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Comparing and contrasting leads to great ideas and validation!

Comparing and contrasting leads to great ideas and validation!

Seems I’ve been doing a lot of confessing over these last few blog posts. Today’s is that I’ve never paid much attention to travel fiction – or books, in general. Other than the Lonely Planet books I consulted when first drafting Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World. When I began writing this novel all the way back in 2004, the Internet was barely into its tweens – and there were no sites like TripAdvisor or Orbitz – and no shared economy platforms like Airbnb or Uber. I have subsequently used these sites for research, and they’ve even made an appearance in the novel because they are so ubiquitous in the life of a world traveler today.

So travel books, not a big thing for me. In putting my big toe into the water of comparison and contrast – checking to see what might be out there that’s at all like Stan – I find loads of travel books I should probably read, and authors’ sites to visit. Though not fiction, the best known contemporary work that perhaps rivals Stan a little, at least in terms of the motivation for the travel, is Elizabeth Gilbert’s runaway hit, Eat Pray Love. (That book has been published and celebrated its 10th anniversary in the time since I started writing Stan, just as a point of reference.)

Of course, there’s the classic Around the World in 80 Days, as well as Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail.

chris-pavone

When it comes to comparing websites and marketing efforts – there’s another big toe to be dipped. I’ve recently come across Chris Pavone’s site. He’s the NYT best-selling author of the new international thriller (I got that from said website), The Travelers. One thing I like about his site is the drop-down menu with subtopics: About the Book, Excerpt, and Itinerary. I could easily incorporate that into my author website, once that next book comes to fruition. It’s a story about a Foo Fighters tribute band, so the drop-down items could be: About the Book, Excerpt, and Playlist.

Oh – and a little more searching uncovered the one that seems most like Stan. It’s a book by Francois Lelord, titled Hector and the Search for Happiness: A Novel. From the Barnes and Nobel website:

Now a major motion picture starring Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Toni Collette, and Christopher Plummer. The international bestseller with more than two million copies sold.

“Once upon a time there was a young psychiatrist called Hector who was not very satisfied with himself. … And so he decided to take a trip around the world, and everywhere he went he would try to understand what made people happy or unhappy.”

Hector travels from Paris to China to Africa to the United States, and along the way he keeps a list of observations about the people he meets. Combining the winsome appeal of The Little Prince with the inspiring philosophy of The Alchemist, Hector’s journey around the world and into the human soul is entertaining, empowering, and smile-inducing—as winning in its optimism as it is wise in its simplicity.

How excited am I to hear (a) it sold more than 2 million copies and (b) it became a major motion picture. Oh – and it’s book one in a series, something I never thought I’d do. The other titles are Hector and the Secrets of Love and Hector and the Search for Lost Time.

hector-series

I think I have some reading – and website visiting – to do!

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Coloring books, cookbooks, and apps – oh, my!

Coloring books, cookbooks, and apps – oh, my!

travel-diary

Readers want books – you know, with pages and words and stories and information. But bookstores want books and other things to accompany them. Products that will flush out a brand, not just a single title. Of course, perhaps the most famous is the Harry Potter series, which spun off so many products that there’s actually a website dedicated just to the merchandising: HarryPotterShop.com. Visit to buy everything from wax seals for your letter-writing needs to magical mugs to bedding, wands, games, and calendars. But ancillary products are not just for kids’ books. Inspirational author Sark has a whole collection of goodies for sale on her site, from blankets (I see a theme here) to books to card decks.

So how does this translate to my book, Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World? Well, lots of ways, actually.

  • One thing I had planned long before they came into vogue (have I mentioned I started writing this book in 2004?) was a coloring book with my cartoon version of Stan in scenes from the many cities he visits.
  • Another is a cookbook that offers one main dish, one drink, and one dessert from each of the same cities.
  • I’m also planning to create an app that integrates a treasure hunt of some sort (if Pokeman Go can do it, so can I!) with a tour of the places Stan visits.
  • Postcards seem a natural fit.
  • As does a travel diary.
  • And a Stan-styled postal bag, to be sure!
  • And a small gift book with the ways to say “hello” and “I love you” in all the languages of the countries passes through.
  • I’m not sure I’ll go with a plushie of Isis – although I’d never say never.

Whether or not they ever wind up in book stores or not, I can design them and sell them on my website and other travel sites that may have room for clever products.

