Blurb is a Verb

An Author's Guide to Surviving Goodreads

2012-02-21T19:20:00.000-05:00

A few years ago, authors and publicists alike were singing the praises of Goodreads as a tool to bring authors and readers together. And it does... sometimes. It is quite easy to import your blog to Goodreads, such that every new post on your blog populates automatically onto your author page at Goodreads. Also, Goodreads members can "friend" authors or become "fans." An author's fans will be

Author Jody Hedlund's Groovy Cover Contest

2012-02-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

It's always a struggle for authors to engage their readers in a true discussion. In between books, what do readers and authors really have to say to each other anyway? Michigan author Jody Hedlund has always done a great job encouraging reader participation on her blog. But this latest development really blew my doors off. Hedlund's publisher, Bethany House, actually let her readers vote on a

8 Things That Surprised Me About the Launch Publicity Process

2012-02-07T17:18:00.001-05:00

Dear Blurbers, I've devoted months now to the study of book publicity, its highs and lows. The entire purpose of this endeavor was to demystify the process, to let it become less frightening. And mostly that's worked. But I'm happy to report that there are still a few things about the launch process that came as a complete shock. They are: I'm so tired of me. My book is getting amazing blog

Author Molly Shapiro: From Hermit to Huckster

2012-01-27T21:13:00.000-05:00

Molly Shapiro's debut novel, Point, Click, Love, is the very essence of a modern novel. I was sure that someone like Shapiro, who (quite literally) wrote the book on relations online would find managing her online "voice" seamlessly easy. But know this--when you struggle to calibrate your online voice, you are not alone. It is a universal quandary, although Shapiro raises some wonderful points

Author Rosemary DiBattista on Pre-publication Publicity

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing gives me more pleasure than to introduce my friend Rosemary DiBattista. This is one blog post with a very happy ending. Be sure to read the bio ‘graf… —SP By Rosemary DiBattista As I was headed out the door one recent evening, my 18 year-old son flashed me a grin and pointed to my classic cardigan sweater and scarf combination. “Is that your writer’s outfit?” he asked. It

Review: Naked at the Podium

2012-01-19T19:36:00.000-05:00

Talk about niche markets: Naked at the Podium is a book about how to read your work at author events. This is a self-published book from (way) before self-publishing was cool. I got my copy from a used book website. The stated goals of the book are to teach you to: Enchant Your Audience Make Bookstores Love You Cure Your Jitters Prepare Like a Pro Use Your Voice and Body Survive Unusual

Launch Counter

2012-01-16T16:12:00.001-05:00

A few of you have asked me about the cute "Launch Countdown" on my personal blog. It looks like this: And I found it here at MyCountdown.org. While not essential, it's not an entirely useless little gimmick. Having a countdown clock lets blog viewers know that your book is coming, and when, in a way that's not terribly pushy or distracting. The only downside is that every time you look at your

An Author's Guide to NetGalley

2012-01-09T13:03:00.000-05:00

I try not to set long term goals for my publishing career, but I'm willing to state for the record that my idea of nirvana is a place where next season's galleys arrive unbidden on one's doorstep, begging to be read. That said, the newest thing in galley land is the eGalley. Many publishing professionals and reviewers are quite happy to stop lugging 20+ pounds of books with them whenever they

How to Lose Friends & (Negatively) Influence People

2012-01-01T21:31:00.000-05:00

One of the toughest things about working to get your book "out there" is to calibrate the intensity of one's message. Any reader of Blurb is a Verb knows that authors have to do a lot of ambitious work to push their book into the world. But it's easy to feel that you've put your toe too far over the line, especially for those of us to whom self-promotion does not come naturally. I'm quite

Linking to Booksellers & Affiliate Programs 101

2012-01-01T15:17:00.001-05:00

By Sarah Pinneo In a perfect world, a reader finds your author website, memorizes your name and book title, grabs her keys and heads immediately to her local, independent bookstore to buy a copy. That's how I wish it went down. But in the modern era, your author website should have buy links on it--plural. Although it's tempting to just put a single link on your page, that's not your

Author Joanne Hillhouse on Writing Off the Map

2011-12-29T12:29:00.001-05:00

Photo by Emile Hill Antiguan writer Joanne C. Hillhouse shares here the effort of getting her work “out there” through the lens one whose hometown is remote from the traditional publishing world. But her discoveries, and what it demanded of her, are familiar to every author who didn’t quit. I’m so proud to share Joanne’s essay with you here. Thank you, Joanne! –Sarah P. By Joanne C.

