On the mend from a near-death experience in the snowy Midwest, John Pilate is taking it easy on the sun-soaked beaches of Key West. Umbrella drink in hand, Pilate is writing a book and getting some much-needed therapy to deal with his imaginary friend Simon. He’s also pondering the future with his new love, Kate. Life is looking up for John Pilate…until he is drawn into a world of murder, pirates, conch fritters and smart aleck remarks from invisible men.
He has blood on his hands, a mysterious poker chip in his pocket, shadows over his shoulder and a sexy cop in his bed. John Pilate is in trouble again–and the only way out is to find the key…Pilate’s Key.
* Sell books by converting sample readers into buyers of the entire ebook or paperback
Without repeating the whole blog post, I’ll get to the results, goal by goal, after the three-day contest (which was promoted on Facebook, Twitter and Google Buzz):
Goal: Generate buzz about the book
Results: Well, my Facebook Page Insights showed two new subscribers (far short of my goal of 10 new “fans”) but views and feedback were up approx. 50% and 60%, respectively. Not bad.
Results: Six samples downloaded in three days. Again, not bad!
Goal: Sell books by converting sample readers into buyers of the entire ebook or paperback
Results: Eight ebooks sold! Though I cannot definitively ascribe these sales directly to the contest it’s still very encouraging.
Also, I only had a small number of people enter the contest–and I understand why: it was labor intensive! To enter you had to become a Facebook “fan” of the book, then you had to answer three trivia questions which could only be answered by downloading a free sample of the book and reading it–in less than three days. All that considered, I think this promotion was a qualified success. There was buzz, I sold a few copies–and I certainly look forward to autographing those prize winners’ paperbacks.
Any thoughts? Have you done a similar contest? Any suggestions for doing it better?
Even casual readers of this blog probably know that I’ve written an independently-produced novel (in ebook and paperback form). One of the toughest challenges of any author--indie or traditionally-published–is marketing. Fortunately, Twitter, Facebook and other social media are incredibly easy-to-use, low-cost engines to get your book message out.
However, those channels of distribution are still rife with commercial clutter, distracting chatter and spam. Finding a way to get people’s attention is key. To break through, I wanted to try a tactic to achieve four goals:
Contest entrants have to be a member of the Pilate’s Cross Facebook page community
Members will be given three trivia questions about the book and/or author on Friday, Jan. 7 2011.
To play, entrants must email me (not post on Facebook!) the answers by 6 p.m. CST Sunday Jan. 9, 2011 to author (at) pilatescross.com.
I’ll print out and conduct a drawing from the correct answers received (and cross reference to ensure entrants are a member of the Pilate’s Cross Facebook community) to determine the winners.
To find the answers, entrants simply need to go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6806 and download the first 30% of the book FREE. It takes only a minute to register and get the download–which can be read on any ereader or even the very computer they’re reading this contest rules on–just select the “Online Reading” download option. All trivia questions may be answered by downloading (and yes, reading) the sample.
So if entrants go through all this hullabaloo, besides reading 30% of a fun little thriller novel, here’s what they may win:
Third Prize: Code for HALF OFF Download of the Pilate’s Cross ebook–available from Smashwords in any ereader format!
Second Prize: Download of the Pilate’s Cross ebook–available from Smashwords in any ereader forma
First Prize: Copy of the paperback version of Pilate’s Cross –autographed by the author!
GRAND PRIZE: Copy of the paperback version of Pilate’s Cross autographed by the author AND cover Illustrator David A. Terrill! PLUS a FREE Download of the ebook–available from Smashwords in any ereader format!
I’m using Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz to invite people to participate.
At this writing (roughly halfway through the contest), we have a few new Facebook fans, book sample downloads and a couple of entries. I’ll report back to let you know how it goes. Of course, you’re welcome to enter the contest, too!
Getting (or giving) a Kindle, Nook or iPad this holiday season? Then how about a fun book to go with your new ereader? As featured on KCUR Radio, Pilate’s Cross is garnering some great reviews and enthusiastic fans. Based on a true story, this quirky mystery has been called “a total winner, ” “a page turner” and “intriguing” by readers.
Featuring a cool cover by the talented Mr. Terrill, this ebook will soon be available as a paperback, too. But with ereaders being all the rage, we hope you’ll save a tree–and some cash–and take us up on this special Black Friday offer: order Pilate’s Cross from the publisher website today and get 75% off the cover price. That’s right–get a copy of this quirky thriller for only $1.00! Just click here and use discount code JJ48P at checkout.
I’ll be interviewed on KCUR 89.3 FM’s Central Standard on Monday at 10 CST. Also appearing will be Paul Miles Schneider (besides being a gifted graphics producer at T2+Back Alley Films he has written the acclaimed novel Silver Shoes). You can stream it on the internet if you’re not in the KC area. We will be talking about book marketing, ebooks, book trailers and of course, our books!
