Tooting Your Own Horn 101 Part 2

The other day, in part 1 of Tooting Your Own Horn, I talked about how the way we publicize books and authors is changing because of the Internet. I mentioned some of the new methods I've read about and am implementing.

But there's more to selling books than the Internet.

Margarite Holt, the owner of the Hill Country Bookstore in Georgetown, Texas, said authors often think their work is done, having created the book, after a book is published when in reality the author's job is just beginning.

I have to admit what she said scared me some even though I knew it was true.

I've called this series of posts, Tooting Your Own Horn, for a reason. I don't know about you, but I was taught not to brag, not to show off, not to boast about myself in anyway. All this publicity stuff has a negative connotation for me.

There are many ways I need to be more assertive to sell books, and I know that. But, I'm not sure I'm going to change my basic personality this late in life. I'm just glad I'm as assertive as I am now. There was a time when the word shy might be more descriptive than anything else. I've gotten past that over the years, but I still hesitate to draw attention to myself.

What I plan to do now is think more about why Where Love Once Lived should reach more readers. It tells about God's love and there may be a reader out there somewhere who needs to hear the story.

Let me know how you handle this problem of what I think of as bragging.

Georgetown Book Signing Coming Up

My first book signing is Saturday, September 25, 2010, between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Hill Country Bookstore in Georgetown, Texas.

To prepare for and promote the event, here is what I've done:

Studied information on the web re book signing
Talked to writer friends about their experiences
Made two posters for the bookstore
Put posters about the event in other locations
Sent fliers to several local churches
Sent post cards to some friends in town
Placed ads in the newspaper
Invited San Gabriel Writers League members.

Georgetown is small enough to make newspaper advertising affordable. Even so, I'll have to sell a bunch of books to make enough to pay for the ads. I ran it twice, the week before the event and the Wednesday before.

What I've done to promote the book signing, however, also promotes me and the book for purchases to come after the event.

While trying to get enough people there Saturday so as not to be too embarrassed, I've also discouraged my Austin friends from coming because I want to make sure they will attend the signing at BookPeople in Austin at a date yet to be determined.
Also, some of my friends already have books and don't need to buy another.

Who knows what will happen this Saturday. I know a few people are coming, but I don't know how many. I guess the worst thing that could happen is that I run out of books. Actually, come to think about it. That would be a good thing.

My Book Is In the Largest Bookstore in Texas

Where Love Once Lived is now on the shelves of BookPeople, the largest bookstore in Texas.

BookPeople opened in Austin in 1970, and was named Best Bookstore in the United States in 2005 by Publishers Weekly. Many famous authors include BookPeople in their book-signing tours. Laura Bush was there recently and Jimmy Carter will be signing his latest book at BookPeople on October 29, 2010. They’re selling tickets to the Carter event for crowd control.

Even with their national fame, BookPeople has a special place on its shelves for local authors. Just inside the front door, on the way to the coffee shop, there is a shelf on the left with a sign that says Texas Authors. There are some famous names there, including one of my favorites, Susan Wittig Albert. Five of my books are in the same shelf. Well, hopefully, there are fewer now. My friend Rollo Newsom has written a community comment card for this shelf.

You’ll find five more copies of Where Love Once Lived on the second floor in the inspiration section right along with Jan Karon’s books. I picked that shelf because of Karon, and added a community comment card with quotes from Sandy Althaus’ review.

So what, you’re thinking. Bookstores sell books. They stock books. That’s what they do.

Well, most don’t stock print-on-demand (POD) books like mine. The big chain bookstores won’t stock Where Love Once Lived. They’ll sell it to you and get one for you, but only if you pay in advance and wait a week.

BookPeople in Austin and Hill Country Bookstore in Georgetown both stock my book because on their consignment programs. I furnish the books and they sell them. I end up making a little less than books sold on Amazon.com, but not by much. Also, I’m responsible for costs due to theft or damage.

Is this a reason to avoid publishing POD books? I don’t know yet. With a new book almost ready to pitch, I wish I knew. I’ll be looking at the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing and reporting my findings to you in a future post. If you have knowledge about it, please comment here.

Book Signing Date Set

 I have to admit I'm a little excited about having my first book signing on the calendar. Hill Country Bookstore in Georgetown has these book signings for authors every Saturday, sometimes several at a time. They let me pick a date, so I selected September 25 to make sure everything is prepared and we have time to publicize the event.

I'm scheduled for 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. alone, but that doesn't mean another author won't be added at the same time. It's a small store, so I don't think they will have more than two at a time. The manager said sometimes the authors set up outside on the sidewalk, but it's been so hot, that might not be an option.

She also said the author that follows me is doing a lot of advertising and will have a violinist playing during the signing. This made me wish I had a gimmick of some kind. Wouldn't it be nice to have a real bookmobile to park out front? That'd been too expensive. Any other ideas?

So, all you people within driving distance, put it on your schedule. I need all the support I can get. And tell your friends.

BookPeople, in Austin, has a consignment program that includes a book signing event with three other local authors. I'll let you know when that is scheduled.

I'd also like to schedule something with a Christian bookstore, but I haven't researched that area yet.