When Donna Dechen Birdwell was about ten years old, she became obsessed with the idea that if she was thinking with her brain, she ought to be able to think how it works! She’s been trying to wrap her mind around reality (and how humans experience it) ever since. She made a career out of anthropology—that utterly boundless science of humankind and how we got here—and then sidestepped into Buddhist philosophy and then art and photography and writing stories that tend to fall somewhere in the neighborhood of speculative and/or science fiction. She’s a big fan of Ursula LeGuin and N.K. Jemisin.
In her EarthCycles series, Donna imagines a far, far future world in which pockets of survivors of a global apocalypse have evolved new ways of being human.
Website: https://donnadechenbirdwell.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/donnadechen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideworldhome/
Title: SONG OF ALL SONGS: EARTHCYCLES BOOK ONE
Author: Donna Dechen Birdwell
Publisher: Wide World Home
Pages: 375
Genre: Science Fiction
BOOK BLURB:
Long after the apocalypse, Earth has repeopled itself. Twice.
Despised by her mother’s people and demeaned by her absent father’s legacy, Meridia has one friend—Damon, an eccentric photologist. When Damon shows Meridia a stone he discovered in an old photo bag purchased from a vagrant peddler, she is transfixed. There’s a woman, she says, a dancing woman. And a song. Can a rock hold a song? Can a song contain worlds? Oblivious of mounting political turmoil, the two set out to find the old peddler, to find out what he knows about the stone, the woman, and the song. But marauding zealots attack and take Damon captive, leaving Meridia alone. Desolate. Terrified. Yet determined to carry on, to pursue the stone’s extraordinary song, even as it lures her into a journey that will transform her world.
PRAISE
“When anthropologist Donna Dechen Birdwell turns her keen sense of how societies evolved in the past toward imagining a post-apocalyptic future, the result is a thoughtful, nuanced, intelligent thriller.” — Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Oppenheimer Alternative
“Song of All Songs is a beautifully written and richly realized vision of the future, informed by a deep understanding of humanity.” — Christopher Brown, Campbell and World Fantasy Award-nominated author of Tropic of Kansas and Failed State
“An immersive and visceral vision of the future. This first installment of the EarthCycles series plays out as both a wonderful adventure and a well-crafted prophecy. The economy of language in certain moments is striking, while the poetic flow in other passages makes this novel a delicious pleasure to consume. This rare blend of naked imagination, careful storytelling, poetic flair, and meticulous language is reminiscent of Ursula K. Le Guin at her best. Showcasing the speculative fiction of a wildly gifted author, Song of All Songs is a very special book – an enigmatic and inventive treasure, and certainly not one to be missed.” –-Self-Publishing Review
ORDER YOUR COPY
Amazon → https://amzn.to/3dHPNVy
After your book was released, what was the first thing you did when getting ready for your book launch?
Launching a new book in the middle of a global pandemic is not recommended! But since that was not something under my control, I contacted my favorite local indie bookstore (Malvern Books, Austin, Texas) and arranged for them to host my launch on Zoom. I also contacted organizers of our local science fiction/fantasy convention, ArmadilloCon, and they agreed to help publicize my launch, which I had scheduled to coincide with the first evening of their virtual convention.
After that, what was your next step?
Having watched a few other virtual book launches, I decided that I needed to be interviewed by someone rather than just do a cold reading and answer questions. I contacted another local author and she agreed to participate—she was wonderful, and I’m forever grateful! Another thing I did was consult with experts on how to make my virtual presence for the event as effective as possible. I learned a lot about lighting and backgrounds and camera placement for Zoom!
Did you do anything different to spice up your website in view of your upcoming book release?
The landing page for my website is always kept up to date with my latest news and event information. I was able to add a couple of very flattering “puffs” from established authors who had read my ARC. I used those puffs also on new headers for my Facebook page and Twitter profile.
Did you ever consider using a PR agency to help you promote your book or did you prefer the DIY route?
PR people are only useful if they fully understand who you are as an author and the kind of readers you’re trying to reach. You’re really the best authority on that, so DIY—challenging as it is—has been my route.
What are your views on social media for marketing your book?
Social media visibility and engagement are absolutely essential. Social media doesn’t sell books, but it’s still indispensable!
Did you set up book signings and, if so, how did that
work for you?
Given the pandemic, in-person book signings were out of the question. However, I did place a number of signed copies of my book with the bookstore that was hosting my launch.
Did you time your book launch around a certain holiday?
I did not time it around a holiday, but I did time it to coincide with the opening of ArmadilloCon, the big Austin, Texas, convention for science fiction and fantasy writers. I picked up a number of attendees through their publicity.
What was the best money you ever spent on your book launch?
This particular book launch, being virtual, did not require a huge outlay. I did pay to upgrade my evite account so that invitations wouldn’t be burdened with ads. In the past, I’ve spent money on book-themed refreshments for guests at a launch event. I’m looking forward to being able to do that again!
Any tips for those authors wanting to set up a successful book launch?
I think it’s important to prioritize your distribution of invitations. I sent evites to a select group of friends and fans and continued interacting with this group in the lead-up to the launch. The evites were followed up a couple of days later with an invitation sent to my entire list of newsletter recipients. After that had gone out, I set up the public event on my Facebook page.
I would also note that there were aspects of my Zoom launch
that I really liked. I was able to include attendees from all across the US as
well as friends from Hawaii, Korea, and Bali! What I’d like to do for my next
book is a hybrid launch that incorporates the best of virtual in addition to
the virtues of an in-person event with actual hugs and book signing and
refreshments.
