One of the most thrilling days of an author’s life is when a galley copy of an upcoming book arrives in the mail. Galleys are also called ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies). Publishers use galleys to solicit advance reviews. A galley is almost like a real copy of the book, except that:
- It typically has a shiny cover (even if the final book cover will be matte).
- There is a publication date printed on the cover.
- The back contains promotional information about the release, such as marketing activities being undertaken by the publishing house.
- It almost always states “Advance Reader’s Copy—Not for Sale” on it.
Also, a galley copy is printed at the stage of a book’s development that is just before proofreading is done…so there are usually still some mistakes inside the manuscripts. However, professional reviewers are used to that and don’t count it in their reviews.
The publisher sends galleys to various reputable review sources that specialize in the particular genre in which the book is written. Once the reviews start to be published online—and the author holds his or breath hoping it is favorable—the publisher can begin to snag snippets of them to use in further promotional activities.
So, here is the brand-new galley copy of THE DEADLY HOURS that arrived in my mailbox recently. I propped it up next to a hand-decorated wine glass given to me by the Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop in Mechanicsburg, PA. Around the base it says, “We know where the bodies are buried.” A very fun glass for sipping wine from while reading a mystery.
Thank you for being such a faithful reader. I hope you will consider pre-ordering the book from your favorite bookseller, and I also hope you will consider Violet Harper’s new story to be worth the wait.
THE DEADLY HOURS releases on September 1, 2020.