To give you an idea of the process, I'd like to share with you the following:
The Five Stages of Choosing My Street Team
Stage One: Excitement
I've talked a lot about how much I love my Street Team. They were UNBELIEVABLY helpful in getting All Lined Up promoted (and basically have just made my life so much more joyful). When my team and I decided to expand from 25 members to 30, I just about did a back flip! I was absolutely thrilled to be adding more members to the Carmcat family.
Stage Two: Feeling Overwhelmed
But then I started looking through the applications. The numbers weren't quite as astronomical as last time we held street team applications, so I figured choosing the new team would be easier. Yeah, I was wrong. Literally every application was amazing. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. How could I possibly pick only 30 people?
Stage Three: Denial
So then I thought, "Surely it couldn't hurt to expand the team just a little. Like, five more members would be TOTALLY fine...or ten....maybe fifteen...I mean, the more the merrier! I could probably benefit from having a small army, right?"
Stage Four: Grief
But from a purely logistical standpoint, I knew it just wasn't feasible to have 90+ street team members. So I tweeted about my angst. I gnashed my teeth. I shook my fists at the heavens and raged at the gods. I stress-ate (a lot). And then I did what any other author in my position would have done. I made someone else do it for me.
5. Shirking Responsibility
Eventually there comes a point in reviewing applications when I have cut all I possibly can. Everyone that's left is amazing, and many of them I know personally, or interact with regularly online. (This point came incredibly early this time around because like I said... SO MANY AMAZING APPLICATIONS). So, I turned to my amazing publicity team and said "HELP! HELP! I NEED ALL OF THE HELP!" They swooped in to save the day and somehow narrowed the team down to the final thirty. How exactly they managed to do it, I'm still not sure - they're probably wizards.
Before I reveal the thirty team members chosen, I want you guys to know
that if you weren't chosen, it doesn't mean that my team and I don't think you're amazing. I am so in awe of the talent and passion present in all of the applications, and it breaks my heart that I can't choose all of you. I remember last time around the end, we had 5 maybes that were very strong contenders from which we could choose two final spots. By comparison, this time we had eighteen strong maybes to fill four final spots. I know without a shadow of a doubt that some truly amazing readers and bloggers did not make the list, and for that I ache. SERIOUSLY.... ACHE. All I can say is I hope you won't be discouraged if you weren't chosen. And I hope you'll come back when we open up for applications again before the next book. PLEASE come back!
We're so appreciative of your support, and
we always, always want you to have the chance to be involved. If
you're a blogger and you haven't already, I highly encourage you to
sign up for the InkSlinger PR mailing list. That's the absolute best way to make sure you get in on my cover reveals and other events, if you're interested.
So without further ado, here is the new Cora Carmack Street Team!
Stephanie Gibson
Kim Baker
Megan Gallt
Amber Noffke
Ethan Gregory
Betsy Gehring
Krista Davis
Kaitlan Heaton
Alana Rock
Yvette Cervera
Christine @IHeartBigBooks
Yesi Cavazos
Andy Estrada
Beth Lattanzi
Momo Xiong
Katie Anderson
Vangelina Osteguin
Brooke DelVecchio
Melody & Betsy @BookCrastinators
Lori Wilt
Ashley Amsbaugh
Whitney B. Swain
Christina Marie
Kristen Chandler
Lenore Mullican
Brittany Berger
Katie Stutz
Kerry-Ann
Wendi Galbreath
Alyssa Kawata
For those of you on the team, I'll be in touch in the next few days to get things rolling! I'm so excited for this new adventure!
And to everyone who applied: THANK YOU. From the bottom of my heart. I would be absolutely nowhere without your love and support, and I am so thankful for each and every one of you! (Seriously... please come back next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (Was that enough exclamation points?)
And as a consolation prize, here's an extended teaser from ALL BROKE DOWN in Silas's POV! <3
I
give in to the itch to touch her and start at her bare shoulder, dragging a
finger along until I can curve my whole hand around the back of her neck.
“You’re
gonna have to stop trying to analyze me. I’m really not that complicated.”
For
a girl like her, analyzing is step one. Fixing me would be step two.
She
leans her head to the side, and my hand falls away from her neck.
“Tell
me about the fight tonight.”
And
so it begins. “Why?”
“Tell
me about the fight. Let me clean up your hands. And then, I promise to let you
teach me how to party. Or whatever.”
I
feel like I’ve just stepped into a courtroom, and am being outnegotiated.
“So
we’re making deals, are we?”
She
smiles. “I suppose we are.”
I reach
up again, and this time she doesn’t pull away when I curl my fingers around the
back of her neck. I brush my thumb over her pulse point . . . feel that thin,
vulnerable skin, and fuck, beneath
that bossy exterior, I can see her nerves. But they’re different now. She doesn’t
look scared or uncomfortable. Her heart is racing, blood pulsing fast beneath
my finger, and she’s taking these tiny sharp breaths. It turns me on in a way I
don’t even understand. Normally, the skittish, inexperienced types send me
running. But the thought of teaching her anything makes my jeans feel too tight.
I want her on her back in my bed, legs spread wide, eyes big and blue, lips
parted, mouth babbling that nervous nonsense until I make her forget what she’s
saying, forget how to talk altogether.
I
want to forget myself in her, too, steal some of her sunshine, and give this
pristine, perfect girl a taste of what it’s like to get a little dirty.
