Post 29: Tying Up Loose Ends and Setting Sail!🪢
After three years of labor (and a TON of coffee), I finally finished my book and my album... on the same day! Now Paul and I are preparing for the UK Tour...
Hello, Friends!
I hope this newsletter finds you well! Since I am going on about five hours of sleep for the last two nights combined (manuscripts are mean), I am gonna keep this short. But I had to take a minute to celebrate… I am finally (kinda) done editing my memoir! 🥳
HOW TO PUBLISH A MEMOIR (FROM A TOTAL NEWB)
Okay, so I feel like I keep announcing that I’m done with the book, but publishing has way more steps than I realized. This has been the process so far, starting back in 2021:
Write a Book Proposal (This includes a press plan and two sample chapters)
Write the Rough Draft, Send to Beta Readers (Hapless friends and relatives)
Edit based on Beta Readers’ Feedback (I had 12 Readers—so, a lot of feedback!)
Send Draft 2 to Editor for Review (Pray to the Lord her feedback is manageable)
Edit Based on Editor’s Big-Picture Feedback (Accidentally be way too thorough)
Send Draft 3 to Editor for Review ←YOU ARE HERE, REJOICE!!!
Editor Reads Draft 3 and Suggest Smaller, Line Edits
Review/Approve (Hopefully Minor) Suggested Changes from Editor
SAY YES TO THE
DRESSBOOK and Send to a Freelance Copy EditorDo a Final Review of (Hopefully Very Minute) Grammar Corrections
SEND BOOK TO PRINTER AND
SLEEP FOR A YEARPROMOTE THE BOOK!
You, Dear Subscriber, will get to finally get to read the book this time next year! It’s quite a process and I can’t believe I am still only on Step 6. But—I am told, at least—that the hard part is over. Probably some published author reading this just cackled evilly—in truth, I have no idea what to expect. But for today, I am gonna celebrate!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how grateful I am to my book coach Leigh Stein for providing her guidance, support, and a shoulder to cry on as I wrote this beast! And to my agent Emma Parry for believing in my work and finding my book such a lovely home, and to my wonderful editor at Algonquin Books, Maddie Jones and her friendly assistant Jovanna Brink for shepherding me through the editing process. And, of course, to the first 12 Beta readers, you folks shaped the book early in BIG WAYS and it’s a much better read because of your time and thoughtful feedback. Love you!!!
“MUSIC FROM MACBETH” IS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NOW!
I never expected in a million years that finishing my book edits would coincide so precisely with releasing a full-length album inspired by the music that I originally composed for Macbeth on Broadway back in 2022. But the stars have thus aligned.
Everything is Happening All At Once.
So (pretty please!) go check out my new album on Bandcamp (it’ll be out on Spotify / iTunes in about a week) and let me know what you think! Paid subscribers, I’ll be leaving you instructions at the bottom of this email to get your download for FREE — although please spread the word to your friends and family so the album gets heard!
Plus, anyone who purchases the album on Bandcamp will get a couple fun BONUS downloads—a mini poster for the UK Tour and a blank coloring sheet—which were both created by Haley Brown, who made the album art. I’ll also send you a link to the Macbeth Script, so you can try reading it with some uber-appropriate mood music!
This album took three years from start to finish, and I am SO excited to finally share it with you! I am extremely grateful to my Minneapolis-based band—Dave Mehling, Al Church, and Jeremy Ylvisaker for their creativity and hard work. And I literally owe Jake Larson, the sound engineer, a MEDAL for all the time and energy he put into this!
The official release date for “Music From Macbeth” is this Friday, May 2nd… Which also happens to be Bandcamp Friday! This is a glorious, semi-monthly event during which Bandcamp waives all their fees, so all proceeds go directly to the artists… So don’t just buy my album, take this opportunity to support other artists in your orbit!
Plus… Bandcamp has BONUS ITEMS! When you purchase the new album, you’ll also get a digital download of a UK TOUR POSTER and a hand-drawn COLORING SHEET by visual artist Haley Brown, who designed the beautiful album art! PLUS, get access to a SCRIPT OF MACBETH so you can read "The Scottish Play" with musical accompaniment... See if you can spot the characters' musical themes: Macbeth, The Witches, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, Malcom's Army, and Lady Macduff all have one! 🔍
The full album won’t be up on Spotify and Apple Music until May 9th, but until then, you can stream the first two singles, “Perfect” and “Starving”, on platforms worldwide.
UK TOUR STARTS SOON — SPREAD THE WORD ACROSS THE POND!
Next Tuesday, Paul and I are flying to London to begin rehearsals for a 10-city tour that will take us across England, Wales and Scotland! Every venue is wheelchair accessible, and there is a local opener at every venue (many of whom identify as Deaf or disabled). There will be BSL (British Sign Language) and captioning in London, as well as BSL at both Scotland shows! I can’t wait to meet the other artists on the bill!
I will be performing some excerpts from the new album, and singing some old favorites! I haven’t been to the UK since pre-pandemic times, so I could use all the help I can get in terms of ticket sales — I am pretty much starting from scratch!
UK TOUR - CONCERT INFO:
Sunday, May 11th: Brighton, UK at the Rose Hill Tavern with Kelli Blanchett (Hosted by Folkroom)
Monday, May 12th: London, UK at Cafe OTO with Miss Jacqui (BSL-Interpreted and Captioning) — Supported by Attitude is Everything, Co-hosted by Folkroom)
Tuesday, May 13th: Bristol, UK at Exchange with Q&A by the painter Big Jeff Johns Art
Thursday, May 15: Nottingham, UK at By Our Hands We Make Our Way with Kelli Blanchett (Hosted by Folkroom Records)
Saturday, May 17th: Manchester, UK at Band on the Wall with James Holt (Matinee Show)
Sunday, May 18: Birmingham, UK at Birmingham Symphony Hall, Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space with Elle Chante and GreenMatthews (Matinee)
Tuesday, May 20th: Cardiff, Wales at Chapter Arts with Rightkeysonly
Wednesday, May 21st: Leeds, UK at Wharf Chambers with Fig by Four (Hosted by Bomb the Twist)
Saturday, May 24th: Edinburgh, Scotland at Wee Red Bar with Evie Waddell - BSL Interpreted (Hosted by Drake Music Scotland)
Sunday, May 25th: Glasgow, Scotland at Glad Cafe with Evie Waddell - BSL Interpreted (Hosted by Drake Music Scotland)
Have a lovely weekend Friends. Thanks so much for your support, and keep in touch!
Very Truly,
Gaelynn Lea