| Congratulations, you've written a book and even | | | | Frequently, if there's an interesting hook, they will |
| gotten itpublished! Now, all you have to do is get | | | | interview you. Track down book shows on radio and |
| people to buy it. | | | | televisionand call the producers. |
| Getting people to actually enter a bookstore with the | | | | Don't be afraid to make the phone calls and don't |
| purposeof buying your book is not easy because | | | | believesomeone when he says he'll get back to you. |
| you're not a "brandname" yet. But you do have a | | | | He won't. Theperson who has the most to gain (you, |
| potent weapon at your command--the telephone. | | | | in this case) has tomake the call. Too often people |
| Use it. | | | | are afraid to call. Askyourself what's the worst that |
| Call the editor of the books section of your paper. | | | | can happen. They'll say no,right? Editors are not going |
| Say you'dlike to send a copy to him or her. Ask if he | | | | to gather menacingly on yourdoorstep or come after |
| has a few minutesso you can briefly tell him about | | | | you with garlic and torches. They'llsay no. Can you |
| the book on the phone. Afteryou send the book, | | | | live with that? Of course, you can, socall. |
| give her a chance to read or at least glanceat it, then | | | | Put on a comfortable pair of shoes, gather up copies |
| call again. | | | | of thebook and hit the pavement. Stop in at every |
| If you can possibly tie the book to something in the | | | | small bookstoreand beg to leave copies. I assume |
| news, that's great. Let's say you wrote Cooking with | | | | you've already called thebiggies. Offer to appear to |
| Chocolate andthe health section of your paper has an | | | | talk bout and read from your book 9or doi a |
| article on the healthbenefits of chocolate. Call editors | | | | mini-seminar. |
| and reporters in the health, food and book sections. | | | | You've got to do things to create a buzz. The author |
| If there's a human interest reporter or columnist, call | | | | of theaforementioned book on chocolate could give |
| and thensend them a copy of the book. Human | | | | away chocolatebars with each copy. Or slices of |
| interest reporters canusually write on anything that | | | | cake she made (recipe inthe book) during her |
| interests them. Try to interestthem in you. What did | | | | appearance in the bookstore. Itwouldn't be a bad |
| you do before you wrote the book and whydid you | | | | idea to drop off a cake with the book inthe |
| write it? Do you have eight children and wrote it | | | | newsrooms. |
| atyour kitchen table every morning between 2:00 and | | | | Don't forget retailers. They might agree to do a |
| 5:00 am? Did you gain 20 pounds writing the book? | | | | windowaround your book. I once got a prominent |
| Or, did you lose | | | | jeweler to do awindow with diamonds falling out of |
| 20--proving that chocolate really isn't fattening? | | | | toe shoes and copies ofthe book, written by a |
| Call the assignment editors at television news | | | | dancer, displayed. |
| programs. | | | | |