I has no ARCs so please stop asking

In the last few week I’ve had several people asking that I send them a How To Ditch Your Fairy ARC so they can blog about it.¹

While that’s a lovely offer, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that so many of you are keen to read the book, it so happens that I do not have any ARCs of HTDYF. Truly. The tiny number I was given were handed out to local Big Mouths.² I also swapped with a few writer friends for their ARCs. I have none left. Not even my parents and sister got a copy.

The person to ask for an ARC (of any book) is the publicist of the company that publishes it. But in order to get one you’ll have to show that giving you the book will help spread the word about. That is how it works.

The reason that a number of reviews have appeared of HTDYF recently is because 500 ARCs were handed out at BEA. A decent number were also sent by my publicist to key Big Mouths all over the USA. I have sent no one an ARC. It is not my job to do so. That’s why the author is given so few in the first place. We’re usually not the best placed person to get them into the hands of the most important Big Mouths.

So the person you should be bugging for ARCs is not me, but my publicist. And, no, I will not give you her email address. With a wee bit of googling you will find it on your own.

Besides, do you really want an ARC? They’re full of typoes, they fall apart easily, and they don’t even smell as good as a real book. And guess what? HTDYF will be a real book very very soon. While the official pub date’s in September I’m pretty sure it’ll start showing up in shops in August. August! That’s mere minutes away.

I also remain many months behind with email. If you wrote to ask me for an ARC this is my reply. Sorry not to respond more personally. [↩]
Isn’t that a quaint term? It refers to the booksellers and bloggers and librarians and journalists who are well known in the YA world and are very good at getting the word of mouth flowing. [↩]

Posted by Justine at 18:44, 17 June 2008 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Excuses, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Publishing business | 8 Comments »

Comments

Gina Says:

Whats an ARC? Can i have one?

June 17th, 2008 at 10:39 PM
khyrinthia Says:

They gave them out at BEA?! That’s another reason I should have found a way to go…

June 17th, 2008 at 11:47 PM
rebecca Says:

i have a lead on acquiring one of these elusive arcs. mwahahahahaha. it may or may not materialize, and i am le suck at writing reviews, but if i do manage to get one, i’ll probably send you a lengthy email about it, just in case your inbox wasn’t full enough already. lol.

June 18th, 2008 at 3:18 AM
Patrick Says:

The only ARC I have ever received came from a writer who is notoriously slow about sending out books to contest winners. It was sent because of guilt, along with my prize.

June 18th, 2008 at 11:38 AM
caitlin Says:

I am a Big Mouth and I’ve been using my Big Mouth to already promote the fantaboulus HTDYF. Yes, I have an ARC, but I can’t wait to buy the actual book, because like opening a birthday present there is something magical about being the first to crack open a new book.

June 18th, 2008 at 2:30 PM
hillary! Says:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WAS THERE! I COULD’T FIND BLOOMSBURY! I ASKED EVERYONE! NO ONE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE AT! I WAS SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR AN ARC OF HTDYF!!!!!!! IT COULD NOT BE FOUND! ARGH! I HATE MY LIFE!
ARCs are special because it means you got it before everyone else did. Who cares if they fall apart easily, have typoes, don’y smell as pretty? You still have it before evryone else.

June 19th, 2008 at 9:32 PM
KT Horning Says:

It’ll be worth the wait. The book is made of doos.

June 20th, 2008 at 1:02 PM
8. Justine Says:

Caitlin: Thank you!

Hilary!: I am sorry for Bloomsbury’s elusiveness.

KT: Means a lot coming from you. YAY!

June 20th, 2008 at 1:56 PM

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Justine Larbalestier