Well, I witnessed it with my own eyes\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwhat appears, from every angle, to have been a successful book launch.<\/p>\n
Virginia Lawrence, Executive Director of SPAWN, and I attended Diana Zimmerman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s book launch event at Storyopolis, yesterday. Storyopolis is a magnificent store filled with books and art projects for kids. If you live in Southern California and have children or a book for the young set, you must check this place out. <\/p>\n
And if you want to have a successful book launch, you really ought to do what Diana Zimmerman did. First, she wrote an amazing fantasy book, Kandide and the Secret of the Mists; The Calabiyau Chronicles<\/em>. Maxine Gadd of Australia did the beautiful artwork and Lance Burton, Internationally acclaimed magician, along with S. Earl Statler, critic correspondent for The Los Angeles Newspaper Group wrote glowing testimonials. Burton says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kandide is pure magic\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and, according to Statler, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kandide gives its readers one captivating, enthralling adventure after another.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sigfried, Las Vegas Magic Superstar says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kandide is a magical journey into a world full of wonder, suspense and hope.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Learn more about the book at http:\/\/www.noesispublishing.com<\/a> or http:\/\/www.kandide.com<\/a> <\/p>\n Diana made another good move by hiring a book editor. Guess who? That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s right, I had the privilege of editing this wonderful juvenile fantasy. And then Diana hired a public relations company, Bruce Merrin Public Relations, http:\/\/www.celebrityspeakersentertainment.com<\/a><\/p>\n I venture to guess that between Merrin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s promotional efforts and Diana\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s connections, creativity and hard work, they drew around 50 people to the debut of Kandide and the Secret of the Mists<\/em>. And since many people were purchasing multiple copies, they could have conceivably sold 50 books or more. Our group of four went home with 7 copies of Kandide. <\/p>\n So how did Diana and her PR company pull off such a successful book launch? First, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m certain that they issued invitations to everyone in Diana\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s email list, Rolodex, personal address book and Christmas card list. And their invitation was quite intriguing. Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what they promised: Meet the author for a lively presentation and book signing, be mystified by Magic Castle Magicians, win Brunch for 4 at the Magic Castle, participate with actors in live performance, join composer\/singer, Jeannie Cunningham in a rollicking great song performing the national anthem for the story\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s imaginary city, view a screening of the Kandide<\/em> book trailer, Play Kandide\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Attack of the Garglans\u00e2\u20ac\u009d video game, see Kandide\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s original illustrations by Maxine Gadd, take home a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Vanishing Garglan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d magic trick.<\/p>\n Now does that sound like fun for kids and adults or what? And it was!! Magicians were wandering through the store performing some of the most amazing tricks. We watched a super creative trailer (video) depicting the story. We enjoyed a reading by 3 entertaining actors, including one of the book\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s junior editors. We were tapping our toes and clapping our hands as Jeannie belted out the Calabiyau National Anthem<\/em>, which she also wrote. And Diana made each person, especially the children, feel special, indeed, as she chatted with them while signing their copies of her book. <\/p>\n Hopefully, this will give you some ideas for your book launch. Here are my suggestions in a nutshell:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tHire the best PR company or book publicist you can afford.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tCreate the atmosphere and bring in entertainment that relate to the theme of your book.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tHold your event where there is plenty of room and parking.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tSolicit the help of several friends, colleagues, family, etc. Assign them tasks such as, MC for the evening, entertainment, refreshments and valet parking (if the event is held in someone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s home, for example). <\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tHold a raffle and\/or promise give-aways. <\/p>\n And don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop with just one book launch or book signing. Move from city to city and county to county spreading the word about your magnificent book and inviting the community to come celebrate with you.<\/p>\n For more on book signings, including a timeline, as well as many other book promotion ideas, order your copy of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book<\/em>. http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a><\/p>\n And be sure to sign up NOW for my online Article-Writing course which starts Tuesday, April 22, 2008. http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/courses.htm<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Well, I witnessed it with my own eyes\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwhat appears, from every angle, to have been a successful book launch. Virginia Lawrence, Executive Director of SPAWN, and I attended Diana Zimmerman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s book launch event at Storyopolis, yesterday. Storyopolis is a magnificent store filled with books and art projects for kids. If you live in Southern California […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t