The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley is a Finalist!

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 / Susan Örnbratt / 2 Comments

chaucer-awards-2015 chatelaine

What a week of excitement! Four separate days of announcements recognizing The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley:

The CHATELAINE Awards for Romantic Fiction 2015 First Place Category Winner in Historical Romance
The CHAUCER Awards for Historical Fiction 2015 Finalist
The IBPA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Book Awards – one of three finalists in Fiction Romance (already a silver winner)
Foreword Reviews’ 2015 INDIEFAB BOOK OF THE YEAR Award finalist

I am still trying to get my head around it all. Certainly, the best moments in life are those that are unexpected. I am immensely grateful.

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2015 indiefab finalists promo-susan

Below is the Press Release from Light Messages Publishing regarding the Indiefab Awards

NC Small Press Celebrates Book Award Finalists

Three titles from Light Messages Publishing have been named Foreword Reviews‘ 18th annual INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards Finalists: The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley by Susan Örnbratt, Relentless Savage by Dave Edlund, and A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks.

Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. Over the next three months, a panel of more than 100 volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in 63 categories based on their experience with readers and patrons.

The three books chosen from Light Messages were lead titles for 2015. The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley and A Theory of Expanded Love received resounding praise from reviewers and readers alike. They were each recognized as Top 50 Reads of 2015. Shortly after its release, Relentless Savage topped the charts on iBooks for Best New Mysteries and & Thrillers. The announcement comes just weeks ahead of the release of Edlund’s third Peter Savage novel, Deadly Savage, which Kirkus Reviews has praised for its “crackling action, brisk pace, timely topic…”

“As a small press in today’s climate, we feel like we have to work twice as hard to secure strong authors and meaningful books and ten times as hard to get their works into the hands of readers. Having a voice as influential as Foreword Reviews recognize three of our titles for their excellence and their contributions to the literary community means the world to us,” says Elizabeth Turnbull, Light Messages Senior Editor. “As the fictional Gillian Pugsley would say, we’re so tickled you could push us over with a guinea pig’s whiskers!”

Foreword Reviews will celebrate the winners during a program at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco on Friday, June 26 at 6 p.m. at the Pop Top Stage in the exhibit hall. Everyone is welcome. The Editor’s Choice Prize for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Foreword Reviews’ 2014 INDIEFAB Publisher of the Year Award will also be announced during the presentation.

About Light Messages

Light Messages Publishing, founded in 1998, is a family-run, general trade publisher located in Durham, North Carolina. We pride ourselves in bringing to light meaningful books by emerging and award-winning authors. For more information about Light Messages Publishing and its services, please visit our website.

About Foreword

Foreword Magazine, Inc is a media company featuring a Folio-award-winning quarterly print magazine, Foreword Reviews, and a website devoted to independently published books. In the magazine, they feature reviews of the best 170 new titles from independent publishers, university presses, and noteworthy self-published authors. Their website features daily updates: reviews along with in-depth coverage and analysis of independent publishing from a team of more than 100 reviewers, journalists, and bloggers. The print magazine is available at most Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million newsstands or by subscription. You can also connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. They are headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, USA.

A Book on A Shelf and Travel – a great combo!

July 18, 2015August 3, 2015 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment

For the past two weeks, my family and I have been visiting the United States in a combined effort to see friends, have some fun and do a little marketing of my book, The Particular Appeal of Gillian Puglsey. Our visit to North Carolina was wonderful, despite the humidity. From southern cookouts to chauffeuring the kids back and forth to friends to a very successful road trip with my publisher, Light Messages, I couldn’t have been happier. Meeting with Baker & Taylor (one of the world’s largest distributors) was a joy. They loved my book so much that they plan to spread the word with a review in their newsletter to over 1000 booksellers. This is big for me and I couldn’t be more grateful.

I was also able to fulfill a dream when I saw my book on a Barnes and Noble store shelf for the first time – and not just any store, but the store that I frequented every week during my three years living in North Carolina, dreaming that one day, my book would be there gleaming with pride. That was the first of four Barnes and Noble shops in North Carolina to take in my book for their shelves. I am immensely grateful and excited.