Classy Publicity: Author Amy Fellner Dominy on School Visits

2011-12-17T21:09:00.003-05:00

I love having children's writers visit Blurb is a Verb because they so often describe publicity experiences about which I know nothing at all. Amy Fellner Dominy was gracious enough to drop by to relate her new found knowledge of: school visits! Amy's novel for 'tweens OyMG (isn't the title awesome?) debuted six months ago. --Sarah P. My first novel, OyMG, debuted this past May. Like all

Kickin' It Old School: Author Carole Estby Dagg Reminds Authors that the Web Isn't the Only Way

2011-12-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

By Carole Estby Dagg For the debut of my first book, The Year We Were Famous, I was advised to set up a website, tweet, Skype, blog, prepare a PowerPoint talk, make a trailer, print bookmarks and postcards, and get active on Facebook. Trouble was, I still didn’t have a cell phone and my attempts to figure out Skype, Facebook, PowerPoint, and all the other reportedly essential elements of

Readings are Passe? Authors Weigh In

2011-12-10T14:40:00.000-05:00

Nobody reads at readings anymore? That's what this Wall Street Journal article tells me. From the article: "We were just losing our audiences," said Ms. Jennings, the owner of Rainy Day Books, an independent bookstore in Kansas City, Kan. Finally, several years ago she made a decision: The shop would sponsor only author events that featured a conversation or a minilecture, a PowerPoint

Author Donna Miscolta Makes Her Book Trailer Dance

2011-12-05T19:44:00.001-05:00

By Donna Miscolta “Look, Mom. I wrote a book!” Approval from Mom. That’s all we want, isn’t it? Well, maybe when we were three and Mom equaled the world. But now, isn’t it the world’s attention we’re really after? Okay, maybe not the world. But some very modest portion of it. A sliver. Because writers spend a good amount of time writing, rewriting and worrying over it, because we endure

Your Book Trailer as Calling Card: Author David Taylor's Success Story

2011-12-04T13:30:00.001-05:00

Author David Taylor has discovered another use for the oft debated book trailer: conference calling card. Taylor’s book Soul of a People: The WPA Writer’s Project Uncovers Depression America was an award winning Smithsonian documentary film as well as a book. With help from the film’s director, Andrea Kalin, he cut a book trailer using some of the film’s imagery. Once the first round of book

Publicist Brian Feinblum Explains The ARC Process

2011-11-30T15:33:00.001-05:00

Julia's Child is 61 days from publication. (But who's counting?) I've come to the conclusion that this is the most confusing part of the publicity process for authors, because things are starting to happen, but the author may not always be able to see or understand them. Independent publicist Brian Feinblum of Planned Television Arts in New York stops by Blurb is a Verb to help us sort out

Review: The Frugal Book Promoter

2011-11-18T19:55:00.000-05:00

I knew I was in strong hands even before I'd opened the mailer containing The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Affixed to the mailing envelope was a very large address label which contained tiny thumbnail images of several of Howard-Johnson's books. As the clever label showcase suggests, The Frugal Book Promoter's author is very thorough. Weighing in at 416 pages, the book is

In Which I Learn the Importance of Catalog Copy

2011-11-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it. I was a little bit skeptical when my publisher put "Two Page Catalog Spread!" on my publicity and marketing plan. That line looked like filler to me, the way I pad my own "to do" lists with things I can easily cross off. (1. Make "to do" list. Check!) Then I volunteered to run the book stall at an upcoming elementary school fair. Let me tell you, I have brand new respect for

