It’s been a year (well, fifteen months if you want to get technical about it) since my first published novel was released into the wild. As of August 6th, the paperback version of Struck has hit the shelves, but it seems like only yesterday I was visiting my local bookstore to wish good luck to Struck on her first day at work. . .
Okay, that’s a lie. It doesn’t feel like yesterday. It feels like a lifetime has passed since then. See, I lead kind of an uneventful life, but after Struck was published, I found myself in a constant state of “doing stuff.” I produced a book trailer. I threw a massive book launch party. I went on a two-week book tour all across America. I spoke on a panel at Comic-Con. I held a workshop at the SCBWI Summer Conference. I’ve met dozens of wonderful authors since Struck was released, and I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with delightful readers and fans in person and online practically every day. I’ve signed hundreds of copies of Struck, and I’ve spoken on enough panels at this point that I’ve managed to overcome a crippling fear of public speaking. In addition, I’ve written another book for FSG, titled The Killing Jar, and I’m about to go into pre-production on my first film.
So, yeah . . . in comparison to my life pre-Struck, things have been a little more hectic than usual. But hey, I’m not complaining, because this year, this year that felt like a lifetime, has been good.
How about we journey back through some of my favorite moments?
I think I heard a “yes.”
Ladies and gentlemen, start your time machines! We’re going back . . . to the past.
Here’s me on the day I received my first ARC of Struck. I was just an innocent baby back then. Boy, have I changed.
And here I am doing super-heroine poses with a few of the fabulous ladies of Struck. Shooting the book trailer was one of my favorite experiences of the publishing journey. Few authors get a chance to see their fiction come to life this way, and I’m grateful to be one in the minority. 
Then there was the book launch party. Honestly, it was one of the best days of my life. Does it sound dramatic to say I felt like I was being born that day? Psh! I’m going to say it anyway because that’s how it felt!
This would be the second event of the Fierce Reads tour, at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. I was still getting my bearings with public speaking, and it didn’t help that right before this event, I accidentally ate walnuts (I’m severally allergic) and had to chug half a bottle of Benadryl. I take no responsibility for the things I said during that panel.
From left to right: Anna Banks, author of Of Poseiden and Of Triton; Leigh Bardugo, author of Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm; ME; Jessica Brody, author of too many books to name, but most recently, the first book in the Unremembered trilogy; Emmy Laybourne, author of Monument 14 and Monument 14: Sky on Fire; and Marissa Meyer, author of The Lunar Chronicles, including Cinder and Scarlet.
Let me just say, I had an amazing time with these ladies, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to tour with. And psst! If you ever see Leigh, do me a favor. Get a banana, write a creepy message on it with a Sharpie, and deliver it to her. Tell her it’s from J-Boz. She’ll like that.
Heyo! Me and some of my favorite word-slingers at Comic-Con, including Macmillan authors Lish McBride, Leigh Bardugo, and Edith Cohn!
Yes, that’s me with Joe Hill. Don’t be jealous. I take that back. Do be jealous.
As you can see, it’s been a fantastic year. But it wasn’t all ups and no downs. I do have a few regrets. . . .
I wish I’d enjoyed the whirlwind more while it was happening. Looking back at these photos, I seem like I’m having an all-around great time, but there were a lot of dark moments. There were times I was sure I wasn’t doing enough to promote the book, and I was failing as a debut author. There were times when I was afraid I was spending too much time promoting and not enough time focusing on new work. There were days when a bad review destroyed me and days when I was consumed by a jealousy of other authors. I was hard on myself. Sometimes, I was downright mean to myself.
Sadly, I can’t go back and do it all over again. I can’t jump in the time machine, rewind, and savor every second when it was all new and golden. I was like a new parent, and I spent more time worrying than I did loving my baby.
The first year of a book’s life is precious. I’ll remember that next time around.
Until then, I’ll take what I learned during my first crazy year as a debut author, and I’ll run with it.
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth is now out in paperback!
Want more? You can:
- Watch the Struck book trailer.
- Check out Jennifer’s website, follow her on Twitter, and ‘like’ her on Facebook.
