September 23, 2007 by maureen.ulrich.

It’s Here and It’s Grand!

Yes, the book is finally here. I drove up to Regina on Tuesday and picked it up from the Coteau office. I met Nik (managing editor), Duncan (art director), Karen (production assistant and accounting), and Mandi (marketing assistant). It was a very gratifying experience.

Highlights include: signing 17 books for Coteau’s staff and board of directors and being asked about a sequel.

Yes, I do have some notions about a sequel – rocketing Jessie ahead to her last year of Midget hockey. I also have some notion of writing about their first year of Midget, but choosing another point of view character (e.g. Jennifer).

Reaction to the book is very positive so far. People who have it seem to read it pretty quickly, and that’s a good sign.

Of course, Nik told me that authors always tell him, “Well, my friends and family really like it.” Hopefully complete strangers will too, and hopefully complete strangers will also buy lots of them as Christmas gifts for their friends and relatives.

My book launch is slated for Thursday, October 25th at the Estevan Public Library. I am really looking forward to having all the people who have supported me together in one place. I know it will be great fun, particularly if a number of them have already read the book and can ask very specific questions.

My friend William Sinclair is going to help me set up a website exclusively for Power Plays to help with marketing, since there are no bookstores in Estevan or Weyburn. I will be very happy to have his expertise because I really don’t have a lot of time for the intricacies of website design.

I am doing a few school readings in the next few weeks. I’m at the Edge in Calgary on Friday, September 28. And hopefully in two schools in Victoria on October 15. This may sound glamourous, but it really isn’t. I’m going to be in those locations anyway because of Robin’s hockey, Woodley Well Service business, and family. And it sure helps to have friends scattered all over the country who have connections with schools in their area.

Really, really looking forward to the next few weeks!

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September 6, 2007 by maureen.ulrich.

I have to keep pinching myself.

Bob Rintoul, a good friend of my parents, found a review of Power Plays in the Calgary Herald on August 16th. And honestly the review itself is too good to be true. It claims that I have “scored a hat trick” and frankly, that means a lot to someone who never learned to skate backwards properly. I’m not sure about the protocol for uploading a review from a newspaper on my website, so if you want to see a copy – just let me know.

I talked to Deborah Rush, the marketing guru at Coteau Books today, discussing things like school appearances and promotional items (maybe a water bottle or lanyard). It sounds like I’ll have the BOOK in my hands sometime next week.

I just feel incredibly lucky to have been approved by a publisher right here in the province. And to have been rejected all those times so that I would keep reworking the story and main character until I got things sort of right.

Still it’s kind of scary. With good reviews, there are also bound to be bad reviews and indifference and cynicism. But, I’ll keep riding this rollercoaster until it comes to a stop – wherever it stops. It sure beats the merry-go-round!

Speaking of riding, I made it to Sturgis and back on the Sportster  — just prior to the Motorcycle Rally. (We learned this time around that it is NOT called Bike Week.) Stay posted for details.

And, yes, France was fabulous. I’ll post some highlights and  pictures. Soon.

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