How’s it going with your book?

It’s been a bit more than a month since Playing Army was released and I’ve got some things to say about how things are going.

But as is typical for me, what I have to say doesn’t necessarily match up with what people mean when they ask that question. Probably they want to know if I’m a NYT best-seller straight out of the blocks. Probably they want me to say I’m going to be the next Tom Clancy.

The truth is, I can’t bear to look at sales figures. Not yet, anyway. I have a definite number of copies I’d like to have sold (I’m not sure I want to share that number yet, either, but I believe in the power of specific goals), and deeply appreciate all of you who have bought copies, read and reviewed them, are buying copies to send to friends, and recommending Playing Army in so many ways. But when the kind people of my acquaintance (the guy who cuts my hair, for example, or another friend I play pickle ball with) ask me, “How’s it going with your book?” and I say, “It’s going so well!” I am not talking about sales. What I mean is that the story is landing well with the people I most wrote it for:

“It’s great to feel seen”

“Writing this as a woman who retired from the US Air Force as a colonel: You write what you know, and Ms. Stroer definitely knows the military. This is a beautifully written story with authentic characters. It’s a unique novel of a contemporary woman in our not-too-distant-past Army, and I’ve not found any other books that feature a woman’s POV in the military outside of Sci-Fi.”

“Having been in the Army around the same time that this takes place, there are so many things that are familiar and ring true.”

“I remember being awkward while trying to be tough.”

“As a female veteran myself I could relate to the narrative about sexual harassment, complicated work relationships, and weight issues.”

I deeply appreciate all of your reviews. You’ve been so thoughtful, and so considered, and I find it absolutely fascinating to see my story through your eyes. I was delighted that more than 3,000 people requested Playing Army during the Goodreads giveaway! That number exceeded the goal I had for the giveaway by a lot! But the reviews from military women both make me tear up and help me know that I am succeeding, by the measures of success that I set for myself. While I am completely open to selling a jillion copies, that’s not entirely under my control. Negative reviews are almost certainly coming, and probably even some from military women. But at this moment, Playing Army and I are doing really, really well.

Thank you all so very much, and please let me know if there’s anything about the post-publishing experience that you’d like to know more about. I have a lot to say about all of it!