After the Work — Prove You Can Play!
Author Cara Brookins and classical guitarist Jean-Paul Francoeur at Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Releasing more than one book in a year is a marketing challenge. How many times can you expect people to come by a bookstore and stand in line? And honestly, at a signing it’s easy to be jealous of everyone chatting in the stacks while you are chained to a desk with a pen… as if we don’t spend enough time doing that while writing the book!
Authors George Jensen, Cara Brookins, Sarah Beth Estes and Trenton Lee Stewart at the Mark of the Serpent launch party
Author Cara Brookins with friends at the Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
When Timeshifters, Mark of the Serpent released this December, I opted against the bookstore launch I’d done in May with Mark of the Centipede and turned the event into a cocktail party.
Despite a few setbacks—like the first party date being canceled for an ice storm and the second falling days before Christmas and during a torrential rain storm—it was a fabulous time for everyone! Photos on the red carpet were a big hit with the crowd, as were the wine, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres. When a party-goer sunk his car in the mud and a gathering of well-dressed men pulled it out, we quickly turned the mud photos into fun red carpet pics with an Indiana Jones flare.
Cara Brookins – Mark of the Serpent
Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Neil and Elizabeth Outar at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Whether you are marketing books, art, or a new sandwich line, don’t forget that people should have as much fun at the launch party for your product as they should using or eating it later on. Social media advertisements generally make my eyes glaze over, but if people are obviously enjoying a product, I pause and look a little longer, maybe I’ll even click through and see what all the fuss is about.
Go a step further than claiming you love what you do and show the world you mean it!
Photographers Spencer Wyatt and Jada Brookins at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
A young fan at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
One of the dessert tables at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
An hors d’oeuvre table at Cara Brookins’ One of the dessert tables at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
A serpent cake at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Author Cara Brookins with Event Stylist Hope Brookins and Photographer Jada Brookins at the Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Musician Buddy Case and Karen Case at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Metal artist Marc Menefee and Author Cara Brookins at the Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
Alex Reed and Doorman Roman Isaac at Cara Brookins’ Mark of the Serpent Launch Party
