Hello Friend,
Have you ever had an empty bottle of water to toss but instead of walking it to the trash can, you threw it across the room, expecting it to land anywhere but the trash can...and then it swished right in?
And you looked around to see if anyone noticed, not to brag about your skill, but to ask whether it actually happened?
Well, revealing this cover is exactly that for me. I almost can't believe it's happening. But you see it, too, don't you???
It’s real.
Anula and her story exists outside of my head, outside of my computer. She's in your inbox, and she'll soon be in your hands!
If you had told me two years ago, when this book was sent to editors, that Anula would be on the front of my debut cover, I probably would have cried in hopeful disbelief. Hopeful, because that's all I ever wanted--for the thing inside my head to become physical for readers. Disbelief, because after 8 books and 11 years, it still hadn't happened.
I nearly gave up on Anula. Once in 2021 and again in 2022. (You can read all about it in a previous post.) And in 2023, I told her she was the last, that if she couldn't make it out into the world, then none of my ideas had a chance.
But…Anula.
Anula with her penchant for poisons and magical mehendi, her feminist rage and ambition and perseverance and won't-take-no-for-an-answer attitude not only snagged an alluring cursed God, but also a publisher.
She made it out. And since then, she has claimed the hearts of an editor, marketing and PR agents, artists, and now she’s coming for readers.
A literal dream come true. The biggest swish of my life so far.
I say so far because I’m sure the day of release is going to be bigger, with even bigger emotions. But until then, I’m still looking around in awe. Anula is out. She’s been rendered, beautifully and perfectly, on this cover (MY DEBUT NOVEL!) by Diana Dworak, and she’s daring you to read her story.
I personally hope you take her up on it. Because writing and publishing a book is only half the dream. You, the reader, are the other half. You are the sole purpose of all those years, all those books, all that deferred hope.
And when I start seeing readers with Anula in their hands, I’m going to crying so hard, so good, so happily.
Pre-order!
Snag a signed copy from my local indie bookstore, Best of Books, here.
Snag a copy from all other retailers.
Save your receipts for ~reasons~
Why does pre-ordering matter?
Similar to Goodreads shelf adds, but way more important, book pre-orders are an indication of reader interest. They prove to publishers and booksellers that working with the author and stocking their books is a good decision. Meaning that the book/author will more likely:
get marketing pushes
have goodies to give away
go on tours to meet readers across the country
and make more book deals
Book pre-orders also help an author hit bestseller lists! These sales are included in the first week’s sales numbers, which is the time of a book’s life when it’s potential to hit a bestseller list is highest.
So, if you love an author's work, consider pre-ordering and/or asking your local library to shelve the book. My heartfelt thanks to everyone <3
Again, thank you for coming alongside this journey with me. It’s an absolute dream to have you here.
Love, Alysha
P.S. I post daily updates on my Instagram
