Long-time readers of this blog will recall that, back in April, I landed an agent to represent my novel, The Accumulator. At that time, I promised to update this space news about whether you’ll be able to find my writing in your local book store. Well, I have bad news and good news.
I learned this past fall that none of the major publishing houses were interested in The Accumulator. This is not a huge surprise, in retrospect, given the amount of risk an editor would need to take on a young(ish) writer like myself whose publishing record is limited to poetry, radio commentaries, a short story that won’t be appearing in print until this April, and this blog. Facts don’t insulate us from disappointment, though, and that disappointment has a lot to do with why things have been so quiet here.
But here’s the good news: The Accumulator is now a semi-finalist in Amazon.com’s Breakthrough Novel Award contest, the end result of which is a publishing contract with Penguin. Which novels get ushered into the finals will be the decision of Penguin and Publishers Weekly, but a huge factor in that decision is customer reviews.
So here is where I need your help.
If you have the time and inclination, you can read an excerpt of The Accumulator here, on Amazon.com. And then, if you feel inspired (and you’re not put off by sex, drugs, or violence), write a review! The service you will be doing for me is incalculable, and will pretty much put you in the black, karma-wise.
And if I move on to the finals, my karma will be squarely in the red——and I will owe you all a thousand hand-knit sweaters.
9 Comments
Done and done! Hope to be able to read the whole thing soon in print!
Done!
Good luck!
Did it! Good luck Yarn boy!!
It’s a bit late right now for me to read the excerpt and write a coherent review. I will do that first thing tomorrow! But for now: All the best!
Best of luck, Jesse! It’s a great excerpt and I look forward to reading the rest. You really do deserve to be published. Hmmm…now what color do I want my sweater to be…
I totally ended up on your blog while googling knit blog. I’m glad I did. I went and read the start of your novel at amazon and wrote a review. I was thoroughly intrigued by your characters, and even though it’s not my usual brand of fiction (sorry I really like epic fantasy) I would definitely buy it. I really want to read the whole story. I have been struggling with finding something that inspired me to start reading again, and your work makes me want to go pick up everything you have ever written. So keep writing so one day you can have a multitude of followers that will do just that. Thanks.
Okay Jesse, when does the book get published? I read the first 18 pages, I”m hooked, and I want more!
amazon link does not work
The contest ended at the beginning of April, so I’m not surprised the link doesn’t work anymore. No biggie.