Well, I feel like a total eejit this St. Patrick's Day-- I just accidentally deleted Robin's post from last Thursday that she did on Lady Luck. It was a marvelous entry about the role luck plays in this interesting publishing game in which we ponder and play. I am going to send a prayer up to the computer goddesses that she has a copy of it on somewhere so we can put it back up. At the very least, I want to re-post her links to a blog by an cool fantasy writer named Justine. I loved one of the comments a reader made about a formula she swears by-- "right manuscript, right editor, right day".I think that is so true, and while that seems seeped in luck, it is also seeped in some careful planning. For instance, it was my great luck to have gotten a chance to drive Random House editor Wendy Lamb to her hotel once after a SCBWI conference. I was the only volunteer left-- still sweeping-- and she needed a ride. I nearly fainted. Me? Drive HER?? Omigod. I'd just heard her speak and I was beyond impressed with her talent, her list, her credentials.
Now if during the ride she'd turned to me and said, "Gee, I bet you're a writer! While we have a few minutes together, do you happen to have a manuscript with you that I can read?"-- that would have been some great luck!! As is was, I actually had a ms. sitting in her New York office that had been carefully targeted to her, knowing the kinds of books that she liked to publish. So it was planning, intention and then some marvelous serendipity that we ended up in the same car one sunny afternoon. (And, yet another reason that I think it is so important to do volunteer work! Can you spell K-A-R-M-A?)
When it came time for her to make a decision about my manuscript, I was someone she'd met and could put a face with. She knew I could sweep, drive and use my turn signal. ;-) We are now working on book number three together and I hope there are many more to come. I feel extremely lucky about that. She is simply the best.
I've recently gotten my marketing round-up letter from her office that lists all the things they will be doing to to promote my new book TEN LUCKY THINGS. . . Many of the items on the list have ocurred already, and some will be happening shortly. These include:
SOLICITATION: Sending out galleys in the sales kits, and featuring the book in the seasonal frontlist catalog.
PUBLICITY: Catalog mailing to 500 national media contacts, press releases and finished book mailings to 200 national review media contacts, listing in Pubisher's Weekly seasonal announcements, galley mailing to long-lead consumer publications and review journals, pitch letter and finished book mailing to local media, local bookstore appearance requests.
SCHOOL & LIBRARY: Advance galleys and finished book sents to 400 plus librarians/educators, submission for awards, book displayed at national conventions.
ON-LINE: Featured on Kids@Random and Librarians@Random
ADVERTISING: Included in some national consumer print advertising, and SLF Announcement issue.
So, with just about four months left until my title is released, that is what the publisher has planned, done and/or in the works. Can I tell you how thrilled I am not to have to be doing any of those large mailings myself? Postage and labor aside, it is a huge undertaking and would require much research on my part to pull all those contacts together. I am feeling very fortunate and appreciative.
Next step is to talk with the RH publicist for my book, and I will keep you posted on that front.
Erin go braugh, friends--
Mary Hershey
No comments:
Post a Comment