Don and I... on TheAuthorsShow

The Authors Show host, Don MacCauley, wrote of my interview (which is streaming with others today, March 19th on http://www.TheAuthorsShow.com ,

"I have done hundreds of interviews throughout the years. Most are enjoyable, some are enlightening, a few are downright painful. Others though, stand decidedly apart from the group. These interviews create memories that I will enjoy for the rest of my days. My recent interview with Rowena Cherry was one such interview."

Behind the scenes...

When an author queries a radio station to request airtime, quite often she is offered the opportunity to suggest ten or so appropriate questions which she'd like to be asked.

If I get the chance, I like to get the word out about the speculative romance subgenres. Even if I'm not the most eloquent or best qualified spokesperson, any discussion is better than none.

So, I suggested that Don might ask:

You write "FUTURISTIC ROMANCE." WHAT is that?


I gave him a brief overview of what "Paranormal" covers:

"Paranormal" is much more than ghosts. It covers space opera, speculative romance, dark fantasy, light fantasy, fantastic "snark", science fiction romance, time travel, also historicals and contemporary romances with strong psychic heroines.

This means that my aliens hang out in bookstores with vampires, shapeshifters, angels, demons, gargoyles, were-wolves, were-dragons, ghosts, elves, faeries, gnomes, mermaids, genies, and gods.

Don was kind enough to compare his experience of my interview to being dropped into the middle of a Monty Python skit.

"I believe I enjoyed the interview so much due to the fact that, throughout the conversation, I kept getting the distinctly odd impression that I had somehow been magically transported into the very middle of a somewhat peculiar Monty Python skit."

He's in great company with that comparison. I'm not sure what I said that struck him as Pythonesque, but it might have been this comment about how I see Paranormal Romance:

"It's a confusing family! So, I visualize "Paranormal Romance" as like a giant hen. Under her wings are multi-colored, dark and light chicks, a gosling, couple of kittens, a puppy… and a very small dragon!"

If you get the chance to listen, to my interview, I'd love to know what you think.

If you visit http://www.TheAuthorsShow.com and scroll down the page, you can submit your own request to be interviewed. If you live in Arizona, or don't mind traveling, you can apply to be on their sister TV program, too.

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherry

Branding... and SPACE SNARK™

I wonder if "Branding" is finally hot?

My husband has been an automotive branding expert for years. Meanwhile, this morning on The_Haunt_at_PNR, a yahoo group for paranormal romance authors and those who like to chat, Deborah Macgillivray explained about her common usage trademark on her Dragons of Challon™ series.

Now, much to my delight, I find that my favorite marketing expert, Penny Sansevieri, is talking about boosting ones brand in her March newsletter.

Penny allows sharing of her newsletter, as long as this attribution is given.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

To receive your own copy of:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE BOOK MARKETING EXPERT NEWSLETTER!
A newsletter all about SUCCESSFUL publishing and POWERFUL promotion.
March 5, 2009 Issue #190
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
contact:
Penny C. Sansevieri, Editor penny@amarketingexpert.com


Boost Your Brand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's a fun little marketing tip for your presentations. If you're using a laptop, why not get a skin for your cover that lists your book/company and URL? That way it's always in front of your audience. You can order custom skins for your laptop, phone, Blackberry, virtually anything from this site: http://www.skinit.com/. Happy Branding!


Me, again.
When I am packing for a convention, I know that I will be taking boxes of promo stuff, so I make sure to tape posters of my covers to all sides of the boxes (upright, obviously).

I also prepare the files that I might be carrying around (in which to scribble notes) by slipping a poster of my cover art inside the plastic protection sleeve that usually covers a ring binder.

I've also got a static view of my banner for Knight's Fork as a visual header, plus my professional mailing address, and for a footer I've got the images of the four awards Knight's Fork has won on 2 x 4 mailing labels, which I put on most of my outgoing correspondence. Yes... it will go on my tax return envelopes, too.


Back to Penny. And I certainly winced when I read this section of her newsletter!


Top 5 Mistakes Authors Make After the Interview
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You've written the book, perfected your pitch, entertained the audience with an interesting and informative interview and now you are striving for another segment or to become that station's topic "Expert". As a producer my top 5 "Don't Screw It Up" suggestions for AFTER the interview are:

- Not saying thank you properly. Always thank the host, producer and studio technicians. Camera people and control room technicians control the way you "look" on camera so always thank them if possible. Trust me they will remember and if you do a return interview you are assured you will look and sound great.

- Not taking advantage of "The Topic Roll". If your topic is one of continuing interest ride that wave! Be in touch with the producer for possible follow-up interviews.

- Not giving the host a signed copy of your book. As silly as you think this may be it's important to give the interviewer your book. Whether they take your book home, add it to the station library or toss it you definitely want your book in the hands of people who can give you another interview. Never forget this very important "touch" of politeness and marketing savvy!

- Not getting a copy of your segment for critique purposes. You can't improve if you don't know what you've done wrong. This is the time to hire a media coach for critiquing purposes. It's always easier to learn from an actual interview than role playing. Take advantage of all your interviews and get those copies!

- Not putting a copy of the segment on your website: Nothing can promote your book like YOU! Put the good interviews on your website and forget the bad ones - NEVER put a digital copy of an interview on your website if it wasn't really good.

So remember: always say thank you not only to the host and producer but to the studio technicians who made your interview comfortable and camera friendly. Always stay in touch with the producer for future interview opportunities. Make a copy of the segment and hire a media coach for a critiquing session because you can ALWAYS improve. Finally and most importantly put the interview on your website. It is the BEST way to promote your book, get other interviews and continue to sell your book long after the interview.

For more information or to schedule a coaching session just email me at lholka@aztv.com or call (602) 509-6468.

~Tip offered by Media Veteran Laura Holka, who is the producer of the Pat McMahon Show & a Media Consultant. She can be reached at www.aztv.com or email lholka@aztv.com.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

By the way, on March 19th, my radio interview with Don McCauley on the radio version of The Authors Show at TheAuthorsShow.com or WnbRadioNetwork.com. http://www.theauthorsshow.com/



Rowena Cherry
SPACE SNARK™