Tuesday 11 September 2007

On Target

Fabulous news!

From my editor Jackie in America. In the USA a huge store-chain called Target (1500 stores) has selected The Russian Concubine to launch its new dual Book Club. With front-of-department prominence, internet promotion and a mind-numbing 20 million circulars to get the ball rolling.

So hey, dreams do come true.

I feel honoured. For an author to have the deep satisfaction of knowing that so many people will be reading and talking about the book is profoundly rewarding. To make that connection with the minds and imaginations of so many readers is a privilege.

The Russian Concubine is about the bonds that form between people as they struggle to survive in a harsh world, and now the book itself is forging bonds. With its readers.

Thank you, Target.

8 comments:

Kate said...

Wow, this is fantastic news! Target is a great store, and it's really quite popular. In the last several years, several well-known fashion designers have done clothing lines for them, and, more importantly, their shoes are AMAZING!

BTW, I'm a librarian for the biggest library district in my state, and I've been talking your book up with as many people as I can. So hopefully that will get you a few more readers too.

Kate Furnivall said...

Thanks, Kate. As an author, it means a lot to me to have the support of people like yourself who are book specialists. Keep talking it up!

felita said...

dear kate -

i can't believe i'm writing in your blog! i never do things like this, seek out an author's info and then write them. your book was THAT good -- i JUST finished it... it's almost 3am los angeles time now, and i couldn't put the book down. i practically howled with disappointment when it was finished. what? i need more!

i want more -- i need more. what happens next? i definitely see a whole NEW book!

by the way, i'm someone who saw your book at target (we call it "tar-jay" in a tongue-in-cheek 'french' way here in los angeles) -- and am a chinese american, born and raised in los angeles with parents both born in china. so it was very interesting to read about china from a russian perspective.

and yes, it was stocked and presented beautiful at target -- that's why i noticed it!

i'm SOOO curious -- what other biographical parts are in your book? are you part chinese at all. how did your mother end up in wales? or rather, how did you end up being born in wales? i'm soo curious!

itching for more,

felita wong shen
felita@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

dear ms Furnivall.

i don't want to disturb you, but i just want to say that i really love youre book, it's beatifull! my absolutely favorite. sometimes i feel comment with Lydia, not because of her situation, (that would be to big) but because of her feelings, i also know. (espescially that Lidya gets angry that quick...)it always makes me feel up when i'm down. (but maybe you're not waiting for the nonsens from a 15-year old girl. that's why i'm shy to write you)

the book is so romantic, exiting, but also bittersweet and hard, just like life.

was you're book, by the way, first published in the netherlands? i road on you're site about publish dates in 2007 (in America and England) but i road it still in 2006... ( excuse me for my not-so perfect english)

are you going to write new novells in the future? that would be great. (but i won't desperately bag you to... it's all up to you...) i love the way you write.

love from Maaike, from the Netherlands.

Anonymous said...

The Russian Concubine was beautifully consuming. Lydia's transformation from a girl into a woman was a pleasure to share from beginning to end. This book grabed my mind and engraved a beautiful story into it that wont be forgoten easily. So inspiring! I am desperate to read more of your work! When will your other works be published in the UK?

Kate Furnivall said...

Hi Maaike from the Netherlands,

Somehow I managed to miss your lovely post until now, when I was scanning past posts. I do apologise. Sadly, you'll probably not come back to find this response, but I was touched by the effort you made to let me know how you felt. And it's great to know young 15 year olds are reading and enjoying it.

Yes, The Russian Concubine was published first in the Netherlands and my publisher there, Unieboek, is bringing out my new one later this year.

Thanks for your generous comments and good luck with all you are doing yourself.

Kate Furnivall said...

Hi Daisy,

So pleased to hear The Russian Concubine made a strong impact on you. As you may have read by now on my website, my new book, entitled Under a Blood Red Sky, will be published in the UK in November 2008.

Kate Furnivall said...

Felita,

Again another missed comment, I'm afraid. But thanks for leaving the email address. No, I'm not Chinese - just a mix of Russian, Danish and English - but I find it very satisfying to know that the world I created in China rang true.