The fine art of Book Trailers, lingering giants and BUGNADO!

I finally got around to finishing a proper book trailer for Jake and the Giant Hand, book one in the award-nominated Weird Stories Gone Wrong series (followed by Myles and the Monster Outside and Carter and the Curious Maze).

I love it! It's been a lot of fun putting these book trailers together, thanks to the wonders of Powerpoint (where I build them) and the talents of Shawna Daigle, the amazing illustrator for all three books.

For me, book trailers are just another tool in the marketing toolbox, and I try to make them short (60-90 seconds), highlight the book cover at the beginning and the end along with contact information on the last frame. I also add a musical score that fits the theme, and as a musician that makes it doubly fun (I've composed and created the guitar music for all my book trailers). Finally, I try to make them about six months before the release date, about the same time as the book goes out for review in ARC or E/ARC form. It gives reviewers one more place to check the message, feel and tone of the title.

I've done book trailers for books with illustrations and without, and the first is much easier, because you have an instant storyline with illustrations.

Do book trailers sell books? Perhaps, but more importantly, they're an enticing, warm bellying-up to the reader, a fun way to introduce yourself and your title.

Take a look at all three book trailers, and let me know what you think!

Jake and the Giant Hand Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYj_i...

Myles and the Monster Outside Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oyVz...

Carter and the Curious Maze Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pauvF...

For a different feel, here's the book trailer for my YA book, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW5lI...