Sunday, February 17, 2013

Shameless Self Promoting: All in an Author's Workday

After my second book The Day the Stars Stood Still was published by BearManor Media in 2012, I started a crusade to publicize and immortalize my book "out there" via mostly social media channels. I used and am still using Facebook, Twitter, my own blog (this one), friends, my publisher's publicist (the best-selling author Michelle Morgan) and blog, LinkedIn, and email. I know there are other ways I've worked on promoting my writing career, including word-of-mouth, but there are too many to mention!

Of course, creating your own "buzz" (which I love to call "shameless self promoting" for up-and-coming successful authors such as myself -- hopefully!) is not always easy; it takes patience, creativity; more writing; spell-checking; inventiveness, and unique hooks.

My book launch party for The Day the Stars Stood Still was amazing. I've attached a few photos, and thanks to http://claibornelime.com/ and my husband Mike, everything went off without a hitch.



I've managed to have two interviews on YouTube; a television show for my first book titled Corinna the Christmas Elf (2009, Tate Publishing Enterprises) which was a national holiday special called "Happy Holidays America" and which played all across the US and into Canada, and had a segment featuring me at a book signing and being interviewed about my book. I was somehow squeezed in between Mariah Carey and Dolly Parton! Don't ask me how that happened... I've no idea, but I was very honored.



With lots of luck and even more perseverance (like, maybe 12 phone calls and four reschedules) I have also been interviewed by the infamous Mr. Joe Franklin on his Bloomberg Syndicated Radio Show (over 39 million listeners!) about my latest book -- this really made the Amazon sales spike; I've had several local book signings (one is coming up the day before the Academy Awards at Gatsby Books in Long Beach, CA http://www.gatsbybooks.com/ ), posts on Twitter, an article in the OC Register, Long Beach Gazette, Signal Hills Tribune, etc.

I'm on a quest to try to get some news coverage from a local news station, and perhaps more larger-scale book signings and radio programs. I'll travel a bit if necessary, and am always on the lookout!

My books are in many libraries, and have received several promising reviews. My latest baby, The Day the Stars Stood Still, has led me into a new world and introduced me to many amazing people and organizations devoted to Old Hollywood, such as Cinecon Classic Film Festival's book signings in Hollywood, The Hollywood Show http://www.hollywoodshow.com/ ,  Immortal Marilyn www.immortalmarilyn.com and the 50th anniversary of her passing (which included a book signing, pool party, private luncheon and tour at the Fox Studios with a raffle, which gifted me with a lovely Geoge Barris print of Marilyn herself).


I've met a handful of true artistic geniuses, wax figure artists, several who learned their techniques directly from Logan Fleming. I've also befriended some collectors of wax figures, including some gracious folks who loaned me "Spock" from the Star Trek TV series (made by Logan Fleming for Movieland) and "Granny and Jed Clampett" from The Beverly Hillbillies (made by Logan Fleming for Movieland) for my book launch party in Long Beach. I have been invited to do a book signing and presentation at Potter's Wax Museum in our nation's oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida this Spring.  I'm working on more local book signings. I had a great time doing a presentation and book signing for local authors at Vroman's Book Store http://www.vromansbookstore.com/ in Pasadena, where I practically grew up! The amazing video below gives a lovely testimony to Logan Fleming and one man's love of wax museums, wax artistry and Logan Fleming's creative genius.

 
As I continue on, trying to scrape up some spare time here and there for my passion to write (I'm working on two new books and have a new screenplay in my head), I will also forge ahead with my quest for shameless self promotions. All ideas are welcome: contact me at suzanne.ferry@verizon.net
 


I thank each and every one of you for your support and enthusiasm over my writing career!