Tuesday, April 15, 2014

AiIP: Self-Promotion Theater

You may have heard I am nearing the end of a Kickstarter campaign for a print run of my short story collection, 3024AD. I have detailed the reasons for that in this space before- in short, that the current common thinking, particularly for author-publishers, doesn't allow for any manner of distribution to brick-and-mortar bookstores. So I have partnered with Village Books in order to try a new model- one that supports them, and me, and opens the door for wider physical distribution.

The campaign- as of this writing- sits at $1,095 of the $2,000 goal, so your support is very much appreciated.

Only a couple days to back the Kickstarter!
But why should you support it? It's not as if there's a dearth of indie-published sci-fi out there. So, in the interest of salesmanship and self-promotion (two things I am generally terrible at), why you should:

It's Good Sci-Fi: I'm only being a little egotistical. It won Indie Book of the Year from The Cult Den last year, so it's not just my mom saying that. It's a unique story, told in a unique way and fairly universally those who have read it love it.

It's Cheap: Once it hits bookshelves, the physical copy is going to be $14.99 and the ebook $7.99. You can grab both for $10, and get a bunch of fun swag for a bit more. Or you can buy two for $15 and give one to a friend/library/whatever.

It's About More Than Me: I can't do it for everyone, obviously, nor do I want to, but for the author-publishers out there who take the time and effort to produce a high-quality product, opening the doors to partnerships and distribution in indie bookstores is a pretty huge deal. Right now, it involves calling or visiting every single one. As this evolves, I am hoping to see (at a minimum) a sort of co-op grow to where booksellers know they're getting a quality product and authors are getting support from influential literary centers. Printing enough copies of my own is the first step in the process.

Crowdfunding is Awesome: At least, I think so. You're a part of the process, privy to advance information and get stuff that isn't otherwise available. I love the process, and hope you'll support mine.

So there you have it- a few reasons to head over and pledge. Thanks in advance!

-DESR

PS in the event you're sick of hearing about me, next month will feature other authors, and some interviews.

Dean is the author of the 3024AD series of science fiction stories. You can read his other ramblings and musings on a variety of topics (mostly writing) on his blog.
  He is also an aficionado of good drinks (extra dry martini; onions, not olives), good food and fine dress. When not holed up in his office tweeting obnoxiously writing, he can be found watching or playing sports, or in his natural habitat of a bookstore.
  He also has an unhealthy obsession with old movies and goes through phases where he plays video games before kind of forgetting they exist.
  Dean lives in the Pacific Northwest and likes the rain, thank you very much.