A Hard-Won Milestone

Today, while selling my six mystery titles at a Christmas craft fair, I hit a milestone. I sold my 1,200^th print copy of my first self-published mystery, Taxed to Death. When most unknown authors barely sell 100 print copies of their novels these days, (or so I’m told—I don’t know the actual number) this may seem like quite a feat, and it is, but not for the reason you might think, i.e. making money. You see, this didn’t milestone didn’t occur easily or quickly, and that’s the point I want to stress.

I’ve talked with a lot of writers and crafters over the last five years who all want to sell their products and make money, understandably. But I’ve also come across too many people who expect quick success. My craft fair season, which is from early November to mid-December involves both small high school craft fairs plus large three-day events. Time after time, I listen to vendors complain at the six-hour high school fairs (table rentals are $35 to $40) about not having cleared a $600 profit. I average $150.00 profit at high school fairs, and I’m happy with that. Hey, I don’t have lofty expectations. Craft fairs and, dare I say all bookselling events, are unpredictable. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life is that tenacity pays off.

As I mentioned, selling Taxed to Death hasn’t been an easy ride. Would you be surprised if I told you that the book was published twenty years ago? I still sell it because I believe in my work and because the story’s centered around fraud, a more timely topic today than it was when I was first wrote about it.

Here’s the thing, though. I had to overcome a lot of hurdles to sell that book, and to be honest, there were years when I made little effort to sell Taxed to Death at all. I remember 1997, when we filled an order from the Chapters chain that necessitated a second print run (and this is before the POD days), only to receive over four hundred  returned copies months later and learn that our distributor, who owed us $1,000, had gone bankrupt. I had to make cold calls to independent bookstores along with personal visits, asking managers to consider carrying my book. Happily, over twenty stores did. All but two of them are gone now. I spent many hours doing a massive mail-out to nearly 1,000 libraries (which resulted in nearly 200 sales), and then I found Christmas craft fairs and summer farmers' markets. 1,200 copies later, I’m most proud of the fact that I made the effort and stuck with it, That, to me, is the big accomplishment.

Wise writers know that the writing biz is a long-haul journey. For the vast majority of us, there is no easy money or instant fame and fortune. But there is belief in your work and opportunity and tenacity. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do with it.

Debra

Adventures in Book Signings

I don’t do that many book signings, not because I don’t like them, but because they’re a bit intimidating. I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from authors far more well known than I who claim that signings aren’t worth the time. It’s always a crapshoot to see if anyone will show up, and when they do, will they want to chat, or even acknowledge your presence?

This weekend, I took part in two signings, and I have to say that the stores’ hosts were terrific. Both stores advertised my event and went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable. So, a big thanks to Judy from Hooked on Books in Penticton, and to Trevor at Mosaic Books in Kelowna. They are first rate people and booksellers!

The Penticton event took place during the weekly farmer’s market, a huge event that draws lots of people. I was set up at a table just outside the store, which was great. I was in the shade, a breeze was blowing, and I got to watch people. Unfortunately, the guy playing guitar at the curb right in front of me blocked the traffic flow past my table, but he wasn’t there the whole time.

One of the most fascinating aspects of signings are the conversations I engage in, and this weekend was no exception. One passerby was intrigued by the title of my latest mystery, The Opposite of Dark. When I explained what the book was about he got really excited because the search for the truth about one’s past is apparently what his whole life has been about. Sadly, he couldn’t buy the book because he’d recently moved and was trying to get his life together. Since he’s in his late 40’s, I hope he does soon.

Another young man thought it was cool that I was publishing books, both as a self-publisher and traditionally published author. We talked for awhile a bit about technology, e-books, self-publishing, and he seemed pretty interested in buying a book. But since I wasn’t selling anything for under $7, which was his budget, he left empty-handed, but vowing to buy one of my books when he’d saved enough money. He was in his late teens, I think.

Several middle-aged and older men were drawn to my table when they saw the title Taxed to Death, my first Alex Bellamy mystery. But when they learned it was a work of fiction and not a tome about what’s wrong with Canada’s tax system, they lost interest. And who can blame them? There’s nothing like a 300-page political rant to get aging blood all hot and bothered. Since the HST referendum looms on BC’s horizon, there’s evidently an impressive number of older guys cruising the streets looking for a good political debate (no women, oddly enough). One man even approached me inside the second bookstore, carrying his gigantic blue and white ‘Extinguish the HST’ signs. Admittedly, I’d had enough debates by this point, and said right away, “It’s a murder mystery, not nonfiction.” He already knew this, he’d answered, because he’d read about me. This didn’t prevent him from sharing his political thoughts, which I quite enjoyed. Also, it was kind of cool that he knew who I was because a few minutes earlier, a young man had wandered up to my table, looked at my books and said, “I never even heard of you,” and wandered off again.

