Promotion Update

[jpskewedthrone]

So, I spent part of the weekend (with the help of jennifer_dunne) getting an art file ready so that I can make some cheap bookmarks to hand out at cons and stuff to promote the release of book 1. Went to Kinko's on Monday, got them printed up with the following tagline on back:

"One throne. Two Fires. A city on the edge of madness.
Only an assassin can save them all."

I'm not thrilled with it, but I didn't come up with anything better. This effort was a composition of ideas thrown out to me by the previously mentioned jennifer_dunne, pbray, and my partner. Plus my take on it. I also added in the release date and my webpage URL.

Anyway, today, I spent a horrible amount of time using a slicer to separate the bookmarks because I was too cheap to pay Kinko's to do it. That and because they couldn't guarantee they wouldn't maul the bookmarks to death in their own slicer. So I sliced in between trying to help frantic students learn what they should have learned weeks ago before the exams today and tomorrow. Note: having a slicer on your desk while helping students makes them more attentive. It also helps promote your book because they invariably ask questions, leaving you the perfect opening to casually mention your new book.

But I got all the bookmarks (300 in all) ready to go. I've signed up for 2 cons and have many more on my list of possibilities. Boskone should be officially added to the list within the next few weeks, then perhaps Lunacon after that. I've also spoken to the owner of Clarkesworld Books about selling signed copies at his web bookstore and about some type of contest there to promote it. It's all vague right now, but hopefully I'll come up with something interesting to do for the contest.

And lastly, I found out that Barnes and Noble won't schedule a signing or any activity whatsoever until the book is actually released. At least the B&N in my town won't. *sigh*

But the promotional engine is starting to rumble. VROOM! VROOM!

Comments

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

Yay, promoting!

Get your butt on panels, too. Ones like, "So you've sold your first novel..." kind of things, so you have lots of excuses to mention TST but no one thinks it's bad that you are flogging your book. And emphasize the publisher. Nothing says "legit" like having a major publisher.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice. At the two cons I have scheduled, I've already attempted to get on panels and do readings. I haven't heard back yet. I'm already worried about being obnoxious over my book, too. And flooding the local market with signings. I'm trying to contain myself while still making the book visible.

But I'm keeping the LJ reserved for my obnoxious behavior: gloating, whining, exuberance. So beware. *grin*