Strange Chemistry Shuts Down

Market saturation. That’s the official reason.

Just a little over a month after FEATHER BOUND is published, its publisher, STRANGE CHEMISTRY, will be shutting its doors for good.

And all I can think about is how sad I am: for myself, yes, but also for the other amazing authors published under this imprint. For them, for all the people who’ll lose their jobs in an already unstable job market. It’s just a shame. It feels awful.

I’ll never forget what it felt like to get the call from my agent. Strange Chemistry said yes – I’m getting published. I was elated. Ecstatic. Then I was gutted knowing that some people in my life who I wish were still here to see this aren’t. I was nervous: so many people in my family have this idea of what it means to be a published author. I knew that as soon as I told them I was published, they’d expect Steven King and JK Rowling-level success – and they’d be rather upset to know that this is a tiny indie publisher that doesn’t have the pull, resources or marketing power to make this little book of mine a bestseller with huge sales numbers, and legions of fans, and book tours, and banners at BEA as far as the eye can see. But seeing their faces and how happy and proud they were made me feel something in myself I haven’t felt in a long time. I still can’t put a word to it.

I remember the first time I took my author photo. How awesome it felt to finally be doing something I’d dreamed of for so long (even though I kind of felt chubby ; _;). And then getting interviewed by my university paper. No, it’s not the New York Times. I’m not sitting down with Ryan Seacrest, but wow. WOW! Me, getting interviewed. Getting published. Getting readers. Getting my work out there.

Even though Strange Chemistry was small, even though they didn’t really have the power to launch books into the stratosphere of fame and huge sales, they gave me the opportunity to put my work out into the world. They gave me a chance. They believed in me and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you.