Pump up the Promo

Promotion. A sometimes overwhelming but absolutely necessary part of the publication process.

Writers often wish we could just, well, write. But sorry, toots, it just ain't so. Would you like to follow along on my publication journey to see how it works?

I've had three books previously published by a small press and was blessed to be able to climb the next rung of the ladder to an established "traditional" publishing house for my humorous women's book, Mom Needs Chocolate, set for release 3/09.

I have just spent six straight hours staring bleary-eyed at my computer monitor filling in interview questions, cranking out queries, sending press releases to newspapers, radio and TV stations, and following up on scads of dangling communications regarding book event scheduling for the spring.

I'm not at the point of being able to afford an assistant to help with all this grunt work, and the PR person assigned to me by my publishing house is sweet and helpful but only does so much. I never had a PR person with my previous books (smaller publisher, less frills) so it's refreshing to have someone to help with anything at all.

She is arranging TV/media interviews and B & N signings to coincide with several out of state trips I'll be taking. That's good. Plus she has brainstormed a marketing plan with me by phone and e-mail on more than one occasion. Also good.

I really don't know what else to expect, but I will let you know as I'm enlightened. I'm scheduled to speak with a publicist (not related to my publisher but recommended by them)later this week to decide if it would be worth my hard-earned bucks to have another hired gun out there firing literary bullets on my behalf.

I'll keep you posted.

The wide-eyed new girl on the block,
Debbie