TIP: Put your books in the trunk

But don't drive them off the cliff.

Having a few copies of your book is an essential marketing task, whether you're the author from a big or little or no publishing house. Best of all, these techniques are evergreen, and can be done well after the book's publication date. A few ways those books will come in handy:
• Sell-outs at a reading. Particularly if it's a non-retail setting, i.e., library or reading series, chances are the few copies the venue pre-bought might not suffice.
• Chance conversation with a co-worker who knows someone in charge of booking that killer venue you've been seeking.
• You ran into Jonathan Yardley in the grocery store parking lot and he agreed to review the book. True story.
• Last-minute inspiration to put on the preacher persona, and hand-sell your book at the Farmer's Market. Or along a traffic jam. At a subway station.
• On a day-trip, see that cozy independent bookstore, and decide to drop off 5 copies on consignment.

Message from New Orleans

Why can't all bookstores be like Octavia Books in New Orleans (www.octaviabooks.com)? Last week's visit to promote a new book about politics and jazz reminded us of the many wonderful qualities an independent bookstore can hold for authors, particularly new authors. Here's why Mr. Obie Joe thinks everything of Tom Lowenburg and everyone at Octavia:
• They publish news of the event in their newsletter (e-mail and print), in-store placard and e-mails to niche audiences.
• They send calendar listings to all local media (and this is not a slight task: New Orleans has the most independent magazines and newspapers Mr. Obie Joe has ever seen).
• During the event, they serve wine and cheese. Free drinks works wonders for an audience's enthusiasm.
• To wrap it up, Octavia Books has an excellent inventory accounting.

Octavia, like The Regulator in Durham and the Mystery Lovers in Pittsburgh amaze Mr. Obie Joe with their ease in booking dozens of events each month. There's the management challenge of that task, but more than that, it's simply wonderful their commitment to matching more audiences to authors.