What kind of toy or other product would entice you to jump on Stan’s travel bandwagon? Comments are encouraged and welcome below!

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Brick-and-mortar vs online – which is the better non-bookstore venue?

Brick-and-mortar vs online – which is the better non-bookstore venue?

wide-world-of-maps

The other day, my husband and I were astonished to see that a longtime map store is still in business in Phoenix. Maps – otherwise known as an origami-styled paper-folding craft, with big pictures of streets and lakes and mountain ranges painted on the paper. What with Waze being all the rage these days, even brand name GPS companies like Garmin are suffering. And yet I know someone who recently went and bought a paper map because she finds it easier to read than pulling out a magnifying glass to see all the details on a smartphone’s tiny screen.

Would a map store, such as the one referenced above, be willing to take a chance on a book about a guy who travels around the world? Maybe. I’ll definitely drop off a copy of Stan as soon as it’s ready to go. And make a list of the other map stores still standing – maybe approach them with a postcard campaign.

Art and investment banking also play big roles in the book, but those aren’t the kinds of things that lend themselves to storefronts. Stan does travel with his dog, though, so perhaps the right high-end indie pet shoppe would take an interest. Wheels are turning there, to be sure.

noblebeast

And, of course, I keep going back to online retailers – specialty shops in the international cities Stan visits. A glass blower in Sweden. A carpet maker in Turkey. Would they bite? I won’t know until I approach them. May have to find some translation partners before I email my pitch. It’s a wide world – and the Internet makes such connections possible.

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Travel Channel, here I come!

Travel Channel, here I come!

I have a confession. I’ve never watched the Travel Channel and never felt particularly compelled to read the Sunday travel section of any newspaper (The New York Times, The Arizona Republic, and the Arizona Daily Star are the papers I’ve been most familiar with) unless it was an article about somewhere I really wanted to visit. Now, however, as the author of a book about a guy who travels around the world, I’m looking at such vehicles as potential marketing bonanzas, in terms of people who might have an interest in my little novel.

travel-channel

The idea even occurred to me to wonder how I might pitch Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World as a cartoon TV show. After all, once upon a time, Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego? was just someone’s idea, right?

So I feel like I’ve got some catching up to do, in terms of identifying potential experts who might be good ones to approach to write blurbs for my book – or have me as a guest on their show, or as an interviewee for their travel column. The household name who comes to mind is Anthony Bourdain.

anthony-bourdain

I’ve written about approaching Mr. Bourdain before – for the last blog challenge, when I posted all of my entries on my book marketing blog because Stan’s blog hadn’t yet really come into its own. Here’s an excerpt from that post:

Strangely, it took me longer than I’d have thought to come up with the right person to ask for an endorsement of Stan, but once I arrived there, I was sure I’d hit on the perfect person: Anthony Bourdain, chef, author, and host of CNN’s popular show, “Parts Unknown.” Will he be challenging to get to? Perhaps – but maybe someone who’s just two degrees of separation from him is reading this very post! Stranger things have most certainly happened.

One person I know quipped that Bourdain isn’t the most loquacious guy to go seeking a blurb from. No worries. Regardless of how tight-lipped or busy he may be, all I need for him to do is put his name behind three little words: “Read this book!”

So if anyone reading this lives next door to the college kid who babysits Bourdain’s daughter … ahem, I’d really, really, really appreciate an introduction.

Certainly there are others … and I’ll make a short list. But I’m going to put my intention behind this one and leave the rest up to the book marketing angels.

Time to get busy hitting up LinkedIn, checking my old Phoenix Film Festival Connections, and approaching the few Hollywood types I’ve met over the years to see what kind of apples might shake loose from those trees. It can’t hurt. The worse I’ll hear is no – and that leaves me exactly where I am right now.

As for the Travel Channel, as soon as this Blog Challenge is done, I’m going to pop a big bowl of popcorn and sit down and watch for a while.

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Would you eat a peanut butter, bacon, and banana panini?

Would you eat a peanut butter, bacon, and banana panini?

Oh, sometimes a person can be too clever for her own good. When I heard that November 3rd was National Sandwich Day, I was so excited about creating this writing prompt for the Author Blog Challenge (I am the host). Now, however, that I’ve got to actually answer my own prompt, it doesn’t seem so clever.

