Hawking the Goods

WHY IS MY BOOK NOT GETTING THE LOVE?

By Susan Reinhardt



So you’ve written a book and your wondering, “Why isn’t my publicist getting me more interviews and radio shows?”

With my first book, “Not Tonight Honey, Wait ‘Til I’m a Size 6,” the atmosphere in New York was different. We weren’t in a recession. Positions, such a publicists, weren’t cut from the house’s budgets.

Plus, my topic was unusual and the media loves nothing more than something that’s different, that they’ve never heard before.

The more you can cull from the book that’s outlandish or never-before-told, the better the press release and the more newspapers and radio shows – even TV – will bite.

With my second book, “Don’t Sleep with a Bubba,” the recession was just beginning. My publicist had left the house I was with, and only a couple of people hawking for authors remained.

So “Bubba,” floated in the atmosphere of “Poor me. Nobody knows I’m even out here.” It got even worse with “Dishing with a Kitchen Virgin,” when my publicist did not get me ONE interview. Not even with a Podunk station in North Dakota.

Here’s the difference publicity makes. “Not Tonight” went into 7 printings. “Bubba” and “Dishing” are orphans trapped in Amazon with nobody to adopt them.

Those who do their own publishing with print-on-demand companies have an even harder time. But not by much these days. A lot of reporters (and I’m a columnist) won’t touch a book that is self-published. I think that’s snooty. If the book is good, the hook is exceptional, I’ll usually bite and do a piece.

One thing I’ve noticed is those with big budgets who can hire Super Duper PR firms like Steve Harrison and Annie Jennings and the like, may be out 10 grand, but they will probably get some attention if the book is good enough.

Some also hire local public relations companies, but these can be kind of iffy.

Now, if you’re like me and semi-poor, there are free sites that give great information.

I receive the Steve Harrison newsletters and free phone seminars. I also subscribed to PitchRate.com and the Reporter Connection. These are just two of the countless blogs and sites devoted FREE to helping you get that book out of the warehouses and into people’s homes.

Susan Reinhardt can be reached at susan@susanreinhardt.com or www.susanreinhardt.com