More brilliant ideas from the publisher
Another perky upbeat conversation with Idle Tom the publisher. No matter what the rebuff, within ten minutes, he always bounces back, chirpy as ever.
“You know these book signing sessions that are being done by other authors,” he said. “Maybe we could get in on them.”
“What did you have in mind?” My antennae were already aquiver. Why is it that almost every one of Tom’s suggestions for promoting the book involves either extreme pain or humiliation - and usually for me?
“I’ve just been looking through all the signing sessions up in Scotland. There are a ton of big name writers coming up to visit the Mitchell Library in Glasgow -”
“Like who?”
“Well there’s Allan Mallinson that historical fiction guy. And Christopher Brookmyre; Hanif Kureishi; Iain Banks; and Evander Holyfield -”
“Evander Holyfield? I thought he was a boxer. Wasn’t he the guy that had his ear chewed off by Mike Tyson?”
“Guess he’s got a book to sell. Anyway, why don’t you go and see them all? Give them a free copy of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Get your picture taken with them -”
“And then put our picture on the blog? Sort of small scale version of what Piers Morgan used to do when he was on The Sun. Cuddle up to the stars and hope that some of their glamour will rub off on you - ”
“That’s it! And closer to home we’ve got Kathleen Turner coming to the Waterstone’s in Edinburgh on March 10.”
“Haven’t seen her a while -”
“And she’ll be at the same Waterstone’s that you’ll be visiting