Sandwich. Sandwich. Sandwich. What are the ingredients of my book marketing sandwich? I guess the plan would be the bread that holds it all together – because without a plan, you really have more of a book marketing salad than a hearty sandwich you can easily hold in your hands.

bacon-peanut-butter-banana

As for the gust of my campaign, I think it’s kind of an outlandish grouping of things besides the tried and true. The great news is that a novel about a guy who travels around the world has an unending supply of potential tie-ins, from the backers of the social causes mentioned in the book (e.g., Lost Boys of Sudan, Liter of Light Project, and Art for the Homeless to name just a few) to travel Meetups to online shop owners in all the cities Stan visits. I suppose the unconventional ingredients make it most similar to a peanut butter, bacon and banana panini. You won’t catch me eating it – but somebody must, or they wouldn’t serve it at Parker and Otis.

Condiments might be honey or molasses, to sweeten the deal. That would be the social media, news releases, list building – the traditional stuff that will support and enhance the rest of my less-than-ordinary efforts.

You tell me – would you eat a peanut butter, bacon, and banana panini? Even if it were served by a dog in a chef’s hat and an apron?

dog-in-chefs-hat

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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From My Platform, I Can See…

From My Platform, I Can See…

…perhaps over the top of my laptop to the stuff on the desk behind it. That’s not a very tall platform, now is it? In publishing parlance, an author’s platform is who knows them, who follows them, who’s talking about them, and most importantly who is waiting for their book to be published. I’ve been working on Stan Finds Himself on the west-coast-tourOther Side of the World for a very long time. The good news is that virtually everybody who knows me is aware of this fact. The better news is that I keep meeting new people all the time – so I suppose you could say I am consistently growing my platform.

My social media influence isn’t rock-star status, but it’s not bad, either. And with some consistent work and a P-L-A-N, it will get better.

One new thing I’ve done this year is begin to do readings – albeit small ones – where I get to see the listeners’ reactions to my work. Overall, the response has been quite positive – as it has been from those who’ve read the whole ARC (advance reader copy). The most common refrain is: “Just finish it already!”

Since I plan to publish it early next year, I will be hitting the pavement hard, working to connect with book clubs and travel groups, which seem to be two target-rich environments for me. I plan to develop an app – more details on that to come in a few days – and a few ancillary books and other products.

I have a vision of a six-city West Coast train tour this coming summer, starting in San Diego and heading north through L.A., San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. This will be a group tour with a handful of other authors who want to share the experience. I’ve had a travel agent friend working on the details part-time for a while now. A LOT of coordination goes into an event like this – so please keep your fingers crossed that we can pull it off. And stay tuned, because as soon as the details are in place, we’ll publish them here first!

In the meantime, if you’re new to the blog, please take a look around. Download the FIRST 5 Chapters – and if you like what you’re reading, mark your calendars for the full release in Spring 2017!

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Part Travelogue, Part Social Commentary, Part Fiction

Part Travelogue, Part Social Commentary, Part Fiction

As an aspiring fiction author, it is perhaps impolitic to admit that I don’t read a whole lot of fiction anymore. As a child, it was all I read when I wasn’t doing research for a school project. Hundreds and hundreds of novels, particularly during the long, hot Phoenix summers. Somewhere along the way, though, my taste morphed toward nonfiction. Memoir, spirituality, marketing, personal development, politics – I’m one of those people who finds almost everything interesting. That is, perhaps, why I majored in nonfiction writing. I took fiction and poetry classes because you had to – nonfiction is a Creative Writing degree – but I was terrible at them. Long, plodding sentences. Boring descriptions. Clunky poems with little grace or style or lyricism. I listened with admiration and envy to my peers who could craft gorgeous stories out of the same 26 characters I had to work with.

describing-stan

I kept writing, though, and my writing improved. I’d never call it outstanding, but it’s strong. And the more you do of anything, the better it gets, so I keep on writing. Over the years, I began to notice and watch people. And to listen to them. How they form sentences. The way they interrupt and talk over each other. The natural flow of dialogue is halting; The Bard may have preferred soliloquies, but people do not naturally employ them in their day-to-day speech. I watched movies with equal attention, always preferring well-developed characters to an exceptional plot – not that one is more important than the other. Both are essential for a good story, whether it be in film or print version.

So my writing continued to improve. Enough, I thought, that I could actually try my hand at a novel. Still trying, as it turns out, 12+ years later. That’s OK. It will be finished soon.

