Now
that my book, DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE!, has officially been released it is
time for me to start scheduling author visits. You would think that once that
beautiful picture book was in my hands, it would bring relief. After all, the
hard work is over, right? Wrong! Now there is a whole new chapter I find myself
embarking on. It is called promotion. (Yikes!) For me, and I’m sure for most
writers, the writing was the easy part. Not that writing is easy, it’s not. But
it is the area in which I am most comfortable. I am a writer, and I think as a
published author I can consider myself a professional. So writing is what comes
natural. It is an extension of who I am. It is what I do. But promotion, well,
that is a whole different animal and something, I must confess, I’m a bit
nervous about.
Being
a writer is a solitary commitment. I sit by myself every day to write. In my
little office, dressed in sweats or jammies, I disappear into a world inside my
head and if all goes well, I put that world on paper and make it real and exciting for my
readers. Promotion is the exact opposite. It is NOT a solitary thing. It is a
very social thing. And if I showed up in my jammies and disappeared into my own
head, they’d put me in a straight jacket for sure! But, maybe a glimpse of what’s
inside my head could be my marketing strategy. What if I could take others with
me into the dark recesses of my brain? It sounds scary. It sounds ridiculous.
It sounds really awesome! A little ride on my “train of thought” might not be a
bad idea.
So,
with that in mind, I’ve come up with a plan. Not only would I enjoy reading my
book to the little ones, but I’d also like to talk to them about stories. Where
they come from and what an imagination is. Then, I’d like to kick start theirs
with a fun prompt so we can come up with a silly and exciting story together; one
with a beginning, middle and end. I will have activities planned for them as
well as giveaways based on my book. And hey, let’s not forget some educational
tidbits about lady bugs and other beneficial insects to go with my book!
For
older kids I’d like to do a small workshop. Since “Bedbugs” is a rhyming
picture book, I think a lesson on poetry is in order. I hope to bring some
excitement to my presentation by getting everyone involved in a quick and fun
Mad Libs style game where we create a poem about their school. I can only
imagine the creativity those kids will bring to the table! (Watch out faculty! It could get messy!) I will also be happy
to answer any questions they have on the craft of writing as well as the
business side of it.
And
speaking of business, (which is what my
publisher is most interested in.) the whole point of this is to sell books. I
hope to autograph many of them for my cute little fans along the way. But the whole reason I
write for children is not for fame and fortune, (But I wouldn't turn down a guest appearance on Oprah!)
but because I want to reach them. I want to open their imaginations and show
them that anything is possible. Dreams are worth having and goals are worth perusing.
I want to teach as well as entertain. This is my ultimate goal. Besides, books
are just cool. How lucky am I to be one of the many who create them?
So
at this point, I am scheduling some book signings and visits in my home town
and vicinity. As you can imagine the response has been tremendous. I knew the
awesome folks of Ware, MA would rally behind me. That’s why my heart is still
there. I am also planning to book some
appearances here in the Concord/Charlotte area. And hey, just to make it clear,
I’m always willing to consider other venues. (Hello, Hawaii, are you
listening?) If you’re interested in having me visit your area, shoot me a
message. Let’s see what we can work out.
