Then there’s real-time marketing. For me, it’s the real-time promoting that poses a problem. Here are my issues:
Phones: Life falls apart when Mom gets on the phone. As I mentioned to my author friend Galen Kindley yesterday, the local press called me to set up an interview for my August 1 release. At that very moment, the smoke detector went off because I was cooking pasta and it always goes off when I’m cooking pasta. Then the dog (pictured) started barking hysterically to alert me to the alarm (as if I were deaf to the alarm, but had functional hearing when it came to her.)
My kids have a rule—when Mom is on the phone, there must be an emergency. No one throws up, makes the toilet or bathtub overflow, or needs me desperately in any way until I’m on the phone.
Face to Face Promoting: I feel uncomfortable mentioning my book when people ask what I do.
Conferences: I’m a stay-at-home mom. It’s complicated.
Book Signings: When I do book signings, customers think I work at the bookstore. I guess I’m not very authorly-looking. Many of them ask me where the restrooms are.
My Solutions:
Phone: Tell my kids that unless they’re bleeding to death or the house is on fire, they should leave me alone when I’m on the phone. Or talk on the phone while sitting in my closet. Put the dog outside. Don’t cook pasta. :)
Face to Face promotion: Business cards. I don’t have to say much…the cards have my contact info on them, a pic of the book, even my pseudonym for the books next year. I can stuff it in their hand and run away.
Conferences: Online conferences are my new thing. If it’s online, I’m there. Oh…but I’ll probably make Malice in the spring. Think I need to go there for sure.
Book signings: I book signings where I'm one of a panel of writers. I'm much more comfortable and less self-conscious. But I do still learn where the restrooms are, since people are sure to ask me.
Does anyone else have promoting obstacles? How do you get past them?