Guerrilla Marketing.
This is my own recently coined term for the rather chaotic, underground, shotgun-spray marketing campaign I've had to engage in as a self-published, first-time author with very little money, a full-time day job, a two-year-old kid, and a wife pregnant with twins. It's damn near impossible to get noticed by an agent or a big time publishing house in this day and age, which leaves a lot of us to rely on a vanity press to even get our books out on the market, as I did with Dawn's End. And the only publicist I've got is yours truly.
There's a certain level of snobbery about us self-published little guys, and to be fair, there is indeed a lot of poorly written books from these imprints. But there's also a lot of gems hiding in the pile, of which I believe Dawn's End is one. Not to be conceited or anything, but I wrote a fine thriller that a lot of readers would enjoy if they could only find it and give it a chance.
Again, if I had the money and time I could do a lot more, but those aforementioned children (both existing and brewing) and the cubicle dwelling only allows me to do so much. So, here's the rundown of my marketing crash course so far.
You start a blog and try to make it a mix of information about your book and more general posts about the craft and marketing of writing so it's not quite such a pimp-yourself fest. Ideally, I should blog every day and I know this, but some nights I'm just so damn tired I don't have the energy.
You beg those initial buyers of the book, friends and family, to spread the word and write reviews on Amazon.com. So far I've been lucky enough to receive three Amazon reviews and they've all been good. I know what you're thinking, of course they are, they were written by your friends. True, but I believe they are honest, and I would welcome bad ones as well. I really don't care as long as you write something. I've worked in editorial jobs my entire professional life, and you learn early on (for me it was in journalism school) to grow a thick skin about criticism or you'll cry yourself to sleep all the time.
Beg for book signings. I had my launch party at Austin Books & Comics and was very pleased with the turnout and the reception I received. I hope to have more in some of the local bookshops, but need to get off my fat ass and sell myself.
Print out promotional materials and ask local business to display them. (As I'm sure you've noticed, the begging pattern is a big part of this thing.)
Get on MySpace. This one has turned out to be the most fruitful so far. That website has become a godsend for me. I started my page a few years ago when I was trying to find an agent but didn't have much luck and didn't seek out a lot of friends. Once Dawn's End was published, I revamped it and have gone nuts seeking out every horror fan and potential reader I could find. Since then, I've gone from about 30 friends to 160 (and counting) and have touched base with some good people. Hopefully, some of these new friends have bought the book or told their friends about it. Bottom line, MySpace kicks all kinds of ass.
Try to get publications and genre sites to review it. I've sent out copies of the book to both of the local Austin papers, and have been blasting genre sites with review requests. So far I have three due, one from HorrorYearbook (which I found through MySpace. Thanks, Molly!), one from Mania.com, and one from Rue Morgue. I pray they are good (once they come in I'll post them here) and that they encourage some readers to give Dawn's End a shot.
So that's where I am right now in my two month-old campaign. I figure I've got a year to bust ass and spread the word, and after than, things will probably peter out. But that's when it's time to start writing the next one. I've already got two great ideas, so no matter if Dawn's End hits the big time or not, you haven't read the last of me.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
When is it time to retire "The Classics"?
I watched Beowulf recently and it got me thinking about a topic that I (and no doubt most teenagers in high school English classes across the country) often ponder: When is the school system going to update the required reading list?
Now, I'm in my mid-30s and haven't had to buy a book of CliffsNotes in quite a while, but I can't imagine the book selection has changed all that much since my younger, pimplier days. The one thing I remember about Beowulf the poem was that it was very old and very boring. In fact, to get anyone interested in the movie Robert Zemeckis had to make it in the cutting edge CGI format of performance capture, market it as, "this is not your high school Beowulf," fill it with swordfights and buckets of blood, and parade Angelina Jolie around in the birthday suit. This is what it takes to get the kids interested, and I imagine they care less about appreciating English lit than they do with appreciating Angie's backside.
The lament about ADD-addled American youth and the brain-rot of TV and video games is common, and to me, not entirely fair. How do you expect teenagers to get interested in reading books when all we do is shove their noses into completely unrelatable stories written in ancient dialects that they need notes from Cliff to even decipher?