Of course there were the usual “Where’s the washroom? and “Do you know if this store sells…?” questions. Happily, I could even answer the one about the washroom. There were more conversations, but you get the idea. When it comes to book signings you never know quite what to expect, and that’s half the fun ... or half the battle.

THE OPPOSITE OF DARK, http://bit.ly/i983XE, Chapters/Indigo http://bit.ly/gtFSFw
FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

Why I Do Signings When I Have No Books

The Southern Indiana Writers have a booth for the third year in a row at the Victorian Chautauqua (summer education/entertainment festival) at the Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville, Indiana. My books are in electronic formats only, so I didn't have anything to sell, personally. I have stories in the Southern Indiana Writers anthologies, but that isn't why I wanted to go.

Some years, we sell a lot of books. Some years, we don't. But we still go, and would go if we knew for a fact we wouldn't sell.

Why?

Today, we met a young girl (under 12) who writes stories about her life and publishes them in little chapbooks. Her grandmother wants to collect them and publish them as a perfectbound book. I was glad to introduce them to T. Lee Harris, our production manager, who can help them make that happen.

We met a young woman whose significant other praised her writing and said she needed--NEEDED--to publish her book. We talked to her about the POD publishers we've done business with and about formatting for Amazon Kindle and for Smashwords. She said we'd given her more useful information than she'd collected in months of asking around and reading online.

We met a man with ghost stories and a couple of ghost-hunters and traded craft tips with some kids who help their parents make goat-milk soap and knit goat-wool clothing. We talked with other writers and we talked with would-be writers and we talked with avid readers.

A lot of people looked at our books and took our brochures and bookmarks. I know from the past that we'll run into people throughout the year who will say, "Oh! I saw you at the Chautauqua!" or "I didn't buy anything that day, but I saw one of your books in a store later and I said, 'I know them!' and bought one."

So it probably "pays off" somewhere down the line in money, but the satisfaction is beyond monetary, and that kind of payoff is immediate.

Marian Allen
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes

Ever been alone at the book signing table?

For all those who face the challenge of writing a novel, believing that it will one day change your life and lift you from obscurity, take heed! Writing is only ONE of the challenges. View Parnell Hall's cautionary tale below.

Enjoy!

Visit me at http://www.karenharringtonbooks.com and read an excerpt of JANEOLOGY, the book I tried to sell at many book signing table.

"How should I promote my book launch?"

Recently, a writer friend had some questions regarding advertising book signings and launches. She asked if she should have had the store put up posters and showcase her book in the front window prior to her book launch. I gave her some advice, things I wish someone had told me at the very beginning.

In the beginning, I was bold...yet I didn't have a clue what to do either.

A few years ago, I didn't really get the difference between a book launch and a book signing. I suppose I could have helped myself out by actually attending some of both, but I didn't and my first "launch" suffered for it. Instead of making it a big celebration, my first book launch had no hoopla, just me at a table in front of the store, handing out business cards. Oy, I was so green I never knew I shouldn't give out cards unless they're to business contacts. No one else wants them. I know better now, but back then I had no idea what I should or could do for a launch party. Now I know it's only limited by my imagination and the fire code of the store. :)

Book signing:

A book signing is an event where you go and sign and sell books. It's that simple. There's only as much hoopla as you can create, based on any news to do with your book. But believe me, I look for anything newsy that can add some hype to my signings. News equals excitement, and excitement means sales, and sales mean I get to write another book. :)

I rarely have any form of advertising for my regular signings, other than in my writers organizations' newsletters and what I post on my site and blogs--mainly because people tend to forget, and so far it hasn't proven to bring in that many more people for it to be cost effective to run advertisements in newspapers. I just look at every person who walks in the store as MINE. Okay, I'm not that vain, but I do look at anyone as a prospective buyer. It seems far easier when I'm not worried about whether my invitees have arrived or if they'll even show. I always know that there will be people walking through the doors, and it's my job to greet them and make them feel welcome. (And give them my bookmarks.)