Then off to California we flew. We have been working our way up the coast, visiting with old friends and stopping by every Barnes and Noble in the area. I must say that each and every manager I have met, has treated me with such respect and kindness. They have not only been more than happy to try my book on their shelves, but they have appeared chuffed to meet one of their B&N on-line authors – making me feel very welcome indeed!

Four days left of our vacation as we work our way up to San Francisco. We spent yesterday watching dozens of elephant seals lounging on a beach. We admired the crashing waves outside 17 Mile Drive. We have been surfing on this trip (well, I have watched my kids and husband surfing) in Encinitas. We’ve taken a fabulous tour of Warner Brothers Studios. We’ve visited the Hollywood sign, done the Beverly Hills thing, met two TV celebrities and have followed the stunning coastline up to Monterey. It has been a whirlwind trip and I look forward to riding a cable car in San Francisco and visiting a few Barnes and Noble shops there.

News on this trip of two dear friends hurting and struggling – reality hits hard. It makes me extremely grateful for a happy and healthy family, for this amazing opportunity to travel and for this weather, which fills me with energy. All of it can be taken away in a snap. So for today, I will love life that little bit more!

Below is a list of Barnes and Noble Stores where you can currently find The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley: (Please Note – if you go to my home page, you will find links to several of the on-line booksellers carrying my book)

California

1) La Jolla – Bookstar (owned by B&N)

2) Calabasas

3) Marina Del Rey

4) San Luis Obispo

5) Santa Monica

6) San Bruno

7) Corte Madera (north of Sasaulito)

8) El Cerrito

9) Emeryville

10) San Mateo

11) Redwood City

12) Santa Clara

13) San Jose (Eastridge Mall)

14) San Jose (Almaden Plaza)

North Carolina

1) Southpoint Mall – Durham

2) Brier Creek

3) Cary

4) Crabtree Valley Mall – Raleigh

Book Launch – a Rock Star Night

May 10, 2015May 10, 2015 / Susan Örnbratt / 4 Comments

Succulent would describe this past week. Juicy with a hundred to do’s on my To Do List before my first ever book launch. I had been planning for several weeks, trying out new recipes, making sure all the invitations were sent, organizing the music and running slideshow, preparing a gift box prize filled with bits and bobs from my book, picking up glasses, ironing table cloths and a legion of other tasks in between.

Come Thursday morning, all was ready for the gallery. As we were setting up, an older gentleman wandered into the gallery wondering what all the fuss was about. Friendly and curious, I told him about my book. He looked at the English title, not having a clue if he understood it at all, though he smiled and looked fondly at me. That was enough to make me feel proud.

Guests began to arrive at the launch when in walked a little old lady. I greeted her, “Välkommen,” I said. She wiggled past me as though trying to go unnoticed. An hour later, I saw her with a glass of wine, and an hour after that, I watched curiously as she weaved through the crowd headed toward the wine table. Apparently, she enjoyed immensely the hors d’oeuvres. Not a soul knew who she was and she clearly wasn’t the least bit interested in meeting the author. I’m not sure why, but I got such a kick out of it. She made me smile.

Meanwhile, the gallery had filled to the brim with family and friends – a turnout, I didn’t fully expect. Everyone was happy and relaxed, mingling with people they’d just met and others who laughed at jokes they’d probably heard a hundred times. The 1930’s-40’s slideshow was getting noticed and probably drummed up a few conversations. Certainly the trivia quiz created a buzz. Nibblies were getting devoured and wine settled nicely into many a hand. Flowers and gifts floated in to the point I could start my own flower shop. It was lovely.

Swedes love speeches, so we had a few. I suppose they were really introductions more than anything, but they made me smile – again. I thought I would be nervous to speak in front of this big crowd, but I wasn’t. It felt right and good and relaxed. Here I was, celebrating my first published novel with so many of the people I care about. They came to show their support and that meant the world to me.

