977 Entered to Win "Flesh Wound", and a New PR Strategy
I got back last night from an extended weekend in the northwoods of Wisconsin with my family. The Fall color is long gone, but the weather was gorgeous. Highs around 60, lots of sun, and lows in the 30s. Snow could come any day there now, and you can feel it in the air. Completely invigorating!
The Goodreads.com member giveaway for Flesh Wound drew to a close on Friday. Over two weeks, 977 people read the short synopsis of FW and decided they wanted to enter the drawing for one of ten autographed copies. That total exceeded my wildest expectations! Thanks to everyone who entered, and congratulations to all who were selected as winners! Those books will be going out today. Interestingly, three of the winners reside in the US, five in Canada, and two in Great Britain. More copies of FW will be leaving the country!
One of the reasons going on vacation is so great is that it lets you get away from the distraction of the endless mundane tasks that must be finished just to live, and lets your mind focus instead on bigger issues and questions. I've been happy with the reception that FW has received in the world so far, but I know it has been way too limited in scope. So in an effort to broaden the number of people who know about FW, I'm going to spend the next few weeks and months targeting a specific demographic of reader that I think will respond to the themes in FW: those attending college.
How? I am going to research campus book clubs on the many colleges and universities in the area, find out how to contact them, and pitch FW to them as a selection that would be a compelling read. I think the issues raised in FW are relevant to the questions college students are figuring out, and the discussions in their book clubs will cause them to consciously consider how they are making some very important decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.
I am going to create a separate website for FW as well, and create promotional materials for the book such as posters, t-shirts, mugs, etc. My goal is to make FW a brand that college students everywhere will recognize and become curious about. Wish me luck! 
Have a terrific week! It's great to be back pursuing the Writing Life! Read something today that brings you joy! -Jon