Swimming Backwards: Author Cori Howard's Peculiar Publication Journey

2011-11-13T11:39:00.001-05:00

Cori Howard’s book, Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood, began its life at a traditional publisher, with an editor and a publicist. Just like you read about. But a funny thing happened on the way to the bookseller that forced Cori to learn a lot about DIY publishing in a hurry. —Sarah P. Last spring, I got a phone call from my agent. It wasn't the kind of

Class of 2K12: The Best "Launch Buddy" Idea Ever

2011-11-01T21:35:00.001-04:00

I've heard how useful it is to have launch buddies—other authors in your genre with similar publication dates. Not only is it nice to have a little support, it gives an author someone other than herself to celebrate and tweet about. I've never seen the concept done quite so well as this: a few weeks ago someone gave me a totebag with the titles of more than a dozen soon-to-be-published YA and MG

Author Alicia Bessette on Human Connections

2011-10-25T20:29:00.002-04:00

I read Alicia Bessette’s novel and liked it immediately. It's the sort of book that People Magazine calls "tasty!" And Library Journal raves about its "truly lovable heroine." The themes of the book are human connection, loss, dogs and baked goods. So it does not surprise me at all to find that Alicia’s essay for Blurb is a Verb is also about human connections. Debut novelists do not find

Red Room Creates Wacky New 15% Affiliate Program

2011-10-24T16:32:00.002-04:00

I peeked at RedRoom.com the other day and saw that my books had "buy" links on them. That's new. And now today, there's an email from RedRoom CEO Ivory Madison: Dear Sarah, I may have the best news for traditionally published authors ever. In addition to what your publisher pays you, Red Room now pays you more than your publisherdoes on your existing books, and we'll introduce you to the

Author Chris Bohjalian: He Spins a Good Yarn, and He Spins a Good Yarn About Spinning a Good Yarn

2011-10-22T22:22:00.000-04:00

It was my pleasure to hear bestselling author Chris Bohjalian read from his new book at the Norwich Bookstore this past Wednesday night. Here is a very polished performer at work. The Night Strangers is his fourteenth novel, and it was obvious to everyone in the room just how comfortable he feels doing bookstore events. After an introduction by the bookseller, Bohjalian didn't leap right into

Can't Buy Me Love: Paid Book Blog Tours

2011-10-13T20:50:00.003-04:00

There are several companies who will, for a fee, help an author take a "book blog tour." For a set price, they'll guarantee that your book will take a blog "tour" with a predetermined number of "stops." When first I learned of this idea, I'll admit I was a little put off. Would I be paying bloggers to host my book? As it turns out, the answer is no. It helps to think of these

The Book Blog Tour v. 2.0

2011-10-06T11:20:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I noticed an unusual giveaway for Priscilla Warner’s memoir LEARNING TO BREATHE. Over at the adorable Books Are My Boyfriends, blogger Kit Steinkellner announced a giveaway—but not for the book! This time, readers could win ayurvedic bath salts. Why? Because the memoir reviewed was an exploration of the healing power of meditation, and one woman’s struggle to get

Author Carolyn Parkhurst asks: How Much Book Publicity can $150 Buy?

2011-10-02T22:37:00.001-04:00

You may remember Carolyn Parkhurst for her hysterical video riffing on author swag. She's back, with an even more intriguing project involving $150 and a loopy website called Fiverr, for which she has published thirty days worth of results. This you must see. —Sarah P. By Carolyn Parkhurst I’m very pleased to report that my novel The Nobodies Album has been a huge success in every

When The Writer Doesn't Agree With the Message the Publisher & Publicist Are Creating

2011-09-28T21:27:00.000-04:00

By Sherri Rosen Remember when you were young and friends would play Telephone? After careful deliberation you would whisper a well-crafted sentence into a friend’s ear, watch her giggle as she whispers it into her friend’s ear, and so on. Finally, when your sentence has gone around the ring the last person in line announces what they’ve heard—“I date Stephen even though he’s messy and smells

My Funny Valentine

2011-09-22T21:47:00.000-04:00

My novel Julia's Child comes out two weeks before Valentine's Day. (Attention male readership, that's in February.) When I was in grade school, it was with great joy that I carried 24 cute little envelopes to school one February day a year, and distributed them to the far corners of the classroom. If you could see my desk right now, you'd assume Valentine's Day was just around the corner.

