The Value of Preorders and the Return of Monday Muse

Plus Ross & Rachel, more giveaways and strawberry matcha

I can’t believe it’s just under two months until the release of IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME. I have been receiving such heartwarming messages from readers who were able to get an advanced copy of my book and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who took the time to review, reach out, and post their thoughts. Thank you, thank you so much. I will be sharing event details soon, so stay tuned!

For anyone that follows me on social media, I want to apologize for this book being my entire personality! With every single post on my feed or re-share on my stories, I feel a little nauseous. Not because I don’t want to be posting all of the things to celebrate my debut, but because I am the kind of person who 1) HATES asking things of people and 2) quickly feels like I am bothering people when I finally muster up the courage to actually ask. That is not a great combination when begging people (every day) to preorder my book.

The reason I’m so vocal about preorders is simple: I worked incredibly hard on my book, I love writing, and I want to keep writing. Preorders play a big factor in whether or not I can continue to keep doing what I love.

Here’s why:

Determining Demand

While it’s a lovely idea that all bookstores will carry a book, that’s not always the reality. Preorders help inform publishers how many copies they should print and distribute. A strong number of preorders signal to publishers that there’s an interest in a book which can help marketing efforts and better placement in bookstores.

Inventory

To the above point, helping a bookstore anticipate inventory can also assure that a book won’t sell out and that there will always be copies on the shelf for people to discover!

Bestseller Lists

While I would be more than grateful and cry as if I won an Oscar if I were able to make it on *any* list, this is not a priority for me. I wholeheartedly mean that my goal is to just write more books and have longevity instead of being an “overnight success”. All that to say, preorders contribute to a book's initial sales figures, helping it reach bestseller lists.

Ultimately, preorders are crucial for authors and it’s the best way to support an author before a book comes out. I know that purchasing a book isn’t always feasible, so alternatively, requesting a book from your local library is also incredibly supportive. Not just for authors, but for libraries!

If you are interested in preordering IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME, you can preorder from your local indie bookstore of choice, or Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Indigo, etc. As an incentive, I have worked with two lovely indie bookstores to provide something a little extra for those who preorder (thank you in advance)!:

U.S Preorders

Village Well Books & Coffee offers personalized signed copies + character art for the first 100 orders.

Canada Preorders

Slow Burn Books offers signed bookplates + double sided character art.

Goodreads is also putting on a giveaway for the month of August for both U.S and Canadian readers! Entering is another great way to support and you can find both links below:

U.S Goodreads Giveaway

Canada Goodreads Giveaway

When I’m not gearing up for book launch I am continuing to write (I’m dying to share more but I can’t at this time. Soooo, that’s all you’re getting right now about that).

Ross & Rachel

Aside from writing, my husband and I have been rewatching “Friends”. Now, this is a show I practically memorize. It’s pivotal to my formative years. Jeff has never watched the whole show from beginning to end (and honestly I don’t think I’ve watched it front to back either), so we started our Friends journey about a month and a half ago. We’re now on Season 7 and I just need to take a quick second to appreciate Ross and Rachel.

I’ve been seeing some HOT TAKES online that there are some people out there who hate Ross (?!?!?!) and ship Rachel and Joey(?!?!). Respectfully, those people are confused. Ross and Rachel’s love transcends across ten seasons and it’s what I believe to be truly one of the best love stories on television. Not only do Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer have undeniable chemistry (which I know has to do with their real-life crushes on each other…which, don’t even get me started on that. Seriously, I may have to write a whole Substack post on that itself), I never realized how many tropes these two hit: friends to lovers, slow burn, best friends brother, accidental marriage, accidental pregnancy, popular girl and nerdy guy, golden retriever energy. It’s impressive. So yeah, I’m having a blast with this rewatch.

I literally will not entertain a conversation about Rachel and Joey, so please do not even try!

Secondly, another one of my current obsessions is the Strawberry Matcha. I am not a matcha girlie. I am an oat milk latte with a double shot of espresso girlie. I am a four cups of coffee a day girlie. Matcha does not do it for me. But I tried a strawberry matcha out of convenience one day and I have not been able to go back. I have spent an obscene amount of money trying all the strawberry flavored drinks around LA and at this point, it’s pretty irresponsible. So, I’ve started making strawberry matcha’s at home. Let me tell you, it’s been a game changer. Buy yourself some matcha powder (I just use a whisk to mix it) and some strawberry syrup, oat milk and make sure you have a freezer full of ice…YOU’RE WELCOME.

I’m also not great at instructions, so I’m hoping that was a pretty clear picture. You’ll figure it out!