When it comes to considering how best to describe my book – to give people a sense of what it’s like – I’m at a bit of a loss because I’m not really a fiction reader. I’ve had nearly a dozen people read early versions, though, and no one has said, “Stan is like a cross between X and Y.” So maybe it is unique, in that there aren’t really things out there to compare it to.

During the last Author Blog Challenge, I also described the process of writing Stan and how I hoped to market it. Those posts are archived on my marketing blog, Marcie Brock Book Marketing Maven. One really helpful a-ha that emerged from that Challenge was the understanding of how to best tell people what the book is about: it’s part travelogue, part social commentary, and part fiction. You’ll remember I’m trained as a nonfiction writer, so I worked very hard to get the real-life details right. Having been to only a handful of the places Stan visits, I did scrupulous research because I don’t want anyone to read it and say, “Ah, she’s obviously never been there.”

The social commentary comes as Stan is exposed to many new ideas, philosophies, and experiences. He is a tightly wound, security-conscious guy – and world travel requires him to stretch and grow in unexpected ways. As I made discoveries in my research, I wove them into the story so that Stan could also discover them along his sometimes bumpy journey.

Ultimately, though, it’s a book about a guy who takes his dog with him as he travels around the world. How much disbelief must you suspend from Page 1 to allow for that to happen? And while a handful of characters are based on people I have known, the vast majority of the individuals who populate this novel are pure fabrications, straight out of my imagination.

Likewise with the incidents. Yep – I had a Jack Russell terrier who was the best traveling companion you could imagine. I lived in Jersey City and worked on Wall Street. And I had a conversation with a friend a lot like the one between Paula and Stan that gives rise to Stan’s journey in the first place. But neither of us stormed out, neither of us set off afterward on a trek around the world, and the vast majority of the things that happen in the story are 100 percent made up.

Part travelogue, part social commentary, part fiction. If that intrigues you, keep reading this blog – and look for Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World in early Spring 2017!

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Covering the Bases

Covering the Bases

A book cover has a daunting job. Done properly, it will:

  • Grab people’s interest
  • Let them know what the book is about
  • AND give them reason to open it up and read a few pages

That’s a tall order for a small space – extra small if you’re publishing is limited to the E variety.

In developing the cover for Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World, my goal was a cover that was artistically stylish, indicated world travel, appealed to both men and women, somehow included the dog, and offered just a hint of baseball. You’ll have to be the judge of whether we accomplished those goals.

stanfinds-cover

I started with a globe and some “before and after” images of a guy who could have been Stan. Stan looks pretty shaggy by the time he makes it around the world. Unfortunately, my Stan came too close to the friendly Jesus images from Bible-based stories I remember reading as a child for my liking – so we scrapped the idea of putting Stan on the cover at all.

I gave the whole concept to my artist friend, Dana Ball, of Art Guy Creative, and he came back with what I believe is a masterpiece. In his first draft, however, the ball representing the earth was pretty much just a crumpled piece of paper. That was the perfect place to add the hint of a baseball.

Since the book’s not quite done, the cover’s still in process. I haven’t settled on the dog image yet. Or the fonts. I keep trying different ones for the “finds himself on the other side of the” part, and I haven’t really loved any of them. Yet. Good thing there are about 1,000,001 more fonts out there for me to look at.

The back cover contains a brief excerpt from the book, the inciting conversation between Paula and Stan that causes him to take the trip. No author pic – I think that’s wasted space on the back of a novel. I’ve reserved that for the “About the Author” page.

Next step: finish the damn book. Thanks, Joe Torres.

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Outfitted for marketing

Outfitted for Marketing

When one thinks of a costume, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea of Halloween and masquerade. However, I know a few very good (non-book) marketers who regularly don specific outfits when they go out and greet the world because it instantly alerts people to who they are and what their business is.

Ever been to a networking meeting and seen a guy in workout clothes? He may have just been coming from the gym – or he might have been my personal trainer, Miles Beccia, of MindMuscleMemory.com. My longtime friend Dolly Kennedy is always dressed for a party, as she’s become a walking advertisement for her namesake, the Dolly Steamboat.

When it comes to book marketing, a costume – or uniform of sorts – could be an author’s best friend, particularly at a book festival, sale, or other signing event where the goal is to stand out and get attention.

