Marketing the Books

The books are out. Now it's time to market, market, market. Actually, it's PAST time, but this is not my favorite occupation, this marketing. But better late than never, I have designed posters and printed them for the bookstores, set up book signings. The Child of the Mist title will be carried at Barnes and Noble (online); they have had the title listed since January with the April release date; even had the cover showing. That prompted me to get on their vendor list. Amazon is pending, although they are quite slow about their paperwork. Of course, that's my error for waiting until I had the book in hand to contact them.

I've sent review copies of Child of the Mist to my regional Arts Council paper, and a national online reviewer. I'm stingy about this, since with previous of my titles (both from NY publishers and Indies) the reviews made no difference on the sales sheet. I enjoy the unsolicited comments the most, like the new review just posted on Daughter of the Stone; I've included a clip and the URL on that book's comment page.

My best sales don’t usually come at book signings, but at art shows. People are possibly surprised to see books and like the change in selection. The other successful sales are through public libraries, where I set up an author event and sell books after the presentation. A lot of phone and mail work to plan those, but they are definitely worth it.

Good Start for New Author

Die With Me
Elena Forbes @ 2007
Mystery + + + +
ISBN 978-1-59692-277-8 MacAdam/Cage

Die With Me is a well constructed mystery with great sense-of-place (portions of London, England). DI Mark Tartaglia heads up a possible serial murder with able assistance from DS Sam Donovan. As the investigation into the possible murder of a teenage girl proceeds, police procedure is prominent, but not so much as to distract from the development of very interesting characters.

As with a current style of “storytelling,” the point of view of the killer is also presented—without giving the identity. I am not fond of this, and the story could just as well have been presented without it. But it seems to be the current mystery schtick.

This is Forbes’ first novel, and a sequel is in the works. I’ll keep checking for it.

Yes, I'm Reading Books

I started posting to this blog again because my long hiatus from reading was over. Yet I haven't mentioned many books.

I've been reading, but I can't talk about the books. I'm a preliminary reviewer for a national book competition, and neither the reviewers nor the judges are allowed to talk about the entries.

I will say this: Wow! What a variety!

Once the "no talk" rule is lifted, I will report on a few of them.

How about you? Read any good books lately? I'd be glad to post your review. Just send it to me in an e-mail.

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March is Small Press Month Check out the events

Texas Titles

163 years ago, Texas became a state (1 March 1845). And I’ve recently come across some interesting Texas books.

The first dates from before statehood and is written for young readers. Texas Rangers, Legendary Lawmen, by Michael P. Spradlin, is a 2008 release from Walker Young Readers, and is illustration by Roxie Munro.

The Texas Rangers also come to light in Jim Griffin’s series of Ranger books, although these take place in the late 19th Century: Big Bend Death Trap, Panhandle Raiders, Ranger Justice , Trouble Rides the Texas Pacific, Border Raiders and Trail of the Renegade. Griffin is a collector of Texas Ranger memorabilia, and theTexas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas keeps his books on permanent display.

C. R. Caldwell has a book of short stories, Texas Tales: Good Men, Bad Men and Lawmen, which have a bit of "tall tale" thrown in. He has some interesting comments about this.

Pierce Burns presents his family history in A Few Good Horses (Gap Creek Press, 2008). This is the gritty account of ranch life from the mid-nineteenth century through The Great Depression. More than 150 photos.

Mike Kearby shows a different side of Texas settlement in his trilogy set after the Civil War with The Road to a Hanging, Ride The Desperate Trail and Ambush at Mustang Canyon, as ex-slave Free Anderson looks to make his place on in West Texas.

What stands out to me with all these books is the diligent research behind them, nonfiction and fiction.

Nebraska also celebrates statehood in March. Know of any good Nebraska books?

Write or wait?

"Any productive writer learns that you can't wait for inspiration. That's the recipe for writer's block." --Susan Sontag

This is something I always need to remind myself.

Although I write many things for deadlines that can't "wait for inspiration," I drag my productive fingers when it comes to my fiction, sometimes stalling out and walking circles while I search for the right words. Other times I find chores are an effective means to defer my writing, so I vacuum, make shopping lists, check the bird feeder—write something for my blog.

I don’t know what I'm waiting for. The elusive and fickle inspiration? Fiction and poetry, without a deadline, is correctable. You aren't forcing out words that will soon be off to a publisher—gone before you can say "let me change that phrase."

After I remind myself of work-don't-wait, I begin tapping out words and when I do, the ideas bloom, characters wake up, and I move ahead. Now to implement this principle and get busy with my creative efforts!

Here's a good article related to this subject.