Agnes and the Hitman: Ten Days to Go
Aug102007
It’s very odd being out of the country right before a book launch. I get up in the middle of the night (because that’s when I’m waking up anyway) to answer business e-mail, say yes or no to appearances, generally find out what’s stirring before Agnes hits the shelves on the 21st. Jen and John and Mollie and Meg and of course Bob are doing everything. Which is evidently working well because:
Booklist has named AGNES & THE HIT MAN among the Top 10 in Romance Fiction for the year, covering the period of time since the last September 15th issue to the one due out in a few weeks.
Top 10 Romance Fiction by Booklist
Adieu, My Love. By Lynn M. Turner. Avalon.
Agnes and the Hitman. By Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. St. Martin*s.
Billionaires Prefer Blondes. By Suzanne Enoch. Avon.
A Distant Magic. Mary Jo Putney. Del Rey.
The Landlord’s Black-Eyed Daughter. By Mary Ellen Davis. Five Star.
Let’s Misbehave. By Lisa Plumley. Zebra.
Rough and Ready. By Sandra Hill. Berkley Sensation.
Soul Song. By Marjorie M. Liu. Dorchester.
Tempting. Susan Mallery. HQN.
Virgin River. By Robyn Carr. MIRA.
Oh, and everybody who bought a copy of Agnes today at the conference bought the first ones in the world: it’s not due out in the States until the 21st. Feel smug.
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45 Comments to 'Agnes and the Hitman: Ten Days to Go'
On August 10, 2007 at 3:01 pm Sheryl said...
That’s just mean. Taunting us.
On August 10, 2007 at 3:32 pm Lou said...
Yeah, what Sheryl said – taunting!
However, Ms. Jenny – you and Bob, must be feeling most smug. Top 10 for the year. Not bad! Not bad at all… now, ‘splain to us again why the aussies got it first???
On August 10, 2007 at 3:41 pm McB said...
Top ten for a book that hasn’t hit the shelves (in the U.S.) yet? Sounds pretty darned good to me. Give us 10 days and we’ll see if we can’t improve those numbers even more. The CherryBombs have been in training and are poised to hit the bookstores on the 21st. With shovels if necessary.
On August 10, 2007 at 3:49 pm Brandy said...
Congratulations! (And, NO FAIR! I want a copy!)
On August 10, 2007 at 3:58 pm Jenny said...
SMP sent twenty copies here to the book sale which is for charity. They’re gone. I just wanted the nice people who shelled out a lot of money for a hardcover to know that they were SPECIAL. (g)
On August 10, 2007 at 4:12 pm Sheryl said...
In that case…
What McB said. Not bad for a book that’s not even on the shelves yet.
On August 10, 2007 at 4:35 pm K.L. said...
Getting on the 10 best romance books is very cool. But our job won’t be finished until you break the top 10 in sales. My copy is already pre-ordered from B&N. I hope pre-orders count on the sales total.
On August 10, 2007 at 4:40 pm orangehands said...
i third MCB.
and just imagine what’ll happen when the CBs get to it. (love the site, BTW)
On August 10, 2007 at 4:41 pm orangehands said...
aka thanks for the outtakes!
On August 10, 2007 at 4:47 pm Louisa said...
You go, Ms Jenny. Does this kind of adulation ever get old?
Nah!
On August 10, 2007 at 6:00 pm GatorPerson said...
Umm, Jenny? You’ve got lots of stuff to do when you get back to the US of A. Please take care of yourself, and don’t get sick. It’s OK to let the Top 10 go to your head as long as your head doesn’t get stuffy. NO SICKNESS ALLOWED! Wash your hands and take vitamin C. And don’t slack on sleep. We need you back here safe, sound, and healthy.
On August 10, 2007 at 6:37 pm Terri said...
I hate to tell you this but I saw the book on CD at my library today.
On August 10, 2007 at 8:53 pm Penny-scope dope cherrybomb said...
Don’t worry Jenny the CherryBombs and the Cherries will have you at the top of all the best seller lists within a month. Maybe sooner but that Booklist honour is great. I don’t mind that the Aussies got the book first, just as long as there is a copy for me.
On August 11, 2007 at 12:03 am Louis said...
Way to go! Jenny and Bob! Congratulations.
On August 11, 2007 at 12:57 am ZaZa said...
Well, I’m darned impressed. ;+) And they said collabs didn’t work/sell well. Number two and counting. Go you!
On August 11, 2007 at 4:31 am patmc said...
i have already ordered my mp copy…i’m so happy that i can play them on my semi-new laptop. we can begin the chant
“their number one” anytime now…. happy trip
On August 11, 2007 at 5:08 am Erica - Aussie CB said...
