tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post4918582656857975091..comments2023-07-18T04:32:44.951-04:00Comments on The Thrill Begins: Things I Learned as a Debut Author by Brad ParksCathyPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671747592743029540noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-86273371832052423322011-02-03T22:34:39.667-05:002011-02-03T22:34:39.667-05:00Brad and everyone--
Thanks so much for stopping b...Brad and everyone--<br /><br />Thanks so much for stopping by today. The conversation was great!<br /><br />TraceyTracey Devlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06893860773314837424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-24743372591138179912011-02-03T15:40:58.283-05:002011-02-03T15:40:58.283-05:00Rochelle -- You sure you REALLY want more blogs fr...Rochelle -- You sure you REALLY want more blogs from me? I assure you this is the only one of even moderate value. Oh, okay, you asked. Let's see:<br /><br />Talking about Deadlines on Kill Zone...<br />http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2011/02/getting-dead-out-of-deadline.html<br /><br />10 Things Crime Fiction Writers Can Learn from Taylor Swift...<br />http://dosomedamage.blogspot.com/2011/02/10-things-crime-fiction-writers-can.html<br /> <br />The interns helped me guest on The Lipstick Chronicles...<br />http://thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com/the_lipstick_chronicles/2011/02/brad-parks-guest-blogs.html#comment-form<br /> <br />And then I made a bunch of librarians cry without meaning to...<br />http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/2011/01/brad-parks-guest-blogger.html<br /><br />There are probably a few others, too. I've been having a hard time keeping them all straight because, sadly, I've already fallen behind on my list-making. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-3743851275154338652011-02-03T15:37:32.109-05:002011-02-03T15:37:32.109-05:00Alan -- So you're on for a duet for next Thril...Alan -- So you're on for a duet for next Thrillerfest? Awesome. I sing tenor, of course. I assume you'll do the bass part.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-85393683859048998822011-02-03T14:13:56.642-05:002011-02-03T14:13:56.642-05:00I had the honor of being in the audience for your ...I had the honor of being in the audience for your song, Brad. Really, a second career if you decide to go pro. I'm a dancer not a singer - I wonder if that will work this summer?<br /><br />Loved meeting you at Bouchercon and I'm taking your list to heart. Must find a jacket with an inside pocket for the bookmarks. I like that. But my favorites on the list are #1 and #2. So...civil! I realized early on that not everyone will be drawn to what I write so I might as well focus on pleasing myself and MY audience. <br /><br />Thanks for the great share. Now where do I find your next blog post?Rochelle Staabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08700362801884548978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-74563630251576331292011-02-03T13:42:48.376-05:002011-02-03T13:42:48.376-05:00Sounds like some helpful info here. I haven't ...Sounds like some helpful info here. I haven't been to conferences but I'm always on the lookout for more pr to work with my blog. I also believe in keeping lists.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06195877381658571039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-3724160729063092072011-02-03T12:23:51.570-05:002011-02-03T12:23:51.570-05:00Everything Brad says is absolutely right.
Especia...Everything Brad says is absolutely right.<br /><br />Especially his tip about being local. When DAMAGED came out, I discovered that people loved having a thriller series set in their own backyard. I received great publicity as a result of it, and people requested my book in their local libraries. Thus, when I approached my local library, they already knew my name. I offered to put together a panel of crime writers for an evening event, which was well received. The great thing is the library was excited to have a group of crime writers together for an evening, so they videotaped our individual readings and posted it on their website. Karen's suggestions to donate a selection of books is a great one, too.The point is, all these things work together.<br /><br />And not just locally. Here's where Brad's tip about libraries resonated with me. A month ago, I received an email from a reader in Washington State. She was a keen reader who borrowed my book from her local library. She enjoyed the read so much, she posted my book details on the bulletin board of her large retirement condo complex, where there were many enthusiastic readers. That is the power of the library!Pamela Callowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13771789554592081439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-60635932125877408672011-02-03T11:29:47.460-05:002011-02-03T11:29:47.460-05:00Great post,Brad!Great post,Brad!Chevy Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03765669191223358966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-11054628276111076012011-02-03T11:16:48.127-05:002011-02-03T11:16:48.127-05:00Excellent tips, Brad. And, FYI, ever since that fa...Excellent tips, Brad. And, FYI, ever since that fateful ThrillerFest breakfast, I've been taking voice lessons. (I was very glad I spoke right BEFORE you.)Alan Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695574442723430347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-61520344476741025252011-02-03T08:52:11.396-05:002011-02-03T08:52:11.396-05:00Tracey -- When I approach booksellers and libraria...Tracey -- When I approach booksellers and librarians, I don't think of it as a sales pitch but rather as the beginning of a relationship. And, like any relationship, you start slow. You don't immediately say, "Hey, I'm an author, wanna jump into bed?" That never works. (Well, that's not true... there was this one time in... uh, never mind).