this is a love story month
this is a love story online launch week events
it’s release month !!!!
It’s no joke; this is the month! On April 20 this is a love story: poems and essays on friendship, love, and mental health releases and will be available for you all to buy and hold in your hands.
how i’m feeling
I imagined this moment many times over the past couple of years of working on this is a love story. In fact, I imagined this moment many times as I was growing up, going through university, and writing love letters to my friends and posting poetry to a locked Instagram account beneath the warm glow of my bedside lamp.
And of course, it’s different than I imagined it. I didn’t imagine the many people who I’ve met and made relationships with through this process. I didn’t imagine exactly what the final product would be. I didn’t imagine I’d learn so much, and also, even at the end, feel so completely out of my depth.
The distribution process - getting the book from a file on a computer to a book in your hands - is the process I feel most uncertain about, to be honest, and that’s what’s happening this month. For those interested in the details, I’m using a self-publishing platform called IngramSpark, where you upload your files with very, very specific specifications and then they distribute it to retailers like Amazon, etc., for people to buy. This is a part of the process I would not be involved in if I wasn’t self-publishing. But I’m up for the challenge, even if things may go awry in the process. As long as it gets to readers eventually I’ll be happy!
what you need to know
But, thankfully, you don’t need to worry about fun stuff like book metadata and ISBN numbers and BISAC codes and whether the e-book needs a barcode or not. That is my problem!
All you need to know is this is a love story releases April 20 in paperback and e-book!!
I have planned some fun things leading up to release to celebrate. All events are online so anyone anywhere can participate! (In-person launch to come. Stay tuned.)
this is a love story online launch week!!
Here are all the events I have planned. Join me for one, or for all! I’d love for you to participate in any way you can.
A Week-Long AMA (Ask Me Anything) with me, the author!
When: Starting April 16, open until release April 20
Where: Right here on Substack!
What: A Substack discussion thread where you can ask any question you want about this is a love story from start to finish and anything in it, open all week long.
I don’t know about you but I love behind the scenes. I know you as subscribers know a lot already, but this is the place to ask any question you’ve ever had and I will answer every single one! Ask about anything: my writing process, inspiration, the dirty details, everything you’ve ever wanted to know about self-publishing, who got into what fights during the process… You don’t need a Substack account to comment on the thread, so anyone can ask questions. I’ll post the thread on April 16, and you can ask questions all week long.
Live with me, the author, and my illustrator and designer Amber Wallin
When: April 19, 8:00 PM CDT
Where:
What: Let’s talk about how this all came together! I’m going to ask Amber questions about the design and illustration process, and she’s going to ask me questions about the writing and production. Come hang out with us, ask questions, have fun, and see us be silly (probably).
RELEASE DAY!!! & Fireside Chat with me (& cats)
When: April 20, 7:00 PM CDT
Where:
What: A cozy fireside chat with me, and perhaps some cats, featuring a few readings from this is a love story. Come chill, ask questions, enjoy some cozy fireside read-aloud.
GIVEAWAY!
When: April 21
I’ll be giving away a FREE *PHYSICAL* copy of this is a love story on Instagram and Facebook, as well as some homemade this is a love story-themed stickers, made by my illustrator Amber Wallin. I have only given away e-copies so far so this is special!!
To enter, you’ll have to comment on the giveaway post and for extra entries, comment or engage on any of the other book launch posts, chats, or streams.
Contest will close April 26 12:00 AM CDT, and the winner will be sent their copy in May.
Since it’s book release month, you’ll hear from me a couple more times than usual this month.
In the meantime,
HAPPY APRIL!!
xo
Alyssa