Author Sandra Beasley's "Smile For the Camera"

2011-09-19T12:17:00.000-04:00

The Photo I bought Sandra Beasley's wonderful memoir Don't Kill the Birthday Girl just after it was published. On the back jacket flap there's a perfectly nice author photo—good quality, not too serious, not too silly. (And she's not doing the chin-in-hand "thinker" pose.) No one would quibble with that. Or would they? —Sarah P. By Sandra Beasley When my editor called to ask if I was

Author Sarah Aronson's Unique Book Party

2011-09-09T20:08:00.001-04:00

By Sarah Pinneo Remember when book parties were lavish affairs? I once attended a book launch party on the selling floor of Cartier on Fifth Avenue. In order to grab for the glam hors d'oeuvres passing by, a girl could set her champagne flute down upon a glass-topped case containing several million dollars worth of jewelry. When dinosaurs roamed the earth. These days, book parties are

Author Keith Cronin on Hearing: "You Should Do a Book Trailer"

2011-09-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

I love this post from Keith, because it demonstrates both the variety of pressures new authors face, but also the harnessing of some very personal strengths found underneath his own roof. Making a book trailer is not for everyone, but here's how one author turned his publicity effort into a creative work of love. And then saw results. —Sarah P. By Keith Cronin As the date of my book

Fun With Numbers: An Author’s Guide to Free Sales Data

2011-08-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

By Sarah P. For all the speedy change happening to the publishing industry, I rarely hear anyone speculate that publishers’ royalty statements will leap in frequency. So what’s a girl to do if she wants to know how her book is selling? The answer used to be: stare at your Amazon ranking, that curious but meaningless statistic. But these days, you can do better. The following is a brief tour

Buying Internet Advertising For Your Book: Part I

2011-08-24T11:14:00.000-04:00

As I troll the internet while I should be writing my next book, I see a great deal of advertising. Three years ago, I decided to try my hand at turning the tables. The Ski House Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2007) made a great test candidate for internet advertising because: A) The audience is so tightly defined—skiers who cook (or who love people who

Author Katharine Britton: Me, My Poster & I

2011-08-22T09:29:00.000-04:00

When Katharine Britton's debut novel Her Sister's Shadow (Berkley) was published this summer, she became acquainted with that time honored prop, the book poster: that shiny, hefty blow-up of the book's cover art which suggests "you've arrived!" I really enjoyed Katharine's poster story, and I thank her for sharing it here.--Sarah P. By Katharine Britton For years I've listened eagerly to my

Author Nichole Bernier on How to Throw a Book Party that Rocks

2011-08-17T08:53:00.003-04:00

Author Nichole Bernier’s debut novel The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D is coming from Crown/Random House in June 2012. But in terms of book party knowledge, Nichole is already a prolific best seller. After you read this, you’ll wish you lived close enough to her to make it onto her literary invite list.—Sarah P. By Nichole BernierThere were about 45 children sitting on my living room floor.

Author Lev Grossman Considers the Author Photograph

2011-08-11T15:33:00.002-04:00

Lev Grossman's brand new book The Magician King came out this week. It's a sequel to the hugely successful The Magicians. If you line the two books side by side on your shelf, you might not notice that the author photo on the back flap has changed. When he's not wearing his best-selling author hat, Mr. Grossman is the book critic for Time Magazine. Here he explains the photo switch, and

An Entrepreneur Tackles Book Publicity: Author Kaira Rouda

2011-08-10T16:53:00.000-04:00

In May, Kaira Rouda published her debut novel Here, Home, Hope (Greanleaf Book Group 2011). She has a background in business and is the author of a book about female entrepreneurship. So I had to ask Kaira: how had her experiences in entrepreneurship prepared her for the hustle that is book publicity? Is it easier to be “out there” with your fiction if you’ve learned to put yourself “out there

Marketing Guru Carl Lennertz on Why Books are (Almost) Always Published on Tuesdays

