You may be wondering what that plant is on the cover… and I did promise further details on that front.
It’s fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)—lovely and phoenix-like, this plant is often the first to come back in the wake of a terrible fire, such as those that recently ravaged California; in short order, whole burned hillsides can be seen covered in its beautiful blossoms. And the benefits of fireweed stem far beyond serving as mere decorative ground-cover, though that function alone be highly important; native peoples all over the world have eaten and woven with it for centuries. It can even be boiled for tea.
I also have an update regarding pre-sale and distribution:
A Witch’s Burden continues to roll out to remaining distribution partners worldwide. The hardcover should be up soon as well—probably within the next week or so.
Have you noticed that some sellers are already offering a “look inside”/sample? That’s right. And they’re not all the same, either. Indeed, quite a bit of the story is available now for you to check out for free. Please give the samples a read to see if you like it. And if you finish the sample offered in one place, you may find it continued in another… This was not my decision. My publisher tells me that each retailer gets to make their own marketing decisions in this regard.
As soon as the hardcover goes up for sale, I intend to augment matters with a marketing campaign of my own. In addition to providing more information here, I’ll be hitting the road with my short batch of promotional copies, intent on meeting with as many booksellers and librarians as I can; however, I will still need lots of help…
Please, if this book sounds interesting to you and/or might appeal to someone you know, help me spread the word by any means you have at your disposal. “Discoverability” is one of a new author’s biggest bugbears.