Regular readers of this blog may recall that I published an ebook and recently premiered a book trailer. Pete Dulin of Present Magazine of Kansas City interviewed me about the book and the trailer. Here’s an excerpt:
PresentMagazine.com: How long did it take to write the book?
Greenwood: “I wrote the first draft in three months – six days a week, three to four hours a day. Yes, I will cop to the cliche’: I wrote that first draft on a laptop in the Starbucks at Country Club Plaza.
The finished book people are reading today on their iPads and Kindles took about eighteen months and six drafts. I did about four “polishes” on top of that.”
PresentMagazine.com: How did the idea for a book trailer come about?
“Readers have told me they thought they could easily see Pilate’s Cross as a movie. That’s why I’m so excited I got the chance to work with the talented crew at T2 + Back Alley Films of Kansas City.
This never would have happened without the vision of T2 + Back Alley Films CEO Teri Rogers. She’s a courageous innovator, always looking ahead to that next undiscovered country. When I told her about my book, she immediately suggested a trailer. Not many firms of T2’s stature are doing trailers. I had given a trailer some thought, but never dreamed a nationally recognized digital media agency like T2 would work with me.
The trailer really transports you right into the world of Cross Township – like a movie. I wrote a treatment and a script, and then T2’s team created a concept that I think just blows away most book trailers. Their concept and screen execution was teamed with Wheeler Audio of Kansas City to record actors and mix sound.
I will also join T2’s Paul Miles Schneider (besides being a gifted graphics producer at T2 he has written the acclaimed novel Silver Shoes) on KCUR Radio’s “Central Standard” show Monday, October 25 at 10 a.m. CST. (You can stream it on the internet if you’re not in the KC area.) We will be talking about book marketing, ebooks, trailers and of course, our books!
In recent years, publishers, authors, teachers and students have been using the book trailer, a promotional video, to develop buzz and cultivate readers for a book. Some book trailers are similar to the familiar movie preview while others look like something you will see on MTV.
Some trailers focus on the story (many even tell you the whole story, like an overwrought PowerPoint book report!) some interview the author, and many more just confound me with their incomprehensibility. Of course, like anything, there’s a lot of DIY going on in book trailer production; with predictably dreary (dare I say crappy) results. For every compelling, well-produced trailer, you get about one hundred trailers slapped together with bad clip art, stock photos, bland music and cheesy graphics. Yeah, that makes me want to read the book. Not.
I don’t mean to be nasty, but if you’re going to represent your product–especially one I presume you spent years writing–do it right.
That said, I wrote a mystery thriller novel. Long story short, after a couple of near-misses with being signed by an agent over a two-year period I decided I could stick the book in a drawer forever or publish it as an independent ebook with Smashwords. I’m glad I did. Pilate’s Cross has sold more than a few copies (on iBooks, BarnesandNoble.com, Kobo and Smashwords), and hundreds more have sampled it. I still believe in the book and feel it could reach a broader audience if it could just rise above the crowd a bit.
Thinking along those lines, many of my readers told me they thought it was a book they could easily see as a movie. Well, I certainly couldn’t make a movie out of an indie novel, but a book trailer was in the cards. That’s why I’m so excited I got the chance to work with the celebrated digital media design company T2 + Back Alley Films of Kansas City.
Lead by CEO Teri Rogers, T2 + Back Alley Films is a nationally recognized digital media agency that creates all forms of new media content. Their specialties include motion graphics design, experiential design, augmented reality and other forms of new media, as well as original films and documentaries, digital production and postproduction.
The book’s cinematic structure made it an ideal project for T2, and I’m over the moon at their interpretation of the book. We agreed that it should be a book trailer that could easily pass as a movie trailer.We had some fun with the voice-over, though we resisted the urge to say “In a world…”
The trailer was truly a collaborative effort between T2, Wheeler and me. I just hope that the book lives up to the high expectations set by the trailer.
So, since the premiere on October 13, 2010 at PilatesCross.com I’ve received many nice comments about the trailer and renewed interest in the book. The trailer is now out there on several trailer sites, YouTube and Smashwords. It’s my hope that the crossover will aid in raising the book’s profile.
Book trailers are here to stay, I’d say, especially in our multimedia world. What do you think–are they here to stay or just a flash in the pan?
So last month we worked on our first audio book and then this month we started working on our first trailer for an eBook. Good thing we’re just as interested in books as we are in audio!
Check out Alex Greenwood’s eBook, Pilate’s Cross, available at Smashwords. As soon as we’re finished with the trailer, we’ll post it for you to view!
If you read my last post, you know I instituted a Trivia Contest on my novel’s Facebook page to:
Okay, another shameless plug for you to buy my mystery novel!
Getting (or giving) a Kindle, Nook or iPad this holiday season? Then how about a fun book to go with your new ereader? As featured on KCUR Radio, Pilate’s Cross is garnering some great reviews and enthusiastic fans. Based on a true story, this quirky mystery has been called “a total winner, ” “a page turner” and “intriguing” by readers. 
