Wednesday, May 25, 2011

How Walmart (and my agent) made my day

Yesterday was an exciting day.

In New York City where all the cool publishing people hang, Book Expo America (BEA) is taking place this week. For years I've heard it touted as the biggest publishing event in North America, and I've watched from the sidewalk with my nose pressed against the window making unpleasant smeary streaks on the glass.

This year, I got to be there.

Well, not in person. But Tuesday morning, author pal Dan Krokos was kind enough to email me this photo of an advance reading copy of Making Waves on display at the Sourcebooks booth:
Not to be outdone, my amazing agent, Michelle Wolfson, stopped by the booth and assembled the Sourcebooks team for a group photo I'm considering enlarging to gargantuan proportions and framing on my bathroom wall:
From left to right, my incredible editor Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks Sales God Chris Baurle, Amazing Senior Associate Editor Susie Benton, my brilliant and talented agent Michelle Wolfson, and uber-fabulous Sourcebooks Editorial Director Todd Stocke.
I was still swooning with excitement over that when Michelle called with even more delightful news.

Sourcebooks has arranged for nationwide distribution of Making Waves at Walmarts across the United States.

I never thought I'd find myself thrilled to the point of tears at the idea of being in Walmart, but trust me – this is huge.

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted the book is already available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and Powells Books and Borders and IndieBound. I click those links at least once a day and then pinch myself so I know it's real.

But shelf space at the world's largest public corporation? The biggest grocery retailer in the United States? That's priceless, particularly for a no-name, debut romantic comedy author like me.

And with the gorgeous cover Sourcebooks has given me – a cover that practically screams, "grab me! I'm a fabulous beach read!" – I can't even begin to guess what impact that might have.
It does make me contemplate the impact of screaming "grab me!" in public places though.

But I digress.

I'm swooning. I'm elated. I'm so damn grateful to my amazing agent and the ridiculously fabulous team at Sourcebooks, without whom none of this would be possible.

So if you're in the mood, I invite you to swoon with me. On the count of three...

One, two, three...

54 comments :

Lindsay said...

Yay. So excited for you. Now to swoon... ;)

Anne Gallagher said...

Congratulations! That's great news.

Linda G. said...

Forget swooning -- this calls for a huge Wolf Pack howl! AAAAA-OOOO!!!

This is GREAT. :D

Penelope said...

This is fabulous news! You deserve it, Tawna.

Sarah W said...

Fantastic!

Matthew MacNish said...

Swoon ...

Congratulations, Tawna, what great news!

And on another level ... there's an ad/sign in that photo that says "dig deeper."

That's what she said.

Pamala Knight said...

SWOOOOON!!! Congratulations Tawna! I'm so happy for you and can't wait to read MAKING WAVES. Yay!!

Harley May said...

Congrats! I'm tearing up I'm so happy for you. You are fantastic and lovely and worth every bit of this swoony attention. Sigh.

Love you!

muffintopmommy said...

YOu won't be a no name for long! WOOHOO! That is awesome news! So happy for you!

Patty Blount said...

*pumps fist* YES! Woo hoo!

Danielle Spears said...

That's HUGE! Way to go!!!! Now I don't have to order my copy on Amazon! ;)

Unknown said...

*swoon*

Jen J. Danna said...

Whoo hoo! Good for you! You've got a great team behind you; just look at what they've done for Making Waves. Fantastic news!

Blaire Kensley said...

YAY! That is definitely some exciting news!!! Can't wait to walk into my local Walmart and touch a copy of it. To feel its smooth glossy cover under my finger tips, press it to my excitedly heaving bosom, inhale the intoxicating scent of a new best-seller...(looks around to see fellow shoppers staring oddly at me)...uhmm...(places book in shopping cart and casually walks away gradually picking up speed)....sorry about that. Got caught up in the moment. Congratulations Tawna!!! :-)

Summer Frey said...

That is awesome! I do a lot of book shopping at super Walmarts, because A) there are no bookstores nearby, and B) their prices let me buy more than I would at one of the bookstores. So this is fantastic! Congratulations!

Daisy Whitney said...

Fantastic!!

Anna said...

SWOON! That is great news! Congratulations!!!

lora96 said...

Wonderful! Just think of all those besotted strangers grabbing you in Walmart and wrestling you into their waiting carts.

The Novel Road said...

Excellent! My prediction for your debut novel: it will hit the Top 20 list at Google e-bookstore

Congrats! Very proud of you my friend!

