Here, there, everywhere ...

Although this title could refer to my state of mind these days, I intend it to refer to signing and event venues.

This topic is on my mind because of
1) the cold calls I've been doing
2) Jane Kennedy Sutton's recent blog on book signing venues
3) a library event I did just the other day with a panel of mystery authors (that's Dana Fredsti sitting next to me in the photo below. The other panelists were Mark Coggins and Margaret Grace)

Libraries and bookstores are, of course, the obvious venues. Sometimes it's difficult (at least for me) to think outside the box on all this, particularly when there's a new release approaching like a freight train. But I do believe it's good to be open to the possibilities that come one's way and check out what other venues folks find. In addition to Jane's excellent blog post about this, check out Susan Wittig Alberts' post on "Finding Your Niche and Filling It: Tips for Marketing Your Mystery."

I'm also going to recommend the book Intent to Sell: Marketing the Genre Novel by Jeffrey Marks. He has a chapter on "Finding Your Niche" that has some great suggestions. In addition, Marks' Murder Must Advertise website also has a page called Fresh Ideas where authors offer marketing suggestions from booksigning tips to podcasting and an entire little subsection on Twittering.

So, cozy "craft" mystery authors frequent craft shows. Authors of mysteries featuring canines "dog" specialty magazines and dog shows. Historical authors might consider historical societies and genealogy groups. Personally, I've often thought I should check out the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), what with the "Old West" aspects of my mystery series.

Others thoughts? Anything that you've tried that's worked well for you? Venues are only limited by your imagination!

Oh, those cold calls

I'm a tad behind the curve, I think, with Leaden Skies coming out in July, but I finally settled in to doing a serious round of calling to set up events for the first month and a half after its release. For many of these, I'll be part of a "group event" (usually two or three, sometimes four authors) ... which is a great way to go about these things, in my view.

I don't know about other authors, but I really have to psych myself up to pick up that phone and call. (Usually requires a cup of coffee at hand, a pad of paper and pen for taking notes, and a bit of chocolate for encouragement and courage).

Sometimes the calls go well, and sometimes not so. On the plus side, I had three great chats today: One with the chief librarian at Lake County Public Library in Leadville about my trip up there in early August (it's all coming together, little by little), another with the editor of Colorado Central magazine (the monthly magazine for people who choose porches over porsches) and a third with Chris from Clues Unlimited Mystery Bookstore in Tucson.

Then, of course, there are the not-so-great calls. But I try to be philosophical: If someone isn't interested, that's okay, It does no good to brood. Just move on to the next one on the list.

For some great tips on how to approach newspapers and so on, I recommend reading Tips for Book Reviews by Betty Webb, on the Murder Must Advertise site. Great advice, no matter what kind of books you write!