So, my second book, Hot Mama, is being released today. It’s the second book in my Bigtime paranormal romance series, and I’m feeling just as much joy and excitement now as I did when my first book, Karma Girl, came out.
There really is nothing like release day. The knowledge that your book has been released from the depths of the publisher’s warehouse. The fact you can walk into your local bookstore and actually see it on the shelf. The fact that if a reader orders it from Amazon in the next eight hours, twelve minutes, and twenty-three seconds, she can have your book in her hands by tomorrow. The knowledge that more reviews will start coming in, and the hope that people will start e-mailing you raving about how much they liked it.
But I’m also a little nervous too, mainly because of one thing – the dreaded sophomore slump.
Dum-dum-dum! (Cue the scary music here).
Entertainment magazines talk about the sophomore slump all the time. About how a hit TV show or movie series suddenly goes from fab to forgettable by the time the second season or sequel rolls around.
It’s happened to lots of movies I’ve enjoyed over the years. Take Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I absolutely loved this rip-roaring adventure movie. But Pirates 2? Not so much. The same thing goes for TV shows. I loved the first season of Lost. Seasons 2 and 3? Not so much.
So, I can’t help but wonder if some readers will feel the same way about Hot Mama. Will the book meet their expectations? Will they think it’s as good as Karma Girl? Will they like it enough to consider picking up my third book, Jinx? Or will I lose readers because I didn’t deliver the goods the second time around?
I’ve heard so many horror stories from writers about how the second book is always harder to write than the first. About how they struggle to recapture the magic of that first book. I’ve heard how fans have been let down or underwhelmed by an author whose first book they enjoyed immensely – so much so that they don’t read that author anymore. I know I’ve read second books that have disappointed me.
So, I think there’s some truth to the sophomore slump theory. Today is release day. I guess I’ll know soon enough if I’m in it.
What about you? Do you think there’s a sophomore slump when it comes to books? Inquiring minds want to know …
There really is nothing like release day. The knowledge that your book has been released from the depths of the publisher’s warehouse. The fact you can walk into your local bookstore and actually see it on the shelf. The fact that if a reader orders it from Amazon in the next eight hours, twelve minutes, and twenty-three seconds, she can have your book in her hands by tomorrow. The knowledge that more reviews will start coming in, and the hope that people will start e-mailing you raving about how much they liked it.
But I’m also a little nervous too, mainly because of one thing – the dreaded sophomore slump.
Dum-dum-dum! (Cue the scary music here).
Entertainment magazines talk about the sophomore slump all the time. About how a hit TV show or movie series suddenly goes from fab to forgettable by the time the second season or sequel rolls around.
It’s happened to lots of movies I’ve enjoyed over the years. Take Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I absolutely loved this rip-roaring adventure movie. But Pirates 2? Not so much. The same thing goes for TV shows. I loved the first season of Lost. Seasons 2 and 3? Not so much.
So, I can’t help but wonder if some readers will feel the same way about Hot Mama. Will the book meet their expectations? Will they think it’s as good as Karma Girl? Will they like it enough to consider picking up my third book, Jinx? Or will I lose readers because I didn’t deliver the goods the second time around?
I’ve heard so many horror stories from writers about how the second book is always harder to write than the first. About how they struggle to recapture the magic of that first book. I’ve heard how fans have been let down or underwhelmed by an author whose first book they enjoyed immensely – so much so that they don’t read that author anymore. I know I’ve read second books that have disappointed me.
So, I think there’s some truth to the sophomore slump theory. Today is release day. I guess I’ll know soon enough if I’m in it.
What about you? Do you think there’s a sophomore slump when it comes to books? Inquiring minds want to know …
Jennifer