If I feel I need posters, I've learned not to wait for bookstores to make them. Other than Audrey's Books in Edmonton, which always makes up lovely posters for all my signings, and a few Chapters stores, most bookstores are just too busy to design signs. So I have a local print shop make posters for my special events. They're 14 x 17, I think, full color, announcing my name, author of... and date/time of event. I ask the stores to post them about 5 days before the event. Any earlier and people forget. Occasionally, I'll go to my signing and discover that my posters were never displayed, but usually they'll be up near the front door and often near the bathrooms. If I've been able to get some media attention (newspaper interviews or radio or TV interviews), then that's a bonus. But it's not easy to be newsworthy for all your events all of the time.

Book launch:

A book launch is a celebration, a big party to celebrate your book's arrival and everything you have gone through to get this far, and it's a party for YOU.

This is the one event that you need to have posters up on the walls, fliers to the bookstore a week before to add to customers' bags, media attention, tons of blogging about it, and lots and lots of hoopla. To ensure that you get great promotion for this exciting event, go to the store the day before and see how they're promoting you. Then you can ask them to display your books if they're nowhere to be found.

Also, for a launch, you'll want to send out an invitation to anyone on your email list and newsletter list. Ask them to bring a friend or two (or ten!), and make sure you ask them to RSVP, since you'll need to know how much food and drink to supply. Once you have this list, realize that about 10% won't make it, another 10% might not buy. 80% should be sales. Bad weather the day of the launch will increase the percentage of the first two and lower the last. Make sure the bookstore knows about your RSVP list ASAP. They need to know how many books to order in. Send your guests a "friendly reminder" about 2 days before.

A launch should always be eye-catching, big and bold. You need to create excitement. That's what separates it from a regular book signing. Some launches will have champagne and strawberries, others will have pop and veggies and dip. Some will have food that fits the theme of their book. I served two kinds of seafood dip; however, I just couldn't serve whale. I'm sure my friends were glad about that. :)

Most book launches will have:

• entertainment
• door prizes (I always ask local businesses to donate prizes in exchange for a sponsorship mention of them on my posters and I get awesome prizes this way...including a free limo ride for my family and closest friends to my last book launch)
• munchies (a couple of party trays and a cake with your cover on, at minimum)
• a mike for you to read a chapter and talk about your new "baby"
• an MC to introduce you and make you look good (either a friend or the store manager if she knows you)
• advertising in-store and elsewhere (community bulletin boards, schools, churches etc)

It's your party, so have fun! This really isn't the time to worry about sales. The more events you do, the better you should get at selling your book. If you have a bad signing (like 3 or less), evaluate why. When you have an exceptional signing (like 30+ books), also evaluate why. I always ask myself 'what worked?' and 'what didn't?'

How should you promote your book launch? By doing anything and everything you can think of to ensure its success and to make sure that everyone attending has a party they'll never forget. That way they'll be first in line for your next book launch, which (if you use these tips) will now be bigger and better than the last. :)

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

bestselling author of Whale Song

A Pleasant Surprise

Driving home from one of my library talks last week it occurred to me
that it was almost one year ago that I started doing signings and
events. So by now I should have a pretty good idea of what to
expect, right? Nope.

I've probably done at least 20 of these library talks and they
usually run around 8-10 people and last between an hour and an hour
and a half, consisting of a talk and then Q & A.
The usual 'remuneration' comes in the form of being able to sell
books at the end of the talk. Sometimes the library orders them from
the local bookstore and other times I'll sell them from my own
stock. So basically you get to move a few books, get some very nice
publicity and have a lot of fun. So like I said, I thought I knew
exactly what to expect.
But I was wrong.

I first suspected that something was different when I walked into
the room. Every seat was filled. I was expecting a dozen people at
the most and there were at least 3 times that number. And these were
not just bored, warm bodies who wandered in looking for a soft chair
and some free brownies - they were engaged and interested, with lots
of really good questions. And instead of lasting an hour or so, it
went on over two, until closing time.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that when I came in there was big table
at the back of the room with a large display of my books manned by
someone who I expected was one of the library staff.
Once again I was wrong. Turns out she was from Barnes & Noble. So at
the end, the library director thanked me, everyone applauded (also a
first!) and the nice lady from B&N sold my books. Then people came
up to ask me questions and get their books signed and I got what
turned out to be my biggest surprise of all.

Often when I book these gigs, the head of the library will ask me
what my `fee' is. Since I'm basically doing it for the exposure, I
always answer whatever their standard `honorarium' is or whatever
they want – which usually varies from $25 - $50 to nothing. And
given library budgets today, it more often than not, winds up being
closer to the `nothing' side. And that's OK because much like music,
you do this because you love it.
So you can imagine my surprise when I got home and looked at the
check that the library director had handed me at the end of my talk
and found that it was not only more that the standard
token `honorarium`, it was a lot more! So much more, that for a few
fleeting moments I had an actual `delusions of grandeur' spasm where
I thought, "Wow! This must be what it feels like to be James
Patterson or John Grisham!"
Fortunately it quickly passed when my wife told me to stop drooling
on the check and go take out the garbage (do you suppose that James
Patterson has to take out his own garbage?)

