Look what came! What beauteous abundance! What splendiferous bounty! What magnificent magnificence! My book, my book, my book!
Okay, my ARCs. But still. Aren’t they purty! They have my cover on the front, and the catalog copy on the back, and a big red strip along the top saying that you aren’t supposed to sell them for $1.50 on Amazon after I give them to you as a gift, you schmucks. (And really, you shouldn’t buy those ARCs off Amazon either, because they’re not the final version of the book. They may have dropped a paragraph, or mixed up a character’s name for a scene or two. It could totally happen. I’m just saying.
Here’s what the catalog copy says:
In a fabulous blend of the bestselling traditions of Prep and The Devil Wears Prada, Secret Society Girl takes us into the heart of the Ivy League’s ultraexclusive secret societies when a young woman is invited to join as one of their first female members…Elite Eli University junior Amy Haskel never expected to be tapped into Rose & Grave, the countrcountry’s most powerful — and notorious — secret society. She isn’t rich, politically connected, or… well, male. Between attending druidic initiation rituals, battling disgruntled alumni, and keeping a certain friend-with-benefits at arm’s length, pulling off that A in Russian Lit is going to prove a bit trickier than usual. And then there’s the little matter of George Harrison Prescott — a handsome fellow pledge who seems to offer everything Amy never thought she was looking for.
A witty, fast-paced introduction to the life and times of a young woman in way over her head, Secret Society Girl paves the way for the groundbreaking, genre-bending new series forthcoming from one of the hottest young authors writing today.
I love it, though oddly enough, the actual flap copy on the book is very different. I don’t even think that poor George here gets a mention on the flap copy, though Demetria and Malcolm are much talked about there, and don’t even enter the picture here. I actually love both decriptions of my novel, however. (I’ll see if I can get the flap copy up soon.) They focus on slightly different aspects of the book, I think.
Anyhow, last night I had the totally novel experience of sitting in a room with someone (Sailor Boy’s mom) who hadn’t been involved in the creation of this book while she read it. And laughed. And pointed out her favorite lines (a few of which, I was forced to report, were her son’s idea. But not many. I can totally be funny on my own).
This month, I’m giving away a copy of my ARC in a contest for my newsletter subscribers. (I might do a blog contest, too, I haven’t decided.) Anyway, sign up here!
Click to join SecretSocietyGirl
Hey, remember when I was having all of those mixed feelings about my book during page proofs? Totally gone. I love my book. It rocks so much. I’m drowning in love. I’m bathing in a sea of love. I’m a Nereid in a lagoon of love, I’m a piece of kelp waving in an ocean of love, I’m a benthic worm wriggling in the sediment of the ocean of love love love.
Check it out!
January 24th, 2006 at 8:06 am
wow, congratulations. i’ll be looking forward to reading your book. i’ve always wanted to get something published, too; it must be the bestest feeling in the world!
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January 24th, 2006 at 8:26 am
Talk about show me the love! Love the pictures. Love your enthusiasm.
I can’t wait to buy my six copies when the hardcover comes out. One for each of my sisters in law and one for me. Signed by the author! Oh! And one to give away on my website. Woohoo!
Julie
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January 24th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Love it! So fabulous. I feel your excitement!
Teri
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January 24th, 2006 at 9:34 am
Oh, how wonderful!!! Congrats! You look so pretty on your bed of books.
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January 24th, 2006 at 9:38 am
Diana,
So cool! It must be so exciting to actually hold copies of your book. Just wait ’til you see it in the stores!
Congrats! Love the catalog copy too, a cross between PREP and Devil Wears Prada? That is awesome. I just read PREP actually, and liked it more than I expected to. Marketing to the Devil Wears Prada buying crowd and the PREP crowd covers a huge territory…I predict really good things.
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:10 am
Ha! Your books match your eyes. At least in the picture above.
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:46 am
I’m SO excited for you, Diana! LOVE the picture of you and the ARCs.
Can’t wait to pick up my copy!
Christina
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Yay, Diana! What a great photo of you with your ARCs. Great catalog blurb, too. You’re one of the hottest young writers — woo hoo!
Enjoy!
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Simply lovely! I’ll have to double check that I’ve signed up for your mail list (I’m 99.9% sure I have).
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:59 am
They’re beautiful! Congratulations!
