This post has nothing to do with the title. I just liked the
way it sounds. My weekend in the Great Northwoods, clearing my head and working
up a new strategy for promoting The
Floating Man accomplished a few things—none of them having anything to do
with promoting the book. First I learned that Scotch blended whisky makes a
better whisky sour than American bourbon. Something I learned only by
happenstance when my bottle of Southern Comfort fell off the countertop and
broke—should never attempt to mix a drink sober. I am now a Cutty Sark man,
thanks to an ancient bottle my brother had stored in case our late departed
Uncle John stopped by.
The second thing I learned is that my brother thinks he is a
landscape artist. He is. Just not so much when he’s been drinking. Much of Sunday
afternoon was spent moving large Oak tree trunks into various configurations.
After each move my brother would ascend to the large deck that overlooks his
property leading to lovely Lake Peppermill and survey his kingdom. Then he
would make a command decision to rearrange all the fallen Oaks into yet another
configuration. This process went on for much of the afternoon until mercifully,
his hernia and my back started to act up.
The third thing I learned is that you can’t do everything
yourself. It’s good to have friends. While nursing my back with a Cutty Sark
sour I checked my email and blog comments; and there, in the musings of my
friends was the key to my book promotion. Roxanne wrote that I should do some
interviews at local community college radio stations and contact our former
communications manager for a life after work article. Joe wants me to send
copies of my book to Oprah and other celebrities. And Steve my webguy sent me
links to various free sites that promote books.
So now I won’t have to chop my ear off à la Van Gogh to
promote my book. Besides, that thinking outside the box strategy that everyone
talks about is highly overrated. Ever notice that when anyone actually comes up
with an outside the box strategy—like chopping off an ear or staging your own
kidnapping—everyone unanimously agrees that it is a stupid idea?
Almost forgot. I figured out how much a Hemingways. Not
nearly as much as an Oak tree.
I'm with you on trying to figure out unusual ways to promote a book. Unusual, yet effective. Promotion is time-consuming and not enjoyable. Now that I think of it, marketing a book is a 9 to 5 job. Better put the tie on and polish the wingtips.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm a Cutty Sark man myself. Used to be Johnnie Walker Red, but it's too expensive for me now.