Adventures in Book Promotion

Thank you for asking. Yes, I’m still excited about my book coming out.  When?  June 19th my publisher will launch the book, and July 10th you’ll be able to find it on Amazon.  Of course, I have my author page up now and you can “pre-order” Faith on the Rocks.  As a matter of fact, I’ve heard rumors that lots of pre-orders will encourage Amazon to stock more books (hint, hint).

Liesa's Author Page on Amazon.comWho knows?  After a month of running around with ARCs and emailing total strangers all over the country, I think Everyone and his uncle are probably sick of hearing from me.  As a marketing person, I know this isn’t true, but as the person doing all this promotion work, I’m sick of me by now.  Still, the adventure in book promotion is a blast, and I’m continually thrilled when total strangers (like the manager at my local Olive Garden) ask me about it.

Take last Thursday.  It was another bright and sunny day in Denver. There aren’t many days here that are dreary, but we’ve had a real winter this year.  Anyway, I grabbed Prophet–because you never know when someone will want to meet the inspiration for Thunder, and because I wanted to go to the big, bad, downtown area–I grabbed my best friend, about six or seven ARCs and my positive attitude, then drove downtown for a walk-about there.

Promptly got lost trying to find the Denver Public Library.  Did I ever mention my least favorite aspect of living in Colorado?  Streets with the same name can end suddenly and start-up again after an interruption of, say, a half a mile of buildings, railroad tracks, and scenery of all kinds.  So, yours truly, trying to find West 14th Avenue, ended up in some warehouse area with chain link fences, barking guard dogs, and lots and lots of railroad tracks.  Good dog, Prophet.  Glad you were with me.

I did indeed find the library.  I talked to the Information Desk person, who passed me to another Information Desk person who had just read something about accepting new authors into their collection.  My happy face was still on, when she told me that the library won’t return any donated books, and there wasn’t much chance of anyone being interested in my ARC, but I could leave it with her, and she’d do the best she could to get it to the right person. Ouch!

Okay, but I wasn’t done.  I’ve been trying to get ahold of the guy in Arts & Entertainment at the Denver Post, and it was only a few more blocks and another dollar of parking fees (but they accept credit cards on meters nowadays).  Proph and I headed over.

The Post’s building is a beautiful white marble creation in the heart of downtown.  Luckily, it only took me 700 trips around the block to find an open parking space.  Proph and I whipped in.  I confidently strode to the reception desk.  You know the one.  Two people in security uniforms and a dark waiting room that shouts out “We’ll keep your identity a secret if you need.  Just give us the Woodward & Bernstein stuff.”  I asked for my reporter.  A phone call later, I was encouraged to phone upstairs directly.  After all, I didn’t have an appointment.  A few frustrating minutes later, the person that I’d emailed and telephoned a couple of times without success, turned out to be “in a meeting.”  But I could leave my ARC at security.  He was usually pretty good about picking up items left for him. Hmm.

Next stop was the bookstore where Mike Befeler and I will have a book signing, July 13.  Who Else! Books is run by Ron and Nina, a couple of lovely bibliophiles whose store is on Broadway, another major street where I come from.  They graciously invited me into a store jammed full of new and used books, and said they would gladly have Prophet in for a visit if I wanted.  I pictured my hundred-pound shepherd trying to delicately step in and about the books, magazines and other reading paraphernalia.  I smiled, signed my ARC, enjoyed a few peaceful moments and reluctantly moved on.

A couple more libraries later, I called it quits for the day.  Prophet had shared my Arby’s roast beef with me, and we were both tired.  This book promotion thing is hard work!  On Sunday I received an email from the Denver Public Library.  They put my book on a list to order, closer to publication date!

What’s next? Left Coast Crime!  I’m heading to this conference on March 21 and will be a speaker on the panel event, “Breaking & Entering: Tales of the First Sale.” The promotion goes on, and yes, it’s an adventure!

4 thoughts on “Adventures in Book Promotion

  1. Liesa, so excited for you! I’ll be hitting you up for marketing tips when the time comes. It’s awesome to see yourself on Amazon and on a shelf in a book store.

    Warmest regards,
    Robin

  2. Hi Liesa,
    The glamorous life of the novelist sounds like hard work! I hope to see you at LCC. Congratulations again on your publication – looking forward to reading Faith On the Rocks.
    Catherine

    • Hi Catherine,
      You’re right–LOTS of hard work, but tons of fun as well. I’ll look forward to seeing you too, and your book when it comes out. Let’s plan for you to do a guest post here.
      All the best,
      Liesa

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