The Spy Who Loathed Me, at the Kremlin! Word gets around.

Progress Report

Thanks to all the backers of my successful Kickstarter campaign, which concluded a couple of months ago. Since then, I've had the book edited, done extensive rewriting, had the cover and interior designed, and today I delivered to the designer the last of the corrections to the galleys. So, within the next few days we should be sending the book to Createspace. I'll get a proof from them and see if everything's okay. Then it's done, and all of my patient backers will receive their signed books. 

Next step is promotion. I solicited reviews on Goodreads, and those blurbs will be on the back cover. But I consider this first wave of books more of a promotional tool. I'll use it to solicit reviews from established sources, and to get blurbs from name writers. Today, I wrote letters to Jonathan Coe, Gary Shteyngart, Martin Amis, and Christopher Buckley, and TC Boyle, all of whom I admire greatly. It's something of a long shot, but I'm hoping they'll blurb. Once I get the books in hand, they'll go out to these writers, and a few others. I'll also send out review copies at that time. 

The beauty of POD is that I can make tweaks and changes. After all of the proof-reading I've paid to have done, and done myself, it would flabbergast me if there's a typo. But there probably are some. I can fix those. I can add quotes from prominent writers or reviewers. 

I'm also interested in doing readings in Ventura County and in the Bay area, where there were a lot of Kickstarter backers. If all the backers invite just a few friends to the reading, I should have a full house. I'm thinking I'll have a laptop on hand, too, and ask my backers do write a one sentence Amazon review on the spot. Getting noticed is all about reviews. 

I'm also hoping, with the assistance of my fine son Drew, to set up a reading in New York, thinking I'll be out there to visit him sometime in May or early June. 

Lastly, I went to fiverr.com, looking for promotional items I can buy. I commissioned an a cappella song about the book, and I'll post it when I can figure out how. 

Ciao