At any rate I guess that it proves that whenever you think you've
got it all figured out, often this business can really turn around
and surprise you … and sometimes very pleasantly!

All the best
Ric
Ric Wasley
Author/Musician
• Shadow of Innocence – 2007
• Acid Test – 2004

And please check out my McCarthy Family Mysteries free sample chapters on Amazon and Google!

Baby Boomer article series: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ric_Wasley

Whale Song: a novel that crosses racial boundaries

Yesterday at a book signing at Coles in Southgate Shopping Centre in Edmonton, AB, I was reminded of the power of words and what an honor it is to have written a novel that has affected so many. Although Whale Song is a work of fiction, it is also an inspired work that originated from a single, beautiful native legend--a legend that says that if you see a killer whale close to shore, it is really the reincarnated soul of a loved one who has come to say goodbye. Whale Song is a novel of many things--of love, lies, family ties, sacrifice. It is also a novel of racial discrimination and conflict, and one of healing, caring and looking past color or race.

At yesterday's signing I met numerous people who recognized me from recent TV interviews and newspaper features. I also met so many fans, especially Whale Song fans. I don't think I've ever met that many at one signing. A young teen came up to me and told me she loved Whale Song and that it was her favorite book. One man came up and asked if I had another novel out yet because his wife loved my work and was collecting my books. Another woman stopped by and told me how much she cried when she read Whale Song and how she was recommending it to all her friends.

Then Hanid, a sweet woman (from India, I believe), whom I immediately recognized from a previous signing, came up to me and told me how much she had loved reading Whale Song. She said it had affected her so deeply that she thought about it for days afterward. She had bought a copy for herself and for her mom a few months ago and she "loved Whale Song too". Hanid said something that floored me. She said that she thinks I should have won the Nobel Peace Prize for Whale Song. Wow! We talked for about 15 minutes and I listened as she told me about my characters, the ones I'd created, describing them in such a way that showed how real the story was for her. Here was a reader who had connected deeply. To the characters and to the messages within.

Hanid then bought two more copies of Whale Song to send to a friend in the city and to a relative in Pakistan. She returned to my table and handed me a gift bag. I was stunned by her generous spirit. The gift was lovely. It contained scented lotion and a huge bottle of one of my favorite perfumes--one that I am nearly out of. Of all the perfumes to give me...

She left with two copies of Whale Song, and I was left feeling very blessed to have met such wonderful fans and very grateful to have made an impact--even a small one--on someone's life and thinking.

My experience at this one signing really opened my eyes to the universal appeal of Whale Song. Those who had read it and loved it were from various nationalities and skin colors. Those who bought yesterday also came from different countries. I have seen international sales to many countries now--the US, England, France, Scotland, China, Japan, Australia, India, the Ukraine, Pakistan and more. English versions, no translations.

Whale Song crosses racial boundaries because it deals with a young white girl who is thrown into a completely different culture--the native culture. This is a story of how friendships are made with open hearts, hearts that don't see skin color or race. Hearts that share their experiences and knowledge from different worlds maybe, but hearts that share, all the same.

Whale Song knows no boundaries, and that is why I believe that people all over the world are reading it...and 'getting it'.

Yesterday made me remember a project that one of my author friends is involved in. Luanne Rice wrote a lovely novel called What Matters Most and a website explores that sentiment too, allowing you to post 'What Matters Most' to you (I invite you to do so). Whale Song explores 'what matters most', and I think that is why it will continue to cross boundaries and dissolve racial discrimination. What matters most is love, caring, family...life. And for me...making a difference.

If you send Whale Song as a gift to someone in another country as a gift, please let me know. It gives me immense pleasure to know that it is crossing boundaries everywhere. You can buy Whale Song at your favorite bookstore. If it isn't on the shelves, please ask them to order it in. Or you can order online from various retailers like Chapters.ca or Amazon.com.

To everyone who stopped by my table yesterday, thank YOU. You all gifted me with your stories and your interest. And since a portion of my royalties from the sale of every Whale Song goes to 3 non-profit organizations, together we have made a difference. And believe me, talking to each of you has made a difference in my life.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention

http://www.cherylktardif.com/