Dance
You are all amazing. You are, in fact, so amazing that I am having a hard time finding the words to talk about it. So instead, I’m going to tell you what happened on Friday.
On Friday, I put Curls up for preorder.
I’ve done this before. I know what it’s like. It’s like planning a party. You work for a long time (putting in far more time and energy than folks who don’t throw parties would believe). You invite people. You get very excited but also more than a little nervous. What if no one comes? What if only your best friend and your great aunt Ethel come, and they stand around staring at their shoes? What if the mean girls from eighth grade come and they say horrid things? By the time the day arrives, you’re a bundle of nerves.
That’s pretty much where I was Friday morning. I’d told you the book would go live at noon, I’d sent a message to the mailing list, and I’d said some things on twitter. I’d told a few friends and asked them to mention it if they had a chance. I had all the back end website stuff ready to go. All I had to do was click update when the clock struck noon. I figured a few folks would saunter in, and we’d have a lovely little shindig.
Noon came. I clicked update. Nothing happened.
Nothing happened, because there were so many people trying to get to the site that it had died. The world went a bit blurry around the edges, and I made plaintive noises at The Boy (he being the chief technical type around these parts). He said some colorful things, typed quickly, made a host of astonishing facial expressions, and typed some more. I stood beside him and quietly mentioned that I would very much like the site to be working. I allowed as how I really did want that rather badly. I asked if it would be useful if I did some sort of interpretive dance to convey just how fervently I wanted the site to be working. I began performing said dance. He muttered things about load and connections and traffic and typed some more.
Time passed. According to unreliable things like clocks, something like 20 minutes passed. I assure you it was actually more like three days. Eventually, The Boy declared the problem fixed (I’m assuming it was my spectacular dance moves that did it). I was finally able to click update.
Then you guys came. Lots of you came.
I’d arranged for 250 goody bags. After talking to a few other folks in the field and looking at some numbers from past preorders, I thought that would stand us in good stead for a day or two at least. They were gone in less than an hour. But you didn’t all go home when the goody bags ran out. You kept coming. So many of you came that I’m talking to my printer about getting more books made, and I’ve started a waiting list for yarn stores just so I can be absolutely sure you guys all get your books on time. Best of all, no one said a single horrid thing. You were all amazingly gracious, despite the technical mishaps. A few of you actually said things so kind they almost made me cry.
So thank you. I threw a party, and you came. You didn’t just come, you danced.
I figured you had done well because there was no mention of goodie bags left when I got to the site in the evening. Congratulations! That is awesome!
Yup, whoosh, out the door in minutes. I just about fell over from surprise. Good surprise, but still, totally unexpected.
I am very much looking forward to receiving my copy of Curls!
I can’t wait to get them shipped! It’s always so satisfying to see them sitting there waiting for the postman.
Well done on the launch, handling the glitches, and executing your special dance. 🙂
And getting up at 5.30am was all worth it! LOL
Aww, thank you! I’m so flattered people got up for it. I am actually about 75% troll at that time of the day, so I admire anyone who can function, much less work a computer.
I wondered what happened and assumed that your book was flying off the internet and that your website blew up! Glad I kept checking in every 5 or so minutes because I was indeed a lucky one on the Goody Bag List!!!
I sent the cover picture to my future daughter-in-law and she and the bridesmaids will be wearing Curlz October 2015!!! Thanks for all your hard work. It looks fabulous and I can’t wait to get my hands on the patterns!!!!
Oh my goodness, that’s amazing! If you have a chance, and it’s not too much trouble, would you consider sending me a picture? That would absolutely make my day to see!
I set up a reminder so I’d be sure and get a goody bag, then somehow the reminder didn’t get copied from my computer to my phone, so it didn’t beep 🙁 And I didn’t read email until 1:00pm, at which time I saw your email and rushed right over to buy the ebook version. Not sure if I missed the goody bags, or if they were only going to people buying the print version, but it’s all good. Looking forward to getting my copy!
Aww, bummer! But yes, the goody bags were only going to folks who bought the paper books (hard to ship stuff to you if all I have is an email address…). There were lovely discounts on both versions for everyone who got in early though!
So excited to get my copy!! I’m already perusing my stash so I can cast something on when it arrives…the hard part will be choosing which gorgeous design to do first!!
I had a feeling that it was a terrific turnout that caused the hiccup. I was on at noon and tried for about 15 minutes and then had to head back to work. I didn’t get to try again until after two. Well done and congratulations!! Too many customers at once has to be a good thing. I ordered both versions and I cannot wait to see them!
I was panicking myself when I got the server message and almost sent a silly email like “Hey Hunter, you probably already know this, but your website appears to be down???” Obviously you knew, and were frantically fixing it. How wonderful for you! I’ve been spreading the word about your book and people are QUITE excited. It’s just so lovely.
So happy your party was such a huge success.
Thank you for releasing what looks like a fabulous book, and thanks for the goody bag – I was one of the lucky ones at 5am. I was awake thinking of a dear friend and work colleague that we’d lost too soon due to MS. I am going to make myself a shawl from the book to remember her by, and also make one to raffle in a fundraiser for MS at work. So thank you again.
I was so upset to have no internet the day the book went live, but I’m a bit glad now to have not had your site mock me the way every other online shopping experience has of late. Mostly, I’m just delighted your book has met with such a warm welcome. We’ll come party with you any time!