Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Progress and Publicity
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Progress and PublicityWe’ve received our first proof of K-9 Kudzu: Observations of a Working Dog Who Loves to Play. It’s fantastic! We’ll make a few minor changes before sending it off for a second proof. It’s so important that we have it printed as perfectly as possible since our first high-quality print order will be for 250 books, rather than one at a time with print-on-demand.
For those who read this weekly blog post, you may recall that one of the back cover endorsements is by Gwen Bartlett, co-owner of Bookends bookstore, 123 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS. Gwen’s “blurb” is especially meaningful given that she was an elementary school librarian.
Bookends bookstore, 123 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS. Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.Bookends, an independent bookstore, has invited me to do a book signing the evening of July 20th from 6-8 p.m. This is during Hutchinson’s Third Thursday celebration that has a July theme of “Arts and Eats.” Gwen supports local authors by purchasing their books to sell, not just on consignment. In fact, there are plans for me to be interviewed again by local radio station KWBW. Please note, this is really special, a local, independent bookstore investing their money to promote a local author while also advertising their business.
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For right now, I’m not going to name organizations I’m working with that may help promote K-9 Kudzu. One organization offers summer camp sessions for children. We’re discussing having me introduce K-9 Kudzu to the young campers because it’s an educational and entertaining book about law enforcement. My future presentations will include reading excerpts from the book, but I’ll include some audience participation from prior teacher-approved participants. I’ll also share some of the book’s dynamic color illustrations either as enlarged posters or in a PowerPoint.
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Click for full-size imageI‘ll ask interactive questions located at the end of each chapter, and I may introduce the vocabulary word list. The final part of my presentation will be Q&A time if any attendees are interested in the process I used in writing and publishing K-9 Kudzu, my first children’s book.
I’m hoping a county-wide organization will help sponsor future school presentations. Ideally, I’d be paid to schedule and present K-9 Kudzu at elementary and middle schools. This would allow me a better opportunity to help recoup my publishing expenses and give me the ideal platform to market K-9 Kudzu and my other books. I’ll need to have a flyer available for students to take home since I don’t expect any young readers to pull out a credit card to make a purchase.
New marketing ideas are ever-present, and my list is growing, not shrinking. I’m beyond excited!
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While I’m in Hutch today, I’ll talk with a children’s book librarian at the public library about opportunities to promote K-9 Kudzu and I’ll mail my novella, Deputy Jennings Meets the Amish, to “Amish Country” in three different states with Amish/Mennonite communities. The books were purchased the old fashioned way. Two were bought via snail mail with a check enclosed and one was purchased via phone. I’m sending one to Salem, Indiana; Deford, Michigan; and Cub Run, Kentucky.
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Until next time, happy writing,
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