Covers and Galleys and Preorders, Oh My! [#2]

We're officially six months out from the release of FLAWLESS, and already it feels like there's a lot to do

Annyeong from a surprisingly rainy LA*,

I write with exciting updates!

1. I finally shared the cover of Flawless on my social channels, featuring a nameless, conventionally pretty, (and therefore) sorta scary, woman’s face. The process of getting to the cover can be a whole TikTok and newsletter edition of its own, because getting the face just right — not cropped too tight, not cropped too wide, and the addition of lines to indicate specific standards of beauty — took a few different tries. Thank you to my close friends and authors Kat Chow and Tim Leong who weighed in along the way. (I just linked you to their books, too.)

2. FLAWLESS is available for PREORDER! This is such a meaningful milestone because researching and writing a book is quite lonely and finally, finally, it feels less lonely. Preorders are important because they let publishers know what kind of excitement exists for the book, so if you’re excited, you can order the hardcover, audio or Kindle editions now.

3. Dutton, my publisher, sent GALLEYS of Flawless to my house and I got to unbox for the iPhone camera and see an early copy of the book all printed and bound. Until now, Flawless has only existed in my mind and on my laptop, so it was surprisingly moving to see these early, error-filled copies made for proofreading purposes only. (The final edition available for purchase will be hardcover.) I have never written anything that needed binding before, so my biggest surprise was holding the sheer volume of written material in my hands.

Ahh look at all those lines we drew on her face

4. What are your burning questions about the publishing process, or the book itself? I will answer them for the next edition of this insider email. Big thanks to my poet friend Valerie Nies who left a bevy of them on my last newsletter, and I’m collecting some more. (I also just linked you to her book.)

5. Who should I be talking with and reaching out to — individuals, conferences, organizations — who might be interested in supporting Flawless with events or interviews, etc? Your ideas and connections are most appreciated early on, so that we can plan in advance.

Flawless is about rethinking and challenging how much we judge ourselves, and one another, by our surface appearances. If you know people who care about these ideas, please forward them this newsletter and have them join the community. Thank YOU for being an early part. And grateful for every preorder.

With gratitude,

Elise

*It is always funny when it rains because some of my children (*cough* Eva *cough) can’t consistently operate an umbrella correctly and this morning she got super frustrated trying to close her umbrella before walking into school. Lol.