There was plenty of bookselling and signing. It was surreal to me that there should be a queue to have MY signature. I felt honoured and humbled at the same time. There was even a French university student who popped in off the street. He watched the speeches, chatted with guests, bought a copy and stood in line happily to get my signature and seemed chuffed to bits to meet me. ME! I felt like a rock star. Again, I smiled.

It was a magical night, one I will remember always. If this launch were just a fleeting moment, one never to repeat itself, I would know that I have amazing people in my life who help me rise to the occasion. I am beyond excited for people near and far to read my book. Fleeting moment or not, I hope it’s the first of many to come. Thank you for making it a fantastic launch.

The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley – Welcomed into the world at Galleri Scandinavia, Göteborg, Sweden, May 7, 2015.

Trivia Quiz from the Launch

Yes, it was challenging but not impossible. Congratulations Lisa Jarnskog – highest score

NOTE: Answers are at bottom of this blog post.

1) In which sea is the Isle of Man situated?

__ North Sea

__ Caspian Sea

__ Black Sea

__ Irish Sea

2) Where is Tobermory located in Canada?

__ Quebec

__ Ontario

__ Nova Scotia

__ Newfoundland

3) What nation never introduced rationing during WWII?

__ France

__ New Zealand

__ Italy

__ Canada

4) What is the name of the small island situated off the southwest tip of the Isle of Man?

__ Anglesey

__ St. Patrick’s Isle

__ The Calf of Man

__ Jersey

5) What is the Tobermory community known as?

__ The fresh water scuba diving capital of the world

__ The Scottish Copycat

__ The Manitoulin connection

__ The big wash basin

6) What article of clothing does not fit the 1930’s?

__ above the knee skirt

__ ostrich feather cape

__ wide brimmed hat

__ silk full length gown

7) What is the emblem of the Isle of Man?

__ The Manx cat

__ The Three Legs of Man

__ The Manx Kipper

__ The Laxey wheel

8) Which distress signals did the wireless station in Tobermory, Canada pick up in the first half of the 20^th century?

__ The Empress of Ireland (Collision – 1,012 deaths)

__ The Titanic (Iceberg – 1,503 deaths)

__ The Kiang Ya (WWII mine – 2,750 deaths)

__ The Kiche Maru (Foundered – 1,000 deaths)

9) When did Canada enter WWII?

__ Same day as Britain

__ 1 year after Britain

__ 6 months after Britain

__ 7 days after Britain

10) Which item was not rationed in Britain during WWII?

__ Tea

__ Soap

__ Coal

__ Carrots

11) Which film was NOT made in the 1930’s?

__ The Wizard of Oz

__ Gone with the Wind

__ Casablanca

__ King Kong

Quiz reference: http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz29619521e8e70.html

Answers: 1) Irish Sea, 2) Ontario, 3) Italy, 4) The Calf of Man, 5) The fresh water scuba diving capital of the world, 6) Above the knee skirt, 7) The Three Legs of Man, 8) The Titanic, 9) 7 days after Britain, 10) Carrots, 11) Casablanca

Thick Skin to Publication

March 21, 2015April 1, 2015 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment

A close friend has said to me on a number of occasions over the past year that most people would never know what goes into publishing a book. She thought, and rightly so, that a writer writes a book, picks a publisher, and finds it on the bookstore shelves weeks, maybe months later. She often seemed bewildered when I’d say that my editor had sent the manuscript back to me for changes, again and again and again and yet, again. “How rude,” she thought. “Whose story is it anyway?” “And why on earth do you need to do all this social media kerfuffle?” What would I do without my devoted friend? She, like me, has come to realize over the past year what a twisty, uphill road it is to publication. And my road has been many years long, like most writers, dotted with other painstaking, joyous works and a whole mountain of rejections.

An incredible learning experience, having my debut novel published has taught me about patience in an industry that is tearing at the seams with new books every day. It has taught me about patience in seeing the process through correctly and patience in developing the best possible product with my best possible writing. Editing is huge and cannot be rushed. It means months and months of changes, re-writes and tweaking until it feels right – until it is right – the most polished product possible.

