Happy Publication Day to me!
Happy Publication Day to me!
Happy Publication Day to mee-ee!
Happy Publication Day to me!
Or is it?
Well, yesterday was my book publication day and yet… I eagerly woke up to see the Amazon status of my book shift from ‘Pre-order’ to ‘In stock. Instead I was faced with a ‘Temporarily out of stock’ message.
Then in my inbox, an email stated there would be a delay to the audiobook release on Audible due to an unforeseen, unknown technical issue. Hhmm, not quite the start for my book launch day I’d been anticipating.
My publisher immediately looked into the issue of stock availability. I then started receiving messages from people saying that Amazon couldn’t even promise when the book would be delivered to those who had pre-ordered. It’s so disappointing that after all the sweat and tears that has gone into ensuring I met all the various publishing deadlines throughout this year that the book which was totally ready for the launch date has not been dispatched to people.
Especially as my publisher has been releasing books regularly to Amazon since 15 October to serve all the pre-orders. Apparently, these deliveries are likely awaiting receipt and only then, when that happens, will the availability notice update accordingly. To top it all, later in the day when I checked my Amazon book status, it had changed once more to ‘Currently unavailable’ with no option to even place an order. What on earth is going on?
So it’s been a big learning curve for me and a small glimpse into the publishing world to understanding just a fraction of the many frustrations experienced . What I do know is that, now as a published author, I have absolutely no control over Amazon’s stock availability messages or even how frequently Amazon place their orders with my publisher. I’m at the mercy of their algorithms and automated systems, which apparently can take a few days to accurately predict demand before stabilising, especially if they are to provide for continuous next-day or Prime delivery options.
However, on the positive side, Waterstones delivered my book to people on Tuesday to honour their pre-orders and there are many other ways you can get a physical paperback copy or even digital or audiobook formats. Check out this link to see all your options available right now.
So, after taking a deep breath to calm myself and reframe this initial reaction of disappointment I realised I needed to heed a message I share in the book within the first step of my Focus on Why Framework.
Step 1: Control
Control the controllables: while navigating life’s challenges, gracefully accept and liberate yourself from what you can’t control to take control of what you can.
There will be moments in life when circumstances are beyond your control, where surrendering to the uncontrollable is inevitable. However, you have a choice in how you respond to these events, and you’re responsible for how you define your why and your attitude.
Recognising what you can and can’t control enables you to be more mindful of your reactions and interpretations of events. Liberate yourself from the stress and anxiety of all the things you can’t control, leaving you better equipped to adapt to change and ultimately to live a more fulfilled life.
My publisher has now uploaded the audio files again onto Audible and we await confirmation as to a new publication date to go live. The paperbacks should be back in stock at Amazon soon. In fact, hopefully by the time you’re reading this, they've been dispatched and showing as back ‘In stock’ and available to purchase. I have my fingers firmly crossed.
So there it is. I’ll leave my publisher, Amazon and Audible to resolve these issues on my behalf. Meanwhile I’ll apply my focus on what I can control which is to finish preparing for my in-person launch and book signing event next week as I have a special speech to write and practice.
Focus on Controllables! Focus on Why!
ACTION POINT - What are you trying to control that you could let go of, to free yourself to focus on what you can control?
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