Promoting

For the first time yesterday, I enjoyed the experience of sitting down with a publishing staff and plotting strategy for getting the word out about Lessons with Love both locally and nationally. Blue line proofs are due in April 12, and the book will be complete a week or two later, so it's time to work on getting the word out.

With my first two books, I pretty much performed as a solo act. They were self-published by a Montana press. After their release, the press distributed the books widely and sent off a few press releases. The rest was up to me.

I learned a lot by going through the experience of hard knocks with book promotions. For example, I learned that conventional advertising is not exactly the key to book selling. Newspaper stories and appearances are far more effective. Along with that, a catchy title, an effective cover and contents that someone wants to read will provide lasting power to the book's life. If the initial blitz sells a lot of books and there's not much enjoyable substance between the covers, sales are likely to drop off soon after the release.

I had the time, the title and the stories to make my firt book Pocket Girdles a moderate success, sales-wise. Its fourth edition is about to run dry, with just a few hundred copies left. So, I'm toying with the idea of printing a fifth edition. There's a lot to consider with that decision since the book is 13 years old, but it still seems timeless and it continues to reach an appreciative audience, so I'd hate to have it out of print.

With my second book, I learned, because of the situation I was in at the time of its release, that continued promotion is necessary. My capacity to follow through with Postcards from Potato Land was limited because I had quit my teaching job and had moved into full-time freelance writing. Those writing assignments and the need to pay the bills kept my nose pretty much nailed to the home computer, allowing little time for book signings and appearances. The result was a one-time printing with about 3,500 copies sold.

Times have changed a bit in book promotions, but a few staples remain essential, i.e., a catchy title and some substance between the covers. I believe this book has a beautiful cover. It follows the theme of the first two, opening the way for the trio to become a set. This time, instead of my mother, I asked a fellow, respected colleague to provide the cover art. Cheryl Klein's talent will shine through with her painting of my first elementary school.

As an aside, I've found that a lot of folks were not aware of Cheryl's artistic passions, although that's not the case with every kid who's gone through her programs. With Cheryl comes total dedication, passion and thoughtfulness, and I would wager that most of her athletes have an individual sample of her painting, which she's known to give as gifts at the end of seasons.

Anyway, back to the book. Yesterday's meeting involved plans for a launch party by Keokee. We talked about publications where press releases can be sent. We also talked about MySpace as a vehicle for getting the word out, and we joked about producing an iPod video. Of course, it will be helpful if I'd learn something about the iPod technology, but I do know that I can set up a video camera here at home and yap away. So, who knows what will come of that.

Lots happening in the next few weeks, and life as I've been trying to live it is going to change as this book hits the stores. The part that thrills me this time, though, is having a team to work with in the planning. From what I saw yesterday, it looks like it will be a lot of fun. Stay tuned for pre-test questions about Lessons with Love. We'll post those on this blog and the Sandpoint Online; they'll come daily once we start, and we're hoping to offer prizes for top test grades.

Of course, there will be a book report form issued once folks have a chance to read the book. And, the nice part about my books is that Cliff's Notes hasn't produced any cheater materials yet, so you'll have to finish your assignment the old-fashioned way. READ THE BOOK!