For the first time in my life, my writing is being reviewed by people other than my teachers or employers. I have a healthy stash of stoic Scottish blood in me, so I am neither disillusioned nor dispirited and feel perfectly strong to face criticism. However picked apart my novel might become, the one hope that stays true to my heart, is that my actual writing will be seen as good writing. I have worked hard to improve my writing. Every day, keeping an oxymoron alive by lovingly slaving over my craft, certainly to no financial reward as of yet and sometimes to only one pair of eyes. Writers write – it’s what we do. It isn’t easy. It isn’t for the faint-hearted. We feel vulnerable when handing our babies over – dare I say to be judged. Thick skin is a must.

On the other hand, when someone notices your writing, a story you’ve crafted from your heart as much as your mind, it is pure joy to see it go through the publishing process. It makes me think of a watchmaker with a fine pair of tweezers carefully riveting the inner workings together or driving components apart – a jewelling set to fit everything into place.

I’m grateful for such a process.

A Book Selling Mission in Paris

November 2, 2014April 1, 2015 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment

In recent years, I’ve found myself browsing the large chain bookshops more often than not. I’ve found myself scrolling down the list of today’s bestsellers on the internet. I even read my first Swedish novel on an iPad. I suppose convenience has played a part in my search, tousled by the busy life of today. Yet, somehow the charm, the wonderment of the search seemed to have escaped me just a little, until a lovely reminder this past week in Paris.

I had my list of English bookshops in hand and a grand purpose behind it – to promote my debut novel. The first shop was all boarded up, closed to the outside world – for good it seemed. It was the second shop, with a man stacking reams of books, lugging them from crates on the sidewalk and into the shop that intrigued me. I approached with uncertainty, muscling up the courage to introduce myself. He replied as he crouched down to lift more books, with not a single glance my way. I couldn’t have felt more intrusive. He insisted that I speak my mind while he finished up. In and out of the threshold he stepped as I meagerly said my piece.

Once all books were nestled in the corner, he sat down behind the counter, piled high with secondhand books from Dickens to Jamie Oliver. I glanced down the narrow aisle flanked by aged books that seemed to tower through the ceiling above. My eyes traveled back to the shop owner when I quickly learned that I had his full attention. So full that he perused my list. Then with the care of a mentor, he congratulated me on getting published then one by one proceeded to give advice on each shop in the vicinity. He knew them well having owned his little corner of the market for umpteen years. Not an easy task to keep an English bookshop’s heart pumping in the centre of Paris, especially one called San Francisco Book Company.

It was his final comment to me that made me laugh, though it was weighed down by the reality of all artists; grueling, tedious work we love with often little to no recognition. “It’s a tough business. Thank God you’re not a painter. Writers feel sorry for the painters. And the painters feel sorry for the poets. I’m a poet and I run a secondhand book shop.”

I took his advice and re-arranged my list. Before I knew it, I found myself stepping into a shop that oozed the charm of his, with an added “je ne sais quoi”. Who am I kidding? I know exactly “what” that “quoi” was; the creaky floors, the attempted bustle of people squeezing past each other to reach for that one special book, but the towering shelves with ladders forced the bustle to calm down. I could almost hear the rushing hearts from the tourist frenzy across the bridge at Notre Dame, suddenly slow when the tinkle of the bell sounded on the shop’s door. As I walked along the aisle, people buried in this book and that, I rounded a corner that held crevices where book lovers could get lost. Though the hall was a tight squeeze, it felt friendly as it led to a narrow staircase wrapped in stone walls.

Unlike its browsing customers and those coming up for air every so often, I was on a mission – to promote Gillian Pugsley. Although I had to fight my way through a shop that could have easily swallowed me for good, in the end, I was able to say my piece. Now, Mademoiselle Pugsley needs to work her magic even in a country that’s not her own. Shakespeare and Company, as English as it is in the heart of the Latin Quarter as well as the other shops I visited, will be that much richer if they dance a little jig with Gilly. Fingers crossed.

Susan Örnbratt

Author of Historical Women's Fiction

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