Attempted launch woes

[sister_raphael]

It's a crisis. I'm waiting to hear back AGAIN from the publisher who I spoke to less than a week ago...

Original launch date 25th March, which was moved when the Editor in Chief left to pursue her own Publishing Company, but the rest of the team remained the same, so not so much of a big deal, right?

It's now 8 days until the scheduled Book Launch Event in the Art Gallery Cafe at the Abbey Museum of Art & Archaeology, where catering is organised and people have changed their work shifts and other appointments to attend. Later weekends are very crowded and people really may not be able to come, especially since the publisher website now says MAY, which is completely news to me. This may or may not be correct, since the book is at the printer as we speak but they should know.
 

My options are:
 

1. Pre Launch Party in 8 days time. I could do pre-sales promo and have some kind of special so that everyone who pays for their pre-order gets a bonus thing? I'm thinking that since the food and staff is organised at this stage, and my sister has changed her Hospital roster to come and my niece and nephew have made space on their work rosters so they can come also, I should just go ahead. People at my work sorted their shifts to come. Organising re-enactors is like herding cats, and a number of them are on the guest list.

2. Delay the whole thing and see what I can wrangle later on about having the same kind of event, but finding a date that works will be a bit hopeless. Not to mention finding a place to have it on short notice. The museum was giving a good price to hire the venue too since I'm a Life Member.

3. Cancel it and don't have a nice launch.

I have already got stuff ready for it at that specific venue. I kinda feel like I'd like to just go ahead and have a Pre launch, but I'm wild that now I'm missing Women's History Month, Markets, AROW, Phoenix Phestival, Mother's Day and likely my Birthday- all times when I would have promo giveaways.

Of course people may feel it's just too stupid to have a launch without actual books.

ARGH!!!!!

Comments

[cmcmck]

That really isn't at all helpful!

[sister_raphael]

As you say, not really. I need 60 books for the launch and some for me for all the special occasion giveaway prizes!

[badly_knitted]

*hugs* I hope they get in touch, or you can reach them, and figure out what the heck is going on. Tell them you have a book launch scheduled, you need the book so you can launch it!

[sister_raphael]

When the release date was chosen, it was chosen for a reason. So people could buy books for special occasions. No one wants to do a Pre-order for Mother's Day. They'll just buy something else!

[badly_knitted]

Which we don't want. We want people buying your book! That's a much better gift!

[sister_raphael]

It's a once a year event, so it's a missed opportunity otherwise!

[badly_knitted]

Which sucks since it's completely out of your control.