A funny thing happens in the period of time between the actual printing and delivery of a book and the book’s true publication date, two events that occur so close together that they could hold hands. You, the publisher, find yourself firmly planted between them with both hands full. Ostensibly, the book is finished: the work on the book itself is done, you’ve got real copies in hand, and it’s even more stately in person than you imagined it would be. It’s definitely a finished book—and yet, a critical phase of marketing and promotion lies ahead that could make or break your upcoming title.

The question you must answer during this phase is a familiar one that guides and informs many other decisions throughout the publishing process: How do we make sure this book reaches all of the readers who will love it best?

Since the arrival of our galleys last month, the Ooligan Press project team working to publish Memories Flow in Our Veins: Forty Years of Women’s Writing from CALYX has taken a headlong dive into answering this question for our book in real time. As a team, we’ve been very intentional about how we use our resources and where we send our limited supply of galleys. We’ve researched deep, seeking out the magazines, newspapers, and digital media that our feminist bookworm audience looks to for reading recommendations. We continue to brainstorm ways to connect Memories Flow in Our Veins with organizations and individuals who support diverse, woman-powered creativity and who can help us boost the visibility of the book before and after its launch.

With just one month to go before the 2016 AWP Conference and our April 1 pub date, we’ve still got a lot left to do—more research, more pitching, more outreach. Between now and then, you can expect to see more of Memories on social media as we launch our awareness and pre-order campaigns (coming soon!), and continue to find innovative ways to put Memories Flow in Our Veins on the radar.