Is a walking ball of hormones going to relate in any way to The Scarlet Letter? No, he just won't get what's so wrong about a woman with a crappy husband giving it up to someone better. Good for her for getting some. And since it's such a hard damn book to read, chances are his copy will collect dust, he'll rent the Demi Moore movie the night before the test, giggle at some boobie shots and get a C-.
I'm not saying that the classics don't have merit, and that some of them aren't fine books. I particularly enjoyed Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Great Gatsby, and A Tale of Two Cities. I'm just saying that there's room in the curriculum for something a little more modern. Just because a book isn't old doesn't mean it has no educational merit.
So, to any teachers who might be reading this, see if you can slip these titles past the board of education. They'll not only entertain the kids and keep 'em engaged, but teach 'em a life lesson or two in the process.
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris:
Sure, it's got gore and that showy cannibal, but at its core it's a fine story about an insecure woman finding her strength and identity in a very scary world.
The Stand by Stephen King:
A true classic about the age old struggle between good and evil. It's a big book with big themes about faith and religion, not to mention topical in dealing with modern day fears of biological terrorism.
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler:
A story about a shy man crippled by the loss of his child who learns to leave his comfort zone and take a chance on love with a most unlikely woman.
Atonement by Ian McEwan:
You want to teach the kids that it's bad to gossip and lie? This story about how a little girl's lies rob her sister of any chance at a happy life would get the point across pretty vividly.
The Godfather by Mario Puzo:
We've all seen the movie, sure, but the book was a classic before Francis Ford Coppola came along. It's the story about both the power of family and how blind allegiance to it can be just as damaging as it is rewarding.
If we only loosened up a bit, I'd bet we could get plenty of kids to put down the PlayStation and pick up some more books. Has Harry Potter taught us nothing?
Now, I'm in my mid-30s and haven't had to buy a book of CliffsNotes in quite a while, but I can't imagine the book selection has changed all that much since my younger, pimplier days. The one thing I remember about Beowulf the poem was that it was very old and very boring. In fact, to get anyone interested in the movie Robert Zemeckis had to make it in the cutting edge CGI format of performance capture, market it as, "this is not your high school Beowulf," fill it with swordfights and buckets of blood, and parade Angelina Jolie around in the birthday suit. This is what it takes to get the kids interested, and I imagine they care less about appreciating English lit than they do with appreciating Angie's backside.
The lament about ADD-addled American youth and the brain-rot of TV and video games is common, and to me, not entirely fair. How do you expect teenagers to get interested in reading books when all we do is shove their noses into completely unrelatable stories written in ancient dialects that they need notes from Cliff to even decipher?
Is a walking ball of hormones going to relate in any way to The Scarlet Letter? No, he just won't get what's so wrong about a woman with a crappy husband giving it up to someone better. Good for her for getting some. And since it's such a hard damn book to read, chances are his copy will collect dust, he'll rent the Demi Moore movie the night before the test, giggle at some boobie shots and get a C-.
I'm not saying that the classics don't have merit, and that some of them aren't fine books. I particularly enjoyed Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Great Gatsby, and A Tale of Two Cities. I'm just saying that there's room in the curriculum for something a little more modern. Just because a book isn't old doesn't mean it has no educational merit.
So, to any teachers who might be reading this, see if you can slip these titles past the board of education. They'll not only entertain the kids and keep 'em engaged, but teach 'em a life lesson or two in the process.
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris:
Sure, it's got gore and that showy cannibal, but at its core it's a fine story about an insecure woman finding her strength and identity in a very scary world.
The Stand by Stephen King:
A true classic about the age old struggle between good and evil. It's a big book with big themes about faith and religion, not to mention topical in dealing with modern day fears of biological terrorism.
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler:
A story about a shy man crippled by the loss of his child who learns to leave his comfort zone and take a chance on love with a most unlikely woman.
Atonement by Ian McEwan:
You want to teach the kids that it's bad to gossip and lie? This story about how a little girl's lies rob her sister of any chance at a happy life would get the point across pretty vividly.
