Ok Stitch fans, I have a big announcement that I’m very excited to share… I recently invested a little (a lot of) time in creating a *new and improved* revised edition of Stitch and it’s available… today!!
“Wha-wha-whhaatt…” did you say? I know, you must have questions, considering I totally snuck this project up on you. So I went ahead and made a little FAQ that will hopefully clarify everything – read on!
— FAQ’s About Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, Book 1) 2016 Revised Edition —
Wait a sec… aren’t you supposed to be writing Stuck?? Why, yes. Yes I am. But the thing is, when I release Stuck, I obviously plan to do a huge promotional push to hopefully draw more readers into the series. And to be frank, the thought of potentially thousands of new readers reading Stitch as it was – and forming their first impressions of me as a writer based on the original version of the book – was making me cringe. And that icky, knotted-stomach feeling was pervading my enthusiasm for Stuck and for the series as a whole. So in order to give this trilogy its rightful end, I felt I needed to go back to the beginning and make sure that Book 1 was done to the very best of my ability.
As much affection as I have for the original version of Stitch with all its quirks and flaws, I’ve learned a lot since it was published and have grown a lot as a writer (much of which is thanks to you and all your wonderful – sometimes brutally honest! – feedback, dear readers. I told you I read all the reviews, didn’t I??), and I want the series opener to be the best it can be. Make sense?
Ok, awesome. So what’s new? Let’s start with what’s NOT new. First off, the plot. Nothing about the storyline, or the characters’ history, or the major plot points have changed. So if you don’t feel like re-reading it before Stuck releases, that’s no problem at all – you won’t be missing any essential information for the finale and can jump right in when Stuck comes out.
What HAS changed is the storytelling. It’s faster-paced, more intense, more engaging. Mostly, there’s less exposition – there’s more showing and less telling, i.e. through flashbacks, conversations between characters, hints in the setting, etc. So that means… new scenes! You’ll find LOTS of new interactions between Isaac, Alessa, Janie and the rest of the crew, more of Isaac’s POV, more action, more ROMANCE… and a *bit* less of Alessa blathering on in her head about her feelings or describing inconsequential details of her everyday life (the number one critiques of the original version of the book, which I have to wholeheartedly agree with).
Most of the changes are in the first two thirds of the book, because, well, I pretty much wrote it in the order that it reads – so those early chapters were the first ever chapters of a novel I’d ever written, and I frankly didn’t really know what I was doing. But as many readers commented, the book really picked up after the twist and I felt I really hit my stride by the climax, so there’s not too much different towards the end. (And just in case you were wondering, I have NO plans to make any changes to Shudder.)
I want it!! How do I know what version I have? Check out the copyright page (two pages after the cover). If it says “Copyright © 2012 Samantha Durante” it’s the original. If it says “Second Edition, Revised 2016. Copyright © 2012, 2016 Samantha Durante” you’ve got the revised version!
Argh, I’ve still got the old one – how do I get my revised edition?? If you bought a Kindle copy: Log in to your account on Amazon.com and go to the Manage Your Content & Devices page – find Stitch and click the “Update Available” button. (Note that you will lose any existing notes/highlights!!)
If you bought a paperback copy: All paperback copies have been sold through Amazon, and Amazon has a great feature where I can make a discounted Kindle version available to owners of the print version. So guess what – I made it free!! Just log in to your account on Amazon.com, go here, and download your free updated Kindle copy.
If you bought an e-book from B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords, or elsewhere: Stitch is exclusive to Amazon for the next few months (more on that in an upcoming post), so you won’t be able to get the update until around March-ish (sorry!). And to be totally honest, I’m not really sure how updates work at these other vendors… Worst case, if you can’t get the update from wherever you bought it (or just don’t feel like waiting), just email me and I’ll send you a copy!
If you won a free print or e-book copy, or received a free copy for review purposes: Email me and I’ll send you a free updated e-book copy! (Honor system!!)
Ok, I’m re-reading Stitch… Now what’s up with Stuck??? FINALLY – I’m writing it! For reals!! Sneak peek coming soon! And I’ve even got some super sweet revised cover art… More on the cover reveal coming as soon as I feel confident enough to announce an official release date, hopefully in the next few months!
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As always, thank you again readers for all of your support and enthusiasm, for giving me the confidence to keep writing, the courage to make hard choices, and the chutzpah to admit when I haven’t done my best. I’m really proud of the new and improved Stitch, and I hope you love it too!
PS – Celebratory GIVEAWAY coming soon with some really awesome prizes!!! Check back here in the next couple days for details, or sign up on the mailing list here to get a notification (I only send 1-4 emails a year tops, promise).