Time out for a commercial

To pretend that a book will automatically sell itself is to think of oneself as Stephen King or Danielle Steel. To borrow from a famous saying coined during the famous vice presidential debate of the '80s, all I can say is "Marianne, you're no Stephen King or Danielle Steel."

I would never pretend to be, so there's no problem there. I did, however, use Dan Quayle's spelling problem with potatoes on the cover of my last book. That helped a bit in sales, but we never made the New York Times Bestseller List.

I also don't know Oprah. If anybody out there does, tell 'em about that lady in North Idaho who writes funny books. Somehow, I think Oprah might enjoy my books, but I have no means of contacting her, so I can't count on the Oprah magic touch to sell my new book.

Instead, I'm going to count on the tried-but-not-always-true method of author success: selling one book at a time. The only way I know of selling books outside what publishers and booksellers do is through a grass roots effort.

If the people know about the book, maybe they'll give it a try. That is precisely my hope with this morning's posting. Yesterday, Keokee Books received a quantity of promotional bookmarks for Lessons with Love, which will be released in February, 2007. They also posted pre-ordering information on their (http://www.sandpointonline.com) website at the link for the Sandpoint General Store. Once you find the bookmark, click on it, and the information I've posted below will appear.

Keokee bought the manuscript, so all orders go through them. They've posted the bookmark in hopes that people may wish to purchase gift certificates for a personally autographed book. So, everything's there and the process is clearly explained.

I'm asking for help from anyone who cares to pass along information about the pre-order site. If you know of book store owners who may be interested or educators or readers who would enjoy a collection of humorous/poignant/painfully honest tales of a rural high school teacher's experiences, pass the word.

Tell them there's even a chapter about being the son of a teacher woman, written by my son, William E. Love III. Give them the details about ordering while encouraging them to pass the word. I will be forever grateful for all your help in making this book a success.

This Internet has opened up new opportunities for word of mouth marketing. As one who knows it does no good to sit back and hope I'll be discovered by Oprah, I'm planning to take full advantage of the resources available in the "Pass It On" department. So, thank you for whatever you can do. I don't like physical ailments, but I wouldn't mind suffering from writer's cramp, come February. By the way, it's okay to tell Oprah too.

(http://www.sandpointonline.com/catalog/index.php) Clicking this link will get you to the pre-order site. Information from Keokee is below.

Lessons With Love
[BK-MLLWL] $16.00
Lessons With Love
Click to enlarge

Tales of teaching and learning in a small-town high school

By Marianne Love
Author of Pocket Girdles

For anyone who's ever gone to school -- as student or teacher -- Marianne Love's warm and humorous stories from 33 years teaching at Sandpoint High School in rural northern Idaho will kindle both memories and laughs. She's an English teacher, but Mrs. Love has done the math; she calculates during her career she taught some 4,500 students. And in touching all those kids, it seems, the teacher was the one who got the biggest education.

Lessons with Love is offered on a “Prepublication” basis to ship February 2007.

Chapters in Lessons With Love include:

* Foreword, by former student Colin Moody
* Introduction: Teacher Prep
* Ponderettes and Pie – Not a Good Mix
* The Tuba Solo: A Class-Night Meltdown
* Furniture Farm: The Tony Bottarini Story
* Stay Outa My House
* Get My Drift?
* Emmel’s May Day Smiles
* Angela’s Antics
* Labor of Love: A Teacher’s Maternal Challenge – by Mom Love
* Confessions of a Reborn Student, by William Love
* You Are Now What You Were Then
* Stupid Teacher Tricks
* Hair Hut: Marianne’s Fountain of Youth
* A Debt Owed
* Semester from Hell: A Learning Experience
* Ya Mean SHE Taught the Pope!!!
* Love’s Top Ten Moments of Teaching

Want to buy Lessons With Love for a Christmas gift? We’ll send a gift card to the recipient via first class mail, then send them the book upon publication in February. But please note: while filling out your order information YOU MUST give us instructions in the “Comments” box that this is a gift and you want us to send a card. Please include the recipient's shipping address within the Comment box. You can also add a short personal comment you’d like us to inscribe in the card.

All books purchased pre publication here in the General Store will be SIGNED by the author!