The Godfather by Mario Puzo:
We've all seen the movie, sure, but the book was a classic before Francis Ford Coppola came along. It's the story about both the power of family and how blind allegiance to it can be just as damaging as it is rewarding.
If we only loosened up a bit, I'd bet we could get plenty of kids to put down the PlayStation and pick up some more books. Has Harry Potter taught us nothing?
Monday, June 9, 2008
Pictures From The Signing
Here's some pictures from the Dawn's End launch party at Austin Books & Comics! So, the book tour of a literary star it wasn't, but for a first time out I was thrilled. I just need to wait for that call from the Big Leagues so I can write full time, quit the day job, and embark on the fabulous life of a published author.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Post-Signing Calm
My first book signing is now in the history books. It went very well and I was quite pleased with the turnout. I sold 30+ copies of Dawn's End and perfected not only my autograph (which started out fairly subdued and graduated to more grand swirlies as the night went on), but my "To Reader," banter. I feared that it would have too much of a high school yearbook feel ("Have a nice summer!"). Hopefully there weren't too many generic comments handed out (I honestly can't remember at this point), and if there was, I apologize. I'll do better by Book 2.
Again, I really wish I had the luxury of a publicist. My calves and arms are sore from all of the heavy lifting I did picking up book boxes, drink cases from Costco, and the like. It doesn't help that it's June in Texas. For those of you who are unfamiliar, that means upper 90 degrees. Basically the temperature of hell. No one's impressed with a sweaty author I'm sure, but I think I dried off before the guests arrived. (The pictures will tell I suppose. I'll post some soon.)
The guys at Austin Books & Comics were incredibly helpful, especially Trevor. They were very accommodating in helping us set up and get ready. Then they just let us do our thing. Of course, some of my book money went right into their cash register afterwards. It was new comic day after all.
To all who came out, thank you so much for the support and for buying the book. I hope you all enjoy it.
Now, I enter the next phase of the plan: Marketing to people I don't know, and begging publications to review it. But more on that later...
Again, I really wish I had the luxury of a publicist. My calves and arms are sore from all of the heavy lifting I did picking up book boxes, drink cases from Costco, and the like. It doesn't help that it's June in Texas. For those of you who are unfamiliar, that means upper 90 degrees. Basically the temperature of hell. No one's impressed with a sweaty author I'm sure, but I think I dried off before the guests arrived. (The pictures will tell I suppose. I'll post some soon.)
The guys at Austin Books & Comics were incredibly helpful, especially Trevor. They were very accommodating in helping us set up and get ready. Then they just let us do our thing. Of course, some of my book money went right into their cash register afterwards. It was new comic day after all.
To all who came out, thank you so much for the support and for buying the book. I hope you all enjoy it.
Now, I enter the next phase of the plan: Marketing to people I don't know, and begging publications to review it. But more on that later...
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
How To Prep For A Book Signing
My first signing event as a published author is tomorrow at Austin Books & Comics. It will be one of my proudest moments. It really is amazing how much little stuff you have to do in preparation. Oh, to be famous and have a cheery blond publicist who would do all this stuff for me. I'm by nature a rather introverted guy, so marketing myself is not easy. To wit:
- Order prints of my various marketing materials on the rather non user-friendly FedEx Kinko's website.
- Take a trip to the store and pick them up from a cashier who I swear was a sex-change candidate in training. If that was a woman, well, then I'm one, too.
- Journey to my favorite comic shop and ask the surly but accommodating owner if I could take over his store for a couple hours to hock my book. He agreed. I rejoiced. (I tease about Brad. He truly is an awesome dude.)
- Receive my first batch of 60 copies of Dawn's End from my publisher. Prior to pulling those beautiful bound copies out of the box, I had never seen my book in any form other than a Microsoft Word document. It was glorious.
- Sit down and thumb through the copy I plan to keep. Get embarrassed when the wife asks why I'm reading my own book.
- Hammer out the details with surly comic book guy. Food and drinks are cool, but nothing sloppy that'll get on the comics. (I totally understand. A grease stain on a comic is cause for a beating.) No beer. (Damn you, sneaky minors).