The Return of Monday Muse

For anyone that has read my first Substack post, I shared that JossBecause is a resurrection of my 2015 blog. One of my most infamous series in the original JossBecause was called: Monday Muse. It’s a series where every Monday I would feature a woman who I think is frankly amazing and I want to highlight. It’s really as simple as that. It’s an opportunity for me to ask them questions they wouldn’t normally be asked, and to uplift them to an audience who may not be familiar with their work.

I’m ecstatic to share my very first Monday Muse: Kristen Berry.

Kristen L. Berry is a writer and communications executive. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Kristen graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature. She has provided PR and communications expertise to leading consumer brands for nearly twenty years, all while writing in her spare time. When she isn’t reading or writing, Kristen can be found lifting heavy at the gym, hiking in Malibu, eating her way through Los Angeles with her partner, or shouting at the latest Formula 1 race.

Yes, the above is her official bio, but let me just start off by saying I adore this woman for so many reasons. The book community is small and authors tend to connect with other debut authors of the same year. Kristen and I connected because of our writing; and while yes, our first conversation was primarily about navigating this new space for both of us, we became friends and I instantly grew to admire and respect Kristen. There is a contagious aura about her – you can without a doubt see it through her content on Instagram and Substack, but she shines brighter in person.

Kristen embodies the sentiment that the book community is supportive. She never withholds information and genuinely wants to see everyone succeed. If you don’t believe me, please subscribe to her Substack that is full of advice that is worth saving and see for yourself.

Her debut novel, WE DON’T TALK ABOUT CAROL is what the Associated Press has called “A well-written, emotionally wrenching tale.” In the wake of her grandmother’s passing, Sydney Singleton finds a hidden photograph of a little girl who looks more like Sydney than her own sister or mother. She soon discovers the mystery girl in the photograph is her aunt, Carol, who was one of six North Carolina Black girls to go missing in the 1960s. For the last several decades, not a soul has talked about Carol or what really happened to her. But now, with her grandmother gone and Sydney looking to start a family of her own, she is determined to unravel the truth behind her long-lost aunt’s disappearance, and the sinister silence that surrounds her.

Delving into family, community, secrets, and motherhood, We Don’t Talk About Carol is a gripping and deeply emotional story about overcoming the rot at the roots of our family trees—and what we’ll do for those we love.

Your comfort film or TV show?

Kristen: I adore the Netflix docuseries “Somebody Feed Phil!” I wasn’t familiar with Phil Rosenthal before watching this show, but he’s a successful TV writer and producer best known for creating “Everybody Loves Raymond.” In a lot of ways, “Somebody Feed Phil” is a classic food + travel show; in each episode, Phil explores a new city or region through its cuisine. But it’s the only show of its kind that regularly leaves me in happy tears. Phil approaches new experiences with the sort of wonder most of us abandon once we leave childhood, and it inspires me to meet new places and people with a similar openness. He also weaves his family and friends into the show in a way that’s deeply heartwarming. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll probably want to book a flight.

Who is your current celebrity crush?

Kristen: I haven’t let go of my crush on Jay Ellis since “Insecure” wrapped!

A book you’ve read more than once?

Kristen: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. That book is like a magic trick I’ve studied up close for years, yet I still haven’t figured out how she managed to pull it off. It’s a masterpiece.

If you weren’t an author (or working in PR full-time), what would you be?

Kristen: I regularly fantasize about (i.e., romanticize the idea of) becoming an English lit professor. Or, becoming a (somehow!) highly paid manager of a cozy indie bookstore that doubles as a café and bar. In either scenario, I’d definitely be writing novels as well—I can’t imagine a version of myself that doesn’t. But I like the idea of having a stable, secondary source of income that also feeds my desire for meaningful human connection and community while still immersing me in the world of books.

Your go-to coffee order?

Kristen: I’m a sucker for a seasonal latte or a fun signature drink, nearly always served hot and made with oat milk. I’ve been trying to recreate Equator Coffee’s Habibi Latte at home for a while now—it incorporates notes of orange blossom, cardamom, cloves, and vanilla. It’s delicious.

Something someone has told you that’s stuck (good, bad, weird, anything):

Kristen: “Be where your feet are” is a phrase I learned recently—right when I needed it most. These days, I’m juggling a lot: promoting my debut novel, drafting my second, giving my all at a demanding PR job, staying consistent with my fitness routine, and trying to show up as a good wife, friend, and family member. Lately, my mind tends to wander…I’ll catch myself thinking through a plot snag during a boxing class, or mentally drafting emails when I’m supposed to be catching up with a friend. That simple phrase reminds me to come back to where I am, and to give my full attention to whatever I’m doing, and whoever I’m with. It’s become a bit of a mantra for staying grounded.

Kristen’s Website

Order WE DON’T TALK ABOUT CAROL

Thank you Kristen for being my first Monday Muse.

Thank you everyone for reading. See you next month xx