Peter Swanson is the author of two novels, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, and The Kind Worth Killing, available from William Morrow in the United States and Faber & Faber in the United Kingdom. His poems, stories and reviews have appeared in such journals as The Atlantic, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Epoch, Measure, Notre Dame Review, Soundings East, and The Vocabula Review. He has won awards in poetry from The Lyric and Yankee Magazine, and is currently completing a sonnet sequence on all 53 of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. He lives with his wife and cat in Somerville, Massachusetts. Read more and find links to social media profiles at: http://www.peter-swanson.com.
To win your own copy, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “WIN THE KIND WORTH KILLING” as the subject.
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All entries must be received by February 28, 2015. Two (2) names will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States or Canada. Your book will be sent by the publicist.
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Posted by Stacy Alesi 
Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in psychiatry at a Buffalo, New York hospital. She takes a real dislike to one of her patients, Sofia, a beautiful sociopath who murdered her mother, maimed her brother and has spent more than twenty years in one hospital or another. 
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