2011-08-05T09:27:00.000-04:00

I first met Carl Lennertz in 1992, when I was a summer intern at Random House. Working for Carl, who was the marketing manager for Knopf at the time, was a total gas as he was—and still is—the sort of boss who responds to the intern’s ideas by waving his arms around and saying “Go ahead. Go try it.”One of Carl’s marketing ploys even got us chased by the cops. Okay, they weren’t really cops,

Finding Your Hidden Audience: Advice from a Book Marketer

2011-08-01T09:00:00.002-04:00

Ellen Goodlett has a kind of secret weapon that any author would value. By day, she works in the marketing department at a publishing house. From her perch inside the walls of Big Publishing, she is privy to those discussions about cover art, publicity, and the allocation of those precious marketing dollars. When Ellen--also a writer--is ready to launch her own book, she'll be well ahead of

Working with Book Bloggers: By Jen Karsbaek

2011-07-28T16:04:00.003-04:00

My first book was published less than four years ago. But in those four years, the shape of online book publicity has really changed, which has forced me to learn some new tricks before Julia's Child comes out next year. One of the biggest changes I can think of is the emergence and power of book bloggers as advocates for new titles. But it’s one thing to appreciate book bloggers and quite

Author Camille Noe Pagan's Two Rules for Online Self Promotion

2011-07-20T13:08:00.000-04:00

Like me, Camille Noe Pagán was a journalist before she was a novelist. While writing for magazines has its own trials, there are benefits: a guaranteed circulation. Once the check is cashed, the work is done. In fiction, cashing the check is just the beginning. Camille’s first novel, The Art of Forgetting, was published in June by Dutton. (Isn’t the cover pretty?) Like so many newbie authors

Author Jenna Blum: How Book Clubs Saved My Life

2011-07-18T07:08:00.000-04:00

Dear author & agent & bookselling friends, I bring you an incredible success story by New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum. She helped march her novels Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers up the charts in the most amazing way. I get shivers reading this. Jenna, take it away! —Sarah P.By Jenna BlumWhen my first novel, THOSE WHO SAVE US came out, I was underwhelmed to learn I’d have

Review: Publishing & Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author

2011-07-05T07:39:00.000-04:00

Publishing & Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author by Christine Rose Blue Moose Press, $14.95 paperback, April 2011 200pp Kindle $3.99 Review by Sarah Pinneo Holy Guacamole. Ms. Rose has done her homework here. This Indie publication is concise, professional, and well edited. Better yet: this is one of the rare books on book promotion which addresses

In Which Helmet Hair Is Surprisingly Good For Book Sales

2011-06-30T13:20:00.002-04:00

When our agent was shopping The Ski House Cookbook to publishers, she often heard this criticism: "the market for that book is too small. Too niche." (Luckily Random House disagreed.) But here's the silver lining: books which have a target market which is crystal clear (in this case ski enthusiasts who cook) are the easiest to publicize. In other words, if you can define your audience, you

Sexy Scenes and Book Signings, by Liz Michalski

2011-06-27T11:27:00.000-04:00

Liz Michalski’s novel Evenfall is beautiful and moving. I’ve read it. Even that scene. (Especially that scene.) In chatting with Liz, I discovered an aspect of the author/reader relationship that I’d not previously considered. If your book has a sexy element, how does that affect your relationship with fans?—Sarah P. By Liz Michalski You've read my novel.I can tell by the way you sidle up to

Author Man Martin on Becoming an "Okra Pick" and Other Life Changing Accomplishments

2011-06-24T20:34:00.000-04:00

Paradise Dogs Man Martin’s new novel Paradise Dogs was published this month by Thomas Dunne books. I happened to notice that he’d been designated an “Okra Pick” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Association. Okra Pick! I’m a sucker for a good title, and I liked it immediately. But it got me thinking about the titles, awards, nominations and other modifiers writers sometimes drag around