<br /><br />No, seriously, it is a relationship. And some relationships just don't go anywhere, for whatever reason. But others grow and become something more special. Ultimately, booksellers and librarians tend to be folks who like to get excited about books. And if they happen to get excited about yours? Great things can happen.<br /><br />I think with librarians, in particular, you have to make it clear that you're library-friendly. A lot of authors aren't (again, this baffles me). But if they know that you "get it" with libraries, they'll tend to introduce you to their library friends, which can help break the ice on starting your next relationship.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-63869575911075527132011-02-03T08:05:51.174-05:002011-02-03T08:05:51.174-05:007 Things I'd Like to Add After Reading This Po...7 Things I'd Like to Add After Reading This Post:<br />1) The day I saw Brad smoothly pull a bookmark from his jacket pocket and hand it to a stranger in the grocery store, I went home and ordered 2500<br />2) Be forewarned--Brad's idea of publicity includes entering himself in the Mr. Romance competition at the RT conference<br />3) If Brad had let me know ahead of time that he was going to be serenading Brad Meltzer over breakfast, I could have sold tickets and made a fortune<br />4) Brad Parks can sing. He can really sing. I have the youtube footage to prove it.<br />5) He also knows how to edge a flowerbed<br />6) When Brad Parks swung through Central Ohio (where I live) he arranged a reading at a bookstore I didn't even know existed, and brought in his own fan club. Yes, I took notes on how it's done.<br />7) Thanks for posting, Brad. You never disappoint...Carla Buckleyhttp://www.carlabuckley.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-44883801494334378872011-02-03T07:41:37.144-05:002011-02-03T07:41:37.144-05:00Brad, Great stuff, and every one of them a lesson ...Brad, Great stuff, and every one of them a lesson I've learned on my own journey. I especially endorse what you say about libraries. I used to fuss about libraries the way I did about people telling me "I bought your book and loaned it to everyone I know." Sure, I lost a few sales, but lots of those folks who enjoyed the first one for free actually paid real money for the next one. It's all a part of marketing.<br />Congratulations on your success, and thanks for sharing.Richard Mabryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15993592219849830777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-5935025859617196312011-02-03T07:13:50.223-05:002011-02-03T07:13:50.223-05:00Great tips, Brad, and all of them absolutely true....Great tips, Brad, and all of them absolutely true. My second novel just came out, and this time I'm determined to work smarter, and not harder. So far, by targeting my efforts, I've been getting much better quality publicity (meaning the sites I'm writing for get their content aggregated by others, so there's a terrific lateral spread). I also tapped into the local market as you suggest, and found a real champion in my local librarian. When I held my launch party at her library recently, she advertised it on the Michigan library network, in the local press, and even got the local cable channel to come in and record it. (Still waiting to see the broadcast - why, oh why didn't I start that diet months ago?)<br /><br />To your question about how to approach librarians, Tracey, I struggled with this for a long time, too. I'd drop in, tell them I'm an author, and they'd yawn. I think like bookstores, a lot of librarians hear "I'm an author" so often, they tend to tune it out. One thing that I think turned the corner for me was when my librarian asked if I and some of my author friends could donate signed books for a summer giveaway she was having (thanks, Carla!). She was REALLY delighted with the results, and while the suggestion initially came from her, I bet you could initiate something similar. "I'm an author, and I and some of my friends would be happy to donate signed books for your programs" would probably play better than "I'm an author, and I'd be happy to speak at an event you set up for me."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04621456133569017574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-25607985936775307572011-02-03T07:06:18.115-05:002011-02-03T07:06:18.115-05:00A great post, Brad, but you left out rule #8:
When...A great post, Brad, but you left out rule #8:<br />Whenever Brad Parks write a blog, read it.Thomas Kaufmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13836968448269161562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1011399615565681742.post-79289390870160666382011-02-03T06:47:29.026-05:002011-02-03T06:47:29.026-05:00Hi Brad,
Thanks for sharing your debut experience...Hi Brad,<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your debut experiences with us and congrats on your recent release!<br /><br />How do you approach your local library/bookstore without acting like a salesperson? I've been in both MANY times, but no one there knows me. I'm not the serenading sort. I tend to ride under the radar. LOL<br /><br />Thanks!<br />Tracey<br /><br />PS--I'm so glad you can't say no to Carla!Tracey Devlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06893860773314837424noreply@blogger.com