- Post my event sign and set out some promotional bookmarks in the comic shop.
- Send out an Evite for the event to every person I know. Marvel at how many friends I have in Austin after living here only 10 years. You truly don't know how blessed you are until you see all the encouraging "Accepts" come back at you.
- Wait impatiently for two weeks for the event to draw near.
- Travel to Costco on Saturday, always a trip to the 10th circle of hell under normal circumstances, and buy food and drink. Play with my son, Logan, while I push him around in the cart. Get yelled at by the cashier for putting heavy Coke cans on the register belt instead of "Leaving Heavy Items on Cart." Comment to my wife how bitchy cashier was.
- Unbox all my books two nights before the event to make sure they were all in good condition. Dust them because things get grungy in transit. (Yes, I lovingly dusted 60 copies of Dawn's End.)
- Slog through one last day at work before taking the rest of the week off.
- Write a blog about preparing for my signing.
- Drink a beer and relax.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Dawn's End is heating up!
The word on, as well as the distribution of, Dawn's End is spreading!
It's received its first review on Amazon, which gave it four out of five stars. (All who've read it, please rate it or write something. However brief, liked it or hated it, it's all good to me.)
In addition to iUniverse, Amazon, Borders, and Waldenbooks, Dawn's End is also available at:
Tower Books
Barnes and Noble.com
Even in Australia at Booktopia!
And, views on my MySpace page have gone up tenfold since before publication. I love this Internet thing.
It's received its first review on Amazon, which gave it four out of five stars. (All who've read it, please rate it or write something. However brief, liked it or hated it, it's all good to me.)
In addition to iUniverse, Amazon, Borders, and Waldenbooks, Dawn's End is also available at:
Tower Books
Barnes and Noble.com
Even in Australia at Booktopia!
And, views on my MySpace page have gone up tenfold since before publication. I love this Internet thing.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Launch Party & Signing on Wed. June 4th!
Friends,
I will be having a Launch Party and Signing for Dawn's End very soon. To those of you in Austin or anyone else who might be in the area, I hope to see you there!
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 4th; 5 PM to 7 PM
Place: Austin Books & Comics
5002 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78751
512-454-4197
http://www.austinbooks.com/
Buy the book, and even a comic or two!
Light refreshments will be provided.
I will be having a Launch Party and Signing for Dawn's End very soon. To those of you in Austin or anyone else who might be in the area, I hope to see you there!
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 4th; 5 PM to 7 PM
Place: Austin Books & Comics
5002 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78751
512-454-4197
http://www.austinbooks.com/
Buy the book, and even a comic or two!
Light refreshments will be provided.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
A Horror Writer Is Spawned
In an effort to make this blog about more than just me schilling my book, I'm also planning to post more generally about the craft of writing and my experience with such a difficult process. I'll start off with the beginning of the process, and work my way through all the stages of trying to become an author. Let's start with, well, how I got started.
Writing Dawn's End was the hardest task I've ever taken on. This isn't to say it wasn't fun and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, it was, but it's also a process full of hair-pulling frustration, crippling self-doubt, and long, exhausting nights.
I started Dawn's End in late 2002 (or as it was called then, Untitled) at the ripe old age of 28, not long after I got married. Years earlier, I made one of those foolish promises to myself that only young people make and set a deadline that I would complete my first novel before I turned 30. I'd kicked around many stories over the years, but none of them ever stuck. (My drawer in the bedroom has at least two abandoned, hand written novels that ran out steam.) I was full of delusional dreams of writing like Hemingway or Fitzgerald, convinced I could write a "serious literary" book about love and loss, maybe even a little bullfighting.
The problem was that deep down, none of that "literary" stuff truly interested me (I've never been to a bullfight, and really don't wanna go), and let's be honest, the only thing I have in common with Hemingway and Fitzgerald is a love of the sauce. Well, and a girlfriend or two that fall just shy of Zelda in the crazy department. When it comes to fiction, what I really loved was scary stories. I grew up on horror movies, thrillers, and action flicks. Stephen King was my hero. (He still is, although I'll freely admit he's lost a step in the last decade or so. But after about 1,000 books I'll cut the guy some slack.) There's a lot of garbage in those genres to be sure, but there's also a lot of pulse-pounding greatness. If it's done right. And that became my mission. To do the horror genre proud.