Daphne Uviller: To Ask for a Blurb is to Feel Like a Turd

2011-06-22T14:55:00.001-04:00

Daphne Uviller’s novels (SUPER IN THE CITY and HOTEL NO TELL) manage to be at once both smart and hilarious. If you haven't read them, you should do so. Right now. Not only is Daphne herself both smart and hilarious, she has tackled for Blurb Is a Verb the eponymous subject which terrifies so many authors (including me): Blurb Acquisition. —Sarah P. By: Daphne UvillerYou’re scanning books on

Scott Tracey on The Author's Use of Twitter

2011-06-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

Scott Tracey’s debut YA novel WITCH EYES will be released by Flux in a few short weeks. His prior career highlights include: accidentally tripping a panic alarm and nearly being shot by the police, being attacked in a drive-thru window by a woman wielding a baked potato, and sending the health department after his (very brief) place of employment. I’ve always thought Scott’s blog had wise

Randy Susan Meyers: Love me! Read me! Buy me!

2011-06-15T19:36:00.000-04:00

By Randy Susan Meyers Writing a book takes a certain set of skills: intense concentration, imagination, the ability to read the same 400 pages time after time, and the fortitude to take criticism (excuse me, ahem, critique) without weeping. You must learn to shut out all noise at a given moment and you must love solitude. Getting your book in reader’s hands requires the opposite: Writing

All Publicity is Good Publicity. Really?

2011-06-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

Julia's cover, revealed! It's a phrase used often: "There's no such thing as bad publicity." The original quote is attributed to Irish poet Brendan F. Behan who put it a little differently. He said (according to wikipedia, anyway) "there's no bad publicity except an obituary." But is it really true?Almost a year ago now I had a little brush with this phenomenon. My novel had just been

Filed Under: How Far Should An Author Go?

2011-06-08T12:05:00.000-04:00

Sarah: Wow, Carolyn Parkhurst! Everyone is talking about your hysterical new book trailer / video. How did you come up with such a wonderful mockery of authors overdoing it?Carolyn: This idea—like so many things related to book promotion--grew out of a sense of futility. It seems like authors have such a brief window of time to make people aware of their books and hope that they buy them,

In Which I Am Unexpectedly Saved by Cookies (and a Publicist)

2011-06-07T03:58:00.001-04:00

I should have been happy. Instead I was scared.The bookstore had requested Tina (my co-author) and I for a book signing. Stacks of our freshly minted cookbook covered a small table just inside the door. Our names, in large type, gleamed from each shiny dust jacket. There was even a sign—three feet high—with our cover art and picture on it.The bookstore owner handed me a Sharpie. When the

Stones Into Book Sales

2011-06-03T13:37:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week we heard from Jenn Northington, the events manager at a WORD in Brooklyn, who said she was always looking for "events that are out of the ordinary, that invite audience participation, that take the average reading + Q&A and make it better, stronger, faster." Last month I attended an event at the Yankee Bookshop in Woodstock, VT, wherein I broke a piece of granite in two. How's

Five Favorite Things to Hear from an Author Proposing an Event

2011-05-31T10:09:00.002-04:00

Jenn Northington has the kind of job that book nerds everywhere find glamorous. She is the events manager at WORD, a truly wonderful indie bookstore in Brooklyn. (Motto: EAT SLEEP READ) Author readings, signings and events are in her hands. Here at Blurb is a Verb we often hear the author’s side of the book publicity story. Jenn has graciously volunteered to show us a glimpse of the

Call Me Crazy: Radio Interviews Can Drive You Insane (If You’re Not Already There)

2011-05-27T14:14:00.001-04:00

My first book was a “bad-ass guide” to bipolar disorder for teens and twenty-somethings, and as a twenty-something with bipolar myself I was eager to talk about the issues and ideas surrounding mental health with anyone who would listen. However, I soon found out that radio interviews involved more than deep, intellectual conversations with charming and well-informed hosts. Little did I know I

Congratulations are in order: Indie Booksellers Choice Awards

2011-05-27T13:59:00.001-04:00

The wonderful Emily St. John Mandel, who charmed many thousands of Blurb readers with her post about 5 Questions she'd prefer never to hear again at a bookstore event has won an award for her novel Singer's Gun! During last week's BEA frenzy, the Indie Booksellers Choice Awards were granted at an event held at the always hip Housing Works Bookstore. The awards were co-sponsored by indie

