The year my book came out as an editor's pick on New Year's Day
Did you know Amazon gives away a free book every month?!
Hello Substack and Happy New Year!!! I hope 2026 is already being kind to you.
If you read my October post “The Adulthood Edit” — the one where I pitched my novel as a therapized The Devil Wears Prada — you already know that I wrote a book called Soft Launch. It’s a New York-set, “coming of adulthood” story about reinvention, messy beginnings, and figuring life out as you go, written for anyone who’s ever felt like “real life” started a little later than expected.
But the big update is that my book was just released on January 1 as an Amazon First Reads!!!
“First Reads” is Amazon’s version of an editor’s pick. They select 8 titles each month and release them on Kindle (or the Kindle app, if you don’t have a Kindle) a month before the actual publication date.
Having newly immersed myself in the labyrinthian worlds of Booktok and Bookstagram, I’m reporting back that even the most informed readers seem to be surprised when they find out Amazon gives away a free book every month to Prime members.
And this month, they’re letting members pick TWO books, FOR FREE!
It felt right to share this moment with my Substack community, even though admittedly, there is ZERO civic content anywhere in all 315 pages of this book. Looking back, I suppose I could have at least had my protagonist going to the polls, or making some wildly progressive political statements, but alas that would have been another book entirely. Stay tuned.
I’m also here with a renewed ask for your help launching a strong pre-order campaign.
Pre-orders matter so much for debuts. They help with bookstore placement, visibility, and early press, and determine whether something becomes a bestseller, and I would be so grateful for your support.
Here are a few other places it’s available to pre-order other than Amazon:
Bookshop.org - Bookshop supports local, independent bookstores while still allowing you to conveniently shop online.
Barnes & Noble - did anyone see the headlines over the holidays that B&N is opening 60 new stores in 2026? I know it’s not the same as small, indie bookstores - but seems like a good sign for reading??
Chevalier’s Books - my local, independent bookstore (and the oldest independent bookstore in Los Angeles!)
Thank you so much for subscribing to Civic EQ and being part of my publishing journey.
More soon,
Sarah