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:02 am
Woo Hoo Congrats!! Such an exciting time. I’m thrilled for you and can’t wait to get my copy. Admit it, you slept with a few books last night, didn’t ya??
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:04 am
Thanks, guys! Pam and Heather, that catalog copy has been the cause of much comedy in the Diana/Sailor Boy residence. “What do you mean, ‘do the dishes?’ I’m one of the hottest young authors writing today!” “Hey, maybe I should go to that Sittenfeld signing this weekend. After all, I’m following her her bestselling tradition.” ::Snerk, snerk, snerk.:: I didn’t write it, folks. Though a few lines of the plot summary are lifted straight from my *original query letter* to my agent. Which means they made it from my agent to my editor, from my editor to the marketing department, and from the marketing department right onto the back of the ARC. So that’s pretty cool. Rare and practically random, but cool nonetheless.
Of course, after we saw the flap and catalog copy, I had to console poor Brandon and Clarissa, who were mentioned on NEITHER. Brandon is pretty cool with it. Clarissa is pitching a fit. (And you know what, that’s only funny to people who have read the book. I’ll stop making in-jokes now.)
I think you are on the group, Charity.
Weird, Rachel, I never thought of that! This cover is actually lighter than the final cover will be, since it’s not printed on the same type of material.
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:06 am
How fun! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to read the book.
Gina
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:22 am
That is so cool!! I can’t wait to read it!
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:26 am
How exciting, Diana!! I cannot wait until the book hits the shelves!
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:31 am
I LOVE it! Love the pic of you with the books…that’s fabulous.
And of course you want my address so you can send me one, right?
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:42 am
OK Diana . . . I completely understand your excitement (well maybe not completely since its not my name on the cover, but you get the point)Anyways when our UPS man came today he was sporting two large boxes that said BUCKLEY on the said. Well knowing full well what was inside of the boxes, I started squealing “THEY’RE HERE, THEY’RE HERE!!” (I think Mr. UPS was rather confused over today’s rare outburst concerning his delivery!) Anyways since Julie is gone and can’t post about it on the Blog, just wanted you to know that we are all super excited about your ARC’s at TKA. They are beautiful, every last one of them! I can only imagine the day the hardcovers come in, we may need to prepare Mr. UPS with some earplugs!
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January 24th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Diana, how cool!! I love to read your excitement. Your arcs look awesome!! Love the pics!!
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January 24th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
Wow – so cool! So maybe the only thing cooler is seeing it prominently displayed at Borders/B&N???
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January 24th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Excellent picture. Congrat’s. The real work begins now…but the fun stuff.
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January 24th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
How exciting D! I suspect there is another ’secret photo’ of you rolling around naked in your arcs-but I wouldn’t dare speculate about such things. lol
-Serena, who is beyond thrilled for you!
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January 24th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Serena, you’re a sick, sick individual. I roll around in arcs in nothing less than lingerie made of the finest silks. And body paint.
Oh, Elaine, it’s fab to hear YOUR excitement, too! I know, when the actual book comes, I’ll set off seismic monitors with my reaction, I think. It’s really hard to believe that there’s more to come after this!
Jami, you’re right. That will be earth-shattering.
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January 24th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
Diana, what a thrill for you. I can feel your excitement through the ‘net! I’m already a member of your yahoogroups, but if you do a blog draw as well, by all means, count me in. ARCs are super exciting.
Congrats!
Cindy
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January 24th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
D, I just checked your listing at Amazon. Did you see that SSG is actually on reader lists already? One teen reader had it on her “Books I’m Dying to Read” list. How cool is that?
Heather K.
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January 24th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
Yay Diana! This is so exciting! I can’t wait to buy a copy of SSG.
Cheers,
Wendy Toliver
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January 24th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Man, I work all day here at work and totally miss out on everything! WHOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO Diana!!! (Course, I knew you had them, but I just love feeling your excitement bubble off the blog.) And HOW CUTE is that picture of you wallowing in the books. Loves, loves, loves it! You deserve it, hon! Wallow away!!!
Hugs,
Marley = )
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January 24th, 2006 at 6:24 pm
Aaaaahhhhhh, pretty, pretty, pretty ARCs.
I am SO excited for you, Diana!
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January 24th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Congratulations, Diana!!! How totally cool.
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January 25th, 2006 at 8:29 am
Congratulations — you all look lovely — you and then
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January 25th, 2006 at 8:32 am
you and theM – I meant
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