Behind the scenes of a writer’s life isn’t usually very exciting. There’s a lot of sitting in a chair and typing. A lot of staring out a window and thinking. But every once in awhile some excitement comes my way.

This past week I talked with my publisher and got the scoop on where my book is at in the publishing process.

• I expect final edits to come my way the end of this week. I’ll go through them and after a little back and forth we should have the final version of The Clean Daughter ready!

• Three mock-up versions of the cover are being made as I write! I’m so curious and a little scared of what the book jacket artist will envision. I get to pick my favorite of the three and then she and I will work together on final touches.

• Hardback Book! NDSU Press has decided to print The Clean Daughter as a hardback book (not a paperback)! Dream come true. I’ve always wanted a hardback book. A dust jacket! Oh, I’m geeking out on this one. So happy!!

• Once the edits are in, the book will go to design for interior layout.

• Black and white photos are a GO for in the book. Most likely one at the beginning of each of the nine section breaks.

ARCs are pre-production copies. And mine will soon be on their way!

They aren’t the final version of a book. There might not be a designed cover. But the book is close to what it will look like.

Advanced copies allow people to read a book in order to make reviews available before the book’s debut.

• The Clean Daughter has a Release Date! Valentine’s Day. February 14. 2022.

• March 3rd. Set the date! The NDSU Press Party!! Join us for a fun evening with music, food, and three or four NDSU Press authors reading from their newly minted books! Hope you can keep the date and join us!

Sign up to receive my (short) every-other-week newsletter and you’ll be automatically entered into a free book drawing on Launch Day.

February 14th. Be one of the first to see and read The Clean Daughter: A Cross-Continental Memoir.

That’s what’s happening here.

Lots of anticipation and excitement. It’s GO time for my book.

I’m so excited to see what the final product will look like!

Now it’s back to sitting at my computer and doing edits, and writing an acknowledgement page, and a dedication page and asking other writers for *blurbs for the back of the book. *Those short quotes on the back jacket that say how amazing the book is. :)

Thanks for reading.

Love always,

Jill