Doug

Anonymous said...

*thud*

Crap. Why wasn't there a hunky guy behind me to catch me as I swooned with you? >_<

Elizabeth Flora Ross said...

That IS freaking awesome news! Congrats! And I love the cover. I got a B&N gift card for Mother's Day. Think I need to go preorder NOW! ;)

Joyce Tremel said...

Wonderful news!

I will be sure to rearrange all the books in my local Walmart and put yours in a prominent place. And maybe drop a few copies in unsuspecting shoppers' carts.

Kasie West said...

That is so awesome, Tawna! What a great day. :)

Jen Stayrook said...

This requires an internet dance with maracas.

CONGRATS!

Anonymous said...

That's amazing! Congrats!

Jason said...

That's awesome! To commemorate, I give you this:

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

You can thank me later.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I can hardly wait to get my copy. Hopefully there will be some sun so I can at least read it on the patio.

LOL, I see Jason sent you the People of Walmart connection. I'll go him one better with a music video of Walmart fashion - watch at your own risk!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvxNgdFeWqM&feature=youtu.be

ExMagistra said...

Whoo-hoo! That's great news! With Oprah gone, Wal-Mart is totally the NEW Oprah. And yes, definitely check out the "People of Wal-Mart" site. Consider it market research.

Judy,Judy,Judy. said...

Tawna - this is so great. I am so happy for you!
I'm gonna swoon later when someone's around to either take advantage of me or wave smelling salts in front of my nose.

Anonymous said...

life-size entourage poster + amazing reading material = dream bathroom #jealous Mega kudos!!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful news, Tawna :) I'm not at all surprised you're getting some well deserved attention! With even more to come when the book is out, for sure!!!

Jenna McCarthy said...

I get excited just being in Wal-Mart myself (we don't have one where I live, OR a Target but enough about me). My BOOKS being there might send me into cardiac. You are my new idol.

Deborah Small said...

Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy! How totally awesome cool!

But what about...Canadian Wal-Marts?? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Oh well, I can still order via the Net. :)

Congratulations, Tawna!

Sincerely,
Deb

Candyland said...

I NEVER thought I'd say this but, YAY FOR WALMART!!!!

Danica Avet said...

You know, when I'm in Walmart when your book comes out...I'm so going to point your book out to everyone I know and say, "She gave me nuts." *grin*

I'm so happy for you! I'd be just as excited as you are to know that my book was being sold at Walmart. Really, they're ginormous. *big hug* :)

Tatum Flynn said...

Wow, that is huge, congrats Tawna!! And how lovely that they took that photo of all of them at BEA.

Patrick Alan said...

GRAB ME IN PUBLIC PLACES!!!!

Michelle Wolfson said...

BEST NEWS!!!
I'm pretty sure I can't capture in words how excited I am for you. But hopefully I've managed to do it in 10,000 conversations and emails over the last 4 years. It's all paying off!!!! Let the fun begin!

Laura Fenske said...

HUGE SMILES from me to you! If I still had the beer you gave me I'd drink it tonight in honor of you.

Anonymous said...

And we all get to say .. we knew you when :0)

TAWNA FENSKE said...

Thanks for all the kind words, guys! I seriously haven't stopped grinning for 24 hours. Not even when I slept :)

Tawna

The Novel Road said...

Just curious...

Who is the audio book reader for Making waves?

Kadi Easley said...

Tawna I couldn't be happier if it was happening to me. Congratulations.

kel said...

Swooning. Sooooooooo awesome.

Steph Schmidt said...

Congrats! May many a person feel the urge to buy and grope that book as their new beach read.

Leona said...

Yeah, what they said :D

Anonymous said...

You sure couldn't get a better start for your book. It looks fabulous and will fly off the shelves.

Suzanne

Claire Dawn said...

You know I totally didn't think of the beach-readiness of the cover.

Congrats on Walmart.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

This is fan-freaking-tastic news! Congratulations. Hang on, because having your book readily available at Walmart should send sales over the top. You go, girl!

Amie Borst said...

i foresee a NYTimes Bestseller in your near furture!

Anonymous said...

Wow. That's freaking AWESOME!!! Congrats!

Amanda Hoving said...

Congratulations! I swooned, stretched, and then swooned some more.

Melanie Sherman said...

I'm totally swooning. Congrats.

lahn said...

I'm swooning, shouting "congrats!" and getting ready to buy, all at once. (Yes, I am that talented.) :)