Heee! *feeling very smug*
Haven’t had a chance to start reading Agnes yet, but that’s where I’m headed right now *g*
Jenny, will you have Bob stickers at lunch tomorrow?
On August 11, 2007 at 9:01 am Bob said...
Nothing but good times ahead.
On August 11, 2007 at 12:07 pm Vaishali said...
Congrats to you and Bob! Not that I need Booklist to tell me about a book I’ll be cracking open on day of release. But, good for others not-in-know
On August 11, 2007 at 12:20 pm gin said...
Just to clarify, b/c I don’t know anything about Booklist, except I thought it was a publication for libraries/librarians, but is this a subjective/quality sort of ranking, as opposed to straight-out sales numbers ranking?
I read the list as meaning they think it’s one of the top best (as opposed to bestselling, which isn’t necessarily the same) books in the genre, sort of like RWA’s old “favorite books of the year.”
Anyone know?
On August 11, 2007 at 12:31 pm Jennifer Talty said...
Number 2! That is totally aweseome. Congrats! I can’t wait until the book comes out. I’ll be the first in line at my local bookstore!
On August 11, 2007 at 2:10 pm Ingrid said...
Um, it’s an alphabetical list of titles, so there doesn’t seem to be any ranking within the top ten.
On August 11, 2007 at 3:52 pm Charlene Teglia said...
Woot for Agnes!
On August 11, 2007 at 3:54 pm Diane (TT) said...
Very exciting – congratulations! I’m anxiously awaiting the book (and have been saving the outtakes ’til I’ve read it, showing tremendous restraint, for me, anyway – and certainly more than OH!).
Do continue to have a lovely time, and I second GP’s wish that you not get ill.
On August 11, 2007 at 4:40 pm roben said...
I didn’t buy one at the Sydney conference. Not an inch of space left in the luggage, but I did sit next to Erica and I did hold her book and run my fingers over the bullet holes. Lovely cover. I opened the book to the middle, then immediately shut my eyes because I refused to read any of the words. Heh. My bookstore back home has Agnes and Lost Girls and Monkey Star (written by a friend) all on order. I’m going to have fun reading in late August.
Jenny and Anne Stuart gave the talk on Sex and Violence yesterday, first time I’d ever been able to catch this workshop, it always coincided with my agent or editor appt. at National. It was fabulous. Loved Jenny’s introduction, “I’m sex, Anne is violence.”
On August 11, 2007 at 5:12 pm Lani said...
Yay! Great news! I’m glad to see Booklist has such great taste! I always knew I liked them!
On August 11, 2007 at 6:46 pm Jenny said...
Thank you one and all. It’s so nice to celebrate with friends.
This isn’t sales, it’s not on sale yet, it’s more of a reviewer’s choice thing. And I find it amazing and reassuring because Agnes isn’t technically a romance; that is, the romance isn’t the main plot although it’s a really important subplot. So this makes me feel wonderful because the romance works. Romantic adventure (Crusie-Mayer, He Wrote She Wrote, and I can’t remember the fourth one.)
On August 11, 2007 at 6:53 pm Erica - Aussie CB said...
I’m packing up before heading to the classes, and I have to admit that 80% of my HUGE suitcase is filled with books. About a quarter of them are Jenny’s and Bob’s. I just couldn’t stop buying them, I got one just about every time I went past the book stand, *g*
Book Bliss!
On August 12, 2007 at 2:46 pm Kira said...
Isn’t it great how “Agnes and the Hitman” stands out among all those magically romantic titles?
Makes one want to pick it up just to see what kind of writers could convince a publisher to go with a title like that.
But we know, don’t we? *g*
Best of luck on the release!!!
On August 12, 2007 at 4:22 pm Diane (TT) said...
Was #4 the Ta-Da! cover? Which wouldn’t apply in this case (unless I’ve missed something, which is always possible). Though I’m glad to hear that it feels as good as it looks…
On August 12, 2007 at 5:16 pm WapakGram said...
Erica- I wanted to hate you for having the book first, but then I remembered that you had to wait for DLD. Besides, you cannot ever hate another Jenny fan. Drown them in Margaritas maybe, but hate, never.
I have had Agnes pre-ordered from every store there is and I intend to buy them in person here in OHIO. There are CB’s in need.
Jenny and Bob, congrats on the Booklist honor. The roof will be blown off the sales lists when it actually comes out. Cherries and CB’s to the Bookstores. I, too am waiting on the out takes, but we must forgive OH, she is still young.
On August 12, 2007 at 6:09 pm inkgrrl said...
Woot! Go Cranky Agnes!!
On August 12, 2007 at 6:18 pm ZaZa said...
