Those were the words from my Marketing & Publicity Manager when she got her first look at the galleys for Hugging the Rock today. And the publisher said the galleys rock and were absolutely gorgeous. Oh it’s going to be hard to wait until they get to me. (You HAVE entered the contest, haven’t you? Deadline is midnight.) And they are going to hand out galleys at the following conferences: PLA, TLA, IRA, BEA, ALA.
Translations for those acronyms are:
* Public Library Association
* Texas Library Association
* International Reading Association
* Book Expo
* American Library Association
Oh me. Oh my. I just wish I could figure out how to get my local paper to review me but it seems to be nigh on impossible. Time for me to go over my list of other reviewers and work on some good pr campaigns.
Yippee!!!
That’s wonderful! I can’t believe your local paper won’t review you! Why not?! You would think they would jump at the chance to profile a local author. What about a feature in the Lifestyle section? A slice of life feature about you that just happens to coincide with the release of your new book? Another idea: our local cable provider hosts a five- to ten-minute “news” show with local people at certain times of the day. I wonder if the cable company in your area has a similar show and would be willing to interview you. A good tie-in would be a literacy project at a local library.
It’s not just me, they don’t do many children’s books at all. I’ll send them a galley and cross my fingers but it’s tough. Good idea on the local cable stuff though. Thanks!
Yay Susan! I’m going to be at PLA in Boston next Friday. I can’t wait to snag a copy!
xo
Cool! Look for the Tricycle booth.
I’ll pick up my copy at TLA. Oh, I wish you’d be there, it’d be great to meet you.
Don
I wish I could go to TLA too, Don. Here’s hoping Hugging the Rock is a big hit so maybe I can go next year!
your newspaper–I love a challenge!
you send them the galleys, how about press releases about your website features or local school visits? Your website has great teacher information, maybe a ‘resource for teachers’ angle would get some notice.
I became the NY art consultant to Cray ola because I sent them a letter about how great ‘they’ are! and what I could do to help them. It was all about ‘them’. Maybe you could put a press release together that focuses on soemthing ‘they’ do, print, or are interested in.
Re: your newspaper–I love a challenge!
This is all terrific info. So far they’ve ignored the press releases and copies of other books I’ve sent at the right times but perhaps a release focusing on “them” somehow might do it. Thanks a bunch!
Fantastic! Here’s hoping I win the contest so I can check it out sooner rather than later! 🙂
Good luck!
YAY!!! What’s up with your local paper? Shame on them. Go to the town next door and threaten to scoop them,I say…
I think the problem is that San Jose is so fricking HUGE with a million people in it that the local down to my level stuff is very slim. But everyone has given me a lot to think about how to approach them, so I will.
Invite the local paper (or rather, their art or book reviewer) out to lunch. Tell them about how their local hero (you) made good….
This is a good idea. Thanks!
Awesome! I’ll look for it at TLA!
Yeah! Thank you.
Waaah! I just realized I missed you deadline :(.
Bummer! But you’re going to PLA, right? Hopefully you’ll catch it there.
Hello, Adele, always happy to meet someone new. I’ll go check out your LJ. What is The White List ? It doesn’t ring a bell with me at the moment.
Yay! So exciting!
Indeed!
They ought to review it. Do you have a press kit/press release that they can run?
Yep. They get one on each book that comes out. They just don’t do much with children’s books unless they are the best sellers.
Fingers crossed for you.
Sounds like they’re handing out galleys to the entire alphabet. Congrats!!!
I keep saying this, but it’s all so weird in a wonderful way. So different than with picture books. I’m loving every minute of it.
Congrats! Hopefully you’ll see it for yourself very soon!
About your local paper — you might not be able to get them to review your book, but you may well be able to get them to interview you, if you present one of the reporters there with a suitable angle. For instance, you’ve said that in this book, you created for yourself the father you never had. You could be interviewed on relationships between fathers and daughters, or on the need for fathers to interact more with their children. Or you could pick another theme from the book or even from your personal life. Any article would naturally mention your new book that relates directly to whatever the article topic is. The trick is to sell you, not your book. People who like you will then buy your book. Crazy, perhaps, but true. (Can you tell I paid attention to the PR speakers at some conferences I’ve been to?)
Excellant ideas Kelly! Thank you so much.
Definitely frickin’ awesome!!!
Well that is really cool. Thanks for letting me. Will have to check it out.