As I’ve come closer to completing Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World, I’ve been amassing a growing collection of globes of all shapes and sizes. Among them are a wristwatch and a ring, which will, no doubt, be part of my Stan Travels Marketing Getup.

jewelry

I also envisioned a vest with a map print of some sort – kind of like this:

map-vest

But when I went to look for an image for that vest, this dress was the first one that came up under “map print vests.”

map-dress

The Spanish word for dress is vestido. Maybe Google got confused? At any rate, with Miles’ help, I may one day be able to look that good in this dress.

In the meantime, this one is more my style – I actually ordered one while I was saving this image!

map-tee

I’ve also thought about making a paper vest out of printed maps I’ve been collecting. That might be a fun marketing activity that gets beyond just the basic book signing event.

I’ll also have to hint around to my husband that these gorgeous globe earrings would make a lovely Christmas present!

globe-earrings

Other map/globe accessories might include:

Map Shoes

globe-map-flats

Globe Cufflinks

globe-cufflinks

Map Scarf – could double as a headband!

map-scarf

So while I doubt you’ll see me sporting this guy’s outfit anytime soon…

map-suit

…there’s a good bet you will see me in some combination of the others at a signing event near you in 2017!

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Read the FIRST 5 Chapters of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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Are you a TED-Talk loving, Whole-Foods shopping, NPR-listening Gen X dog owner who loves to travel?

Are you a TED-Talk loving, Whole-Foods shopping, NPR-listening Gen X dog owner who loves to travel?

ideal-reader

So when you write a book, more than likely you have an idea of who your reader is. Any author who doesn’t is probably struggling with the message of their book, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. Of course, an author can begin their book without knowing who will read it, but in fairly short order, they’ve got to have an idea of who their reader is or they run the risk of muddled writing, mixed messages, unclear storylines or thematic development, and generally utter chaos.

Additionally, knowing who the reader is helps the author develop a plan to market the book – that is, find those prospective readers and introduce the book to them. This is can be a fairly elaborate process – and rightly so, as marketing a book generally takes a lot more time than the actual writing and publishing process.

In the case of Stan Finds Himself on the Other Side of the World, it’s a big story with many moving pieces – and, of course, a dog. A Jack Russell terrier named Isis, to be specific. So, we’ll start with dog owners as a key demographic for this book.

The story is about a man who’s dissatisfied with his life, although he’s pretty tightly wound and very security conscious. He leaves his job as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs to travel around the world. Second demographic: people who love to travel – or imagine that they’d like to see the world.

Stan’s best friend is a visual artist named Paula, who’s a free spirit. She teaches Stan to loosen up a bit, and ultimately issues the challenge that causes him to set off on his round-the-world trek. Third demographic: art lovers, culture seekers, folks who listen to NPR and have season tickets to their local theatre companies.

How can we pin this down even further? I’d guess my ideal reader is likely college educated. They exercise more than the average person. They probably have an above-median income. I’d guess they’re not overly religious; though they may belong to a particular religion or sect, they more than likely attend only on high holy days as opposed to doing so with any kind of regularity.

They probably read more than the average reader and may belong to at least one book club.

They’re probably politically savvy – and would tend to lean center-left; if not, they might have a hard time with aspects of the story.

They likely have a couple favorite TED Talks.

They may or may not have kids – that doesn’t seem to be a big determinant either way.

They’re probably at least Gen Xers, if not older. As my husband pointed out recently, since there are no vampires, zombies, or dystopian teen storylines, Stan is unlikely to attract younger readers. I told him I could add a zombie – it would definitely be unexpected.

What does all this knowledge do for me? It tells me where to look for my readers. They probably shop at Whole Foods or Sprouts or Natural Grocers – so a venue near one of those shops might work well for a book signing. Book club organizers are another good target for me. Cultural Meetups may be another good place to connect with these folks. Philanthropic organizations would probably draw a lot of my readers as volunteers, so there’s another good place to do some networking.

If you like the sound of Stan’s story but don’t find yourself in any of the above-mentioned categories, that doesn’t mean the novel is not for you! Please be sure to download and read the first 5 chapters and let me know what you think. And please be sure to look for the finished book in early Spring 2017.

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LAURA ORSINI is an author and self-publishing consultant who works with other authors who want to LO picchange the world. From concept to publication to the first-time author’s book launch, her expertise will help you make a better book and find more readers. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and check out her pins on Pinterest.

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