Book Contract! Plus: Stories, and a New Website

Recently, I signed a contract with Harvard Square Editions for my first novel, Hot Season. To say that I’m excited would be an understatement.

I’m thrilled. Stoked. Absolutely flippin’ twitterpated.

But in recent weeks, I’ve discovered an unfortunate fact: because I’m publishing my book with a small press, there’s no money for things like a book tour, a book publicist, or a book launch.

And as I contemplated the inanity of going into debt to promote a book that’s unlikely to repay that investment, it occurred to me that if I’m going to establish a career, I’m going to need more than a book anyway—I’m going to need real relationships with readers over the long term.

That’s why, in honor of the thirty years I’ve been writing fiction (really—since I was eight years old!), I’m going to be releasing one original short story each month exclusively to my subscribers, for as little as $1/month, through a crowdfunding platform for artists called Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/susandefreitas.

If you’re reading this blog post, there’s a good chance it’s because you subscribed to this blog.

Maybe you did that because you know me. Maybe you did it because you came across something I wrote on the web and thought, “There’s a voice I’d like to hear more from.”

Whatever your reason, I can honestly say that, as an emerging writer, it has meant SO MUCH to know that someone, anyone, is listening. Writing is such an incredibly solitary pursuit, with such a long apprenticeship period, and there are times when blogging can feel like shouting into the abyss.

So, first of all, thank you.

Now, I’d like to ask for your support as I move forward.

One dollar a month isn’t so much on your end—I’ll bet you lost more to your couch this month—but it will go a long way toward helping me fund my book tour, hire a publicist, and generally launch my debut novel in a way that gives it a fighting chance.

You can follow the link below and pledge $1/month (or more, if you feel so moved) as one of my patrons. The website bills your credit or debit card on the first of the month, and on the second, my latest short story arrives in your inbox.

Here’s the link: https://www.patreon.com/susandefreitas

The short stories you’ll receive will range from realist to speculative, which means that some of them take place in the real world, and some of them take place in a version of the world that’s slightly askew; they’ll all clock in between 2,000 and 5,000 words, which means you’ll always be able to read them in ten minutes to a half hour; and they’ll be accessible in both a text and audio format.

You can find out about some of the inspirations and influences behind these stories on the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/susandefreitas

As ever, your support means everything. Please feel free to share this campaign with anyone who enjoys short fiction.

Thanks!

Susan

PS. I’ve also got a spanky new author website! Check it out: http://susandefreitas.com, and subscribe to my mailing list if you’d like to stay posted on the novel, upcoming events, and all things SD related.