Anyone of a certain age can read the outtakes. By the time you’ve got the book, you’ll have forgotten what was in them. /;+) Good excuse for having no will power, isn’t it?
On August 12, 2007 at 7:15 pm McB said...
And besides which, outtakes are, you know, the takes they took out. So they aren’t in there. So they don’t really spoil too much. No more, anyhow, than the bits and pieces they’ve already shared with us. Except the last one. Which isn’t even a scene.
On August 13, 2007 at 2:58 am Mel said...
As an owner of one of those first copies, I am feeling duly smug. And happy. Because it’s fabulous! It was wonderful having you at the Australian conference and meeting you and Krissie and I hope you have a great time in Queensland and New Zealand.
On August 13, 2007 at 4:54 am Maggie said...
Hi Jenny…
I echo all the comments from fellow conference goers. We were so privileged to have you and Krissie share your wisdom and wit with us here in Sydney. You made our conference one of the most memorable yet…of course I am biased as one of the conference organisers…)*vbg*
Take care
Maggie (Margie)
On August 13, 2007 at 6:07 am robyn said...
Jenny and Anne totally rocked our Australian conference. They must have been all jetlagged and tired, but they taught and inpsired us for three days solid. Thank you so much. Made me wish I had the dosh for CherryCon.
On August 13, 2007 at 12:13 pm Jill said...
Congratulations to Booklist on their excellent taste.
And to Jenny & Bob for an incredible book. It’s fast paced and funny –the kind you read and pick up and read again.
btw. I solved the ‘find your luggage’ problem. Mine has cherries all over it.
On August 13, 2007 at 12:48 pm me said...
Excellent news for an excellent book! Way to go!
On August 13, 2007 at 6:08 pm DownUnderGal said...
Okay, okay, okay. Here to brag and skite. I too have a wonderful copy of Agnes. But, as a testament to hiow much I love my best freind who arrived back in Brisbane the same time I did, I have let her read it
picture if me
thanks for great w’end
On August 13, 2007 at 6:20 pm DownUnderGal said...
Okay, okay, okay. Here to brag and skite. I too have a wonderful copy of Agnes. Thanks to Jenny for organising for them to be sent over. But, as a testament to how much I love my best friend who arrived back in Brisbane the same time I did (and found me an Ebay copy of Sizzle) (which Jenny signed) I have let her read it BEFORE me. Yes, CB’s, before me. Lucky she reads faster than God so I know I’ll be hooking into it this afternoon.
I also have to say thanks to Jenny for posting one of the best damn pictures ever taken of me. Trust me – I do NOT take a good photo. It was such a thrill being Jenny’s minder and her and Krissie were so wonderful and generous with their time especially considering the jet lag.
Everyone – EVERYONE – at the conference raved about the Jenny and Krissie show and I know they’ve inspired us all. The mantra for the conference was I AM A GREAT WRITER, thanks to Jenny and damn it all, us Aussies aren’t good at that kind of thing but, we bloody well belived it too. So thank you, thank you.
A few of us Aussie cherries were priveledged to have lunch with Jenny and Krissie too on Sunday. Sitting by the harbour in the beautiful winter sunshine with two best selling authors and wonderful human beings was great. Plus there was a very nice looking waiter and according to Krissie, who has an eye for these things, a very nice Japanese gentleman behind us.
It was such a fab weekend. I also got to catch up with Roben again which was also great. She’s probably mid-air somewhere at the moment but you’re great and I love you.
Looking forward to San Fran next year where Krissie proposed she should adopt us. Watch out you guys – we’re arriving en masse!!
On August 13, 2007 at 6:22 pm DownUnderGal said...
PS Erica – email me. Mel has a photo to forward to you.
On August 13, 2007 at 7:16 pm Erica - Aussie CB said...
Emailing you now, DUG.
I’d like to add my thanks to Jenny and Krissie for being brilliant, funny and incredibly fantastic. I’m fairly sure I made a nuisance of myself, but they were lovely.
Also, it was brilliant to meet the other cherries and CBs – I hope I’ll see you all at another conference in a year or two.
On August 13, 2007 at 10:23 pm robena grant said...
I’m home. Jetlagged but home. It’s a nice warm 112 degrees Fahrenheit and after Sydney weather that’s quite a shock to the system. But, I do feel satisfied like a big plump python that just swallowed a wombat or something. It was a fabulous conference, thanks again Jenny and Krissie. I looked over my notes on the plane and was amazed at the material we covered. And to all of the Aussies who put on the bash, it was terrific, you deserve to get to read Agnes first.
On August 17, 2007 at 5:13 am Abee said...
not all the aussies get it first: I have it on order and was told I wont get it till October!