So, one day, after my latest failed "literary" short story (short stories are a bitch - anyone who can write a decent one has my utmost respect and admiration) I sat down and started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I always thought it looked stupid, but my friend Anna convinced me to give it a try and waddaya know, I got hooked like a fish. I can say with total conviction that it's the best television series ever made. (Singing it's praises will be fodder for a later blog.)
Shortly after that, an idea for a vampire tale lit up in my head, and I accepted my place as someone who could be a great "genre" writer.
I sat down at the computer and Dawn's End was born. Or sired, if you will.
Writing Dawn's End was the hardest task I've ever taken on. This isn't to say it wasn't fun and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, it was, but it's also a process full of hair-pulling frustration, crippling self-doubt, and long, exhausting nights.
I started Dawn's End in late 2002 (or as it was called then, Untitled) at the ripe old age of 28, not long after I got married. Years earlier, I made one of those foolish promises to myself that only young people make and set a deadline that I would complete my first novel before I turned 30. I'd kicked around many stories over the years, but none of them ever stuck. (My drawer in the bedroom has at least two abandoned, hand written novels that ran out steam.) I was full of delusional dreams of writing like Hemingway or Fitzgerald, convinced I could write a "serious literary" book about love and loss, maybe even a little bullfighting.
The problem was that deep down, none of that "literary" stuff truly interested me (I've never been to a bullfight, and really don't wanna go), and let's be honest, the only thing I have in common with Hemingway and Fitzgerald is a love of the sauce. Well, and a girlfriend or two that fall just shy of Zelda in the crazy department. When it comes to fiction, what I really loved was scary stories. I grew up on horror movies, thrillers, and action flicks. Stephen King was my hero. (He still is, although I'll freely admit he's lost a step in the last decade or so. But after about 1,000 books I'll cut the guy some slack.) There's a lot of garbage in those genres to be sure, but there's also a lot of pulse-pounding greatness. If it's done right. And that became my mission. To do the horror genre proud.
So, one day, after my latest failed "literary" short story (short stories are a bitch - anyone who can write a decent one has my utmost respect and admiration) I sat down and started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I always thought it looked stupid, but my friend Anna convinced me to give it a try and waddaya know, I got hooked like a fish. I can say with total conviction that it's the best television series ever made. (Singing it's praises will be fodder for a later blog.)
Shortly after that, an idea for a vampire tale lit up in my head, and I accepted my place as someone who could be a great "genre" writer.
I sat down at the computer and Dawn's End was born. Or sired, if you will.
Dawn's End now on Amazon.com and Borders.com!
The distribution channels for Dawn's End are expanding. It is now available at Amazon.com and Borders.com, in addition to the iUniverse book store. It will be rolling out to more Web retailers very soon.
If you have already purchased the book at iUniverse, or plan to buy it through the other, more well-known retailers, please do me a favor and rate it or write a review/comment on the big boy sites. I welcome all comments whether you liked the book or not (but hopefully the former). Let future readers know what you think. People really do love to read reviews.
Stay tuned for more on Dawn's End, including a launch party in June!
If you have already purchased the book at iUniverse, or plan to buy it through the other, more well-known retailers, please do me a favor and rate it or write a review/comment on the big boy sites. I welcome all comments whether you liked the book or not (but hopefully the former). Let future readers know what you think. People really do love to read reviews.
Stay tuned for more on Dawn's End, including a launch party in June!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Now Available: Dawn's End!
The day has arrived. Dawn's End is now available for purchase on my first distribution channel, iUniverse.com. Click here to buy a copy!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The End of the Beginning of an Author's Journey
Hello, and welcome to my little corner of the world.
It is with great excitement that I start this blog to spread the word about Dawn's End, my debut full-length novel, which will be published this month by iUniverse. This book, about a pair of vampires who descend on the small town of Glory, Texas, and wreak havoc on the lives of the locals, is a unique and thrilling novel that is a tremendous source of pride for me.
I grew up practically inhaling every scary story, be it in print or on film, that I could get my hands on, and dreaming of the day when I would make my mark on such a wonderful genre. My plan for Dawn's End was to not just make my readers lock the doors and look over their shoulders in terror for a bloodsucker ready to strike, but to give them something that's usually lacking in the world of horror fiction: characters you care about who feel like real people. Characters who feel like your neighbors and friends. Characters whose struggles and very survival you're invested in. I've written a book that I hope you'll enjoy not only for the thrills and chills, but for the exploration of the deep emotions and pain that we've all experienced at one time or another.
I'll be posting often about my progress in marketing the book and invite you to share your thoughts and feelings with me about the story. Love it, hate it, debate it. It's all good to me. As for the synopsis, read on. Thank you, and talk to you soon!
"Perched high in a tree like a vulture, Devon looks down on Glory, Texas, sparkling in the darkness. People below will soon feel the full force of this vampire’s rage.
Evil converges in Glory as three couples struggle with lives full of abuse and infidelity. Alex can’t come to grips with his girlfriend, Laura, leaving him. Jenny, a victim of domestic violence, must escape her husband, Ray. Syl and Dave’s downfall is becoming embroiled in their friends’ dramatic lives. Into this mix comes Rena, a beautiful and benevolent woman. Decades before, with a savage bite, Devon had turned her into his tormented companion. Distraught by how she must survive, Rena had fled his influence. And now Devon wants Rena to pay for betraying him and refusing to share eternal life with him.
When Alex meets Rena in the local roadhouse, a spiral of depravity begins to uncoil. Alex and Rena join forces in an attempt to kill Devon and save the lives of their friends. But Devon is bent on destroying whomever he can to get what he wants, and unfortunately for Alex, everyone he cares about is standing in the way."
It is with great excitement that I start this blog to spread the word about Dawn's End, my debut full-length novel, which will be published this month by iUniverse. This book, about a pair of vampires who descend on the small town of Glory, Texas, and wreak havoc on the lives of the locals, is a unique and thrilling novel that is a tremendous source of pride for me.
I grew up practically inhaling every scary story, be it in print or on film, that I could get my hands on, and dreaming of the day when I would make my mark on such a wonderful genre. My plan for Dawn's End was to not just make my readers lock the doors and look over their shoulders in terror for a bloodsucker ready to strike, but to give them something that's usually lacking in the world of horror fiction: characters you care about who feel like real people. Characters who feel like your neighbors and friends. Characters whose struggles and very survival you're invested in. I've written a book that I hope you'll enjoy not only for the thrills and chills, but for the exploration of the deep emotions and pain that we've all experienced at one time or another.
I'll be posting often about my progress in marketing the book and invite you to share your thoughts and feelings with me about the story. Love it, hate it, debate it. It's all good to me. As for the synopsis, read on. Thank you, and talk to you soon!
"Perched high in a tree like a vulture, Devon looks down on Glory, Texas, sparkling in the darkness. People below will soon feel the full force of this vampire’s rage.
Evil converges in Glory as three couples struggle with lives full of abuse and infidelity. Alex can’t come to grips with his girlfriend, Laura, leaving him. Jenny, a victim of domestic violence, must escape her husband, Ray. Syl and Dave’s downfall is becoming embroiled in their friends’ dramatic lives. Into this mix comes Rena, a beautiful and benevolent woman. Decades before, with a savage bite, Devon had turned her into his tormented companion. Distraught by how she must survive, Rena had fled his influence. And now Devon wants Rena to pay for betraying him and refusing to share eternal life with him.
When Alex meets Rena in the local roadhouse, a spiral of depravity begins to uncoil. Alex and Rena join forces in an attempt to kill Devon and save the lives of their friends. But Devon is bent on destroying whomever he can to get what he wants, and unfortunately for Alex, everyone he cares about is standing in the way."
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