Don't Say "Coochie" on the Radio

2011-05-18T08:14:00.001-04:00

Sarah: When it comes to TV, print and radio, authors’ fears usually come in two flavors. There’s vanilla: how on earth will I land the publicity, and also chocolate: if I get a shot at it, will I be suave or tongue tied? Until I heard the following story, it had never occurred to me that the fear and uncertainty could run in both directions. Dr. Lissa Rankin’s book What’s Up Down There:

TV Publicity for Your Book: How Much is it Worth? Enticement & Integrity, by Deborah Lee Luskin

2011-05-16T12:13:00.001-04:00

Author Deborah Lee Luskin was made to consider this question last year, just after the publication of her award-winning novel Into the Wilderness. I found this story shocking, which probably only proves that I'm naïve.—Sarah Like any author marketing a book, I’m constantly swinging between fantastical hopefulness and utter despair. In a recent hopeful moment, I answered the phone when I meant

Tanya Eby: In Praise of the Awkward Book Tour

2011-05-12T10:52:00.000-04:00

Tanya Eby writes romantic comedy, including a book which has the most awesome title I’ve ever heard: Blunder Woman. She’s also the only person I know who has published a book with Sausage in the title (not shelved in cookery). Thank you, Tanya! Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Sarah. I feel honored. For real. I’m not just saying that. In fact, I will send the check (as discussed) as

In Which A Duck Ruins My First Radio Tour

2011-05-10T20:30:00.021-04:00

I was fresh out of college. The year before, as a senior, I’d had the pleasure to edit an edition of a college guide. With the book coming out, I was asked by the publisher to do a radio tour for the book. (Hang on. I'm dating myself by describing the publicity that this book received. This happened during the early '90s. It now seems stunning that there would be a radio tour for an

Author Emily St. John Mandel's 5 Questions Never to Ask at a Bookstore Reading

2011-05-10T07:20:00.002-04:00

Emily St. John Mandel is the author of two novels, Last Night in Montreal and The Singer's Gun. She's a staff writer at The Millions. She has an essay in the recent anthology The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of the Book, and her short fiction will appear in the forthcoming Venice Noir collection. You can find her on the web at www.emilymandel.com, and on Twitter at @EmilyMandel.Let

Meg Wolitzer's Answer to the Little Black Dress

2011-05-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

New York Times Bestselling author Meg Wolitzer has just completed a book tour for her brand new novel The Uncoupling. I am utterly charmed by her approach to touring with her book, specifically her wardrobe coping mechanism! Thank you so very much, Meg, for graciously allowing me to share your post on Blurb. --Sarah Meg Wolitzer writes:This morning I am heading home from Seattle, having

In Which Books Can Be Sold on the Moon

2011-05-05T12:23:00.010-04:00

We had a lot of fun at the Ski House Cookbook kick-off party, held at groovy Aspen Bar on 22nd St. But we hired a tiny little company someone recommended to sell books at the party, and that part was kind of a disaster. The seller only brought 30 books, and they were instantly sold out. Perhaps we should have let them know that the room would be full of tipsy photographers who were all eager

To Blog or Not to Blog? The Making of a Picture Book

2011-05-03T09:00:00.002-04:00

Do author blogs actually sell books? There are lucid (and vehement) opinions on both sides of the debate. I have spotted a brilliant example of a situation where the answer is an unqualified "yes." Superstar mom blogger Rhee Drummond shows us how it's done. Ms. Drummond posted Twenty Steps to Writing a Children's Book on her ever popular blogsite The Pioneer Woman. Never shy of lengthy photo

The Onion, a Snowstorm and Bookstore Events

2011-05-02T09:00:00.002-04:00

I love The Onion. But just last week the comic geniuses at my favorite faux news service really put their finger on a new novelist's worst fears with: "Author Promoting Book Gives It Her All Whether It's Just 3 People Or A Crowd Of 9 People."All effective humor is based in truth.A few months ago I got an unexpected phone call. A bookstore events manager in northern Massachusetts invited me to