Thursday, October 23, 2008

A Marketing Strategy for Introverts You May Never Have Considered!




This genius promotional strategy is hot off the press and you heard it here first! Debut novelist, Lynn Biederman is happily signing copies of her new YA Novel Unraveling at an event the other night, when she is unable to locate her title page in the book she just picked up to autograph. Puzzled, she thumbs through the front pages but is still not finding it. She looks at the first chapter and realizes she doesn't recognize it at all!  Lynn pulls off the dust cover thinking there's been a switcheroo, but it clearly is the hardcover for her book.  Hoping to waking up from surreality soon, she finally realizes that all the inside book matter is a middle grade novel by some chick named Mary Hershey.  And it has a yard-long title . . . Ten Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit By Lighting.

I cannot claim credit for this fabulous marketing strategy for my book!  Wow.  I owe somebody in Production at XXXX Publishing Company big.  They managed to find another author who had a book being released the same exact day as mine, and that was the same exact 230 pages long.  Strong work, guys!

This totally expands my readership from the middle grade market to YA as well.  Not only that, Lynn and her co-author, Michelle Baldini have garnered a starred review from Publisher's Weekly and got a slick review from Kirkus.  They've also been nominated for Best Books Young Adults 2009.  This translates to many more readers for my book.  Best yet?  They do all the leg work on this for me.  Sweet, huh?  I just sit home and collect the royalties.  Uh, Lynn, Michelle, we will need to talk about my split. Since you are doing a lot promotion for me, I'm willing to go 40/30/30.  Not giving up those film rights, though, no sirreee!

All tongue in cheekiness aside, I do feel horrible about this-- especially since this is Lynn and Michelle's first book, and that is such a thrilling and scary time.  Editors at our shared publishing house have been put on high alert-- CODE READ.  It his hoped that there are scant few copies of the conjoined copies.  Unless Lynn and Michelle agree to the 40/30/30 royalty split above, then I hope there are several kabillion copies out there. Kidding, girls, kidding!

In an attempt to mitigate a bit of this, I am offering you a chance to win a copy of their most excellent book. And if you get a conjoined copy sent to you, Lynn and I will both sign it, and then maybe you could sell it on ebay.  I'll bid on it!  And to everyone else out there, go buy this book!  And if your budget won't allow it, go to your local bookstore and/or library and ask for a copy of this book in your loudest voice, okay?  (Yes, you can use your loud introvert voice. We get that!)

Here is what you have to do to win one.  On Monday, we will be running a new Coolest Introverts in Literature post and I will be profiling the writer that said this:  

"I've often thought that if you could have an unlimited library, if they would bring you any book you wanted when you asked, it would be all right to be in prison." 

First person to guess who said this recently wins!  No Googling until Sunday, please.  After that, if no one has guessed, Google away.

Have a stellar weekend, friends--
Mary Hershey

9 comments:

Yat-Yee said...

This actually happened! I really want the book but I have no clue who said that...so sad.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

One of my writer friends just emailed this to me: "Jacob (her son) just read that book that you were accidentally signing and he loved it. LOVED it." So happy that there are so many fans of 10 Lucky Things--the few Unraveling buyers that get our conjoined book will have a great read! :)

Regards,
Lynn

btw small world-- my friend says she has same agent as you.

Anonymous said...

This is INSANE! I think the only thing you can do, Mary, is go slip your book cover on a LOT of Lynn's books and take those to your signings for a while!

Oh, and yes, the contest..

Um...The name POPPED into my head. J.K. Rowling. (Isn't that the right answer to everything?)

Mary Hershey said...

Hi, Lynn Biederman! So glad to have you come by!

Thanks for the feedback from Jacob! How very cool--
small-world!

And, hi, Yat-Yee! Well, if you're up early tomorrow, you can google it and see what you find! Sorry this is so hard! I thought it would be easier as she just did a big interview in a major newspaper last week.

;-) Hey, Becky. Nope, isn't JK, but great guess. Love your idea about me slipping my book cover over Lynn's book!

(((*)))
Mary Hershey

writtenwyrdd said...

My w.a.g. (wild ass guess) is for author Steven King.

I have to say, though, I'd rather not be in prison even with unlimited books to read.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to let you know that I love this blog so much that I nominated it. Check out my blog for details.

Yat-Yee said...

Okay, I googled since this is Sunday. Annie Proulx. I enjoyed reading the article: thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

Yes, do feel free to use yr book jacket to sell my book too! But don't forget I also had your book glued into my hardcover. :)

Meanwhile, how have we not discussed this whole incident in the context of title of your book--10 Lucky Things That Have Happened To Me Since I Nearly Got Hit By Lightning. Remember so far only one "conjoined" copy has been found and it fell into MY hands. National Weather service puts chance of being hit by lightning at 1 in 5,000 odds. The copy I went to sign--OUR copy--was 1 in 6,000- (that's the # of copies of Unraveling in first printing.) Hence, this is really the 11th lucky thing that happened to you (Effie)--as there was a better chance of being hit by lightning!
~Lynn

Mary Hershey said...

Gosh, Lynn-- you're like a math whiz! And, wow-- I have 11 Lucky Things! Who knew??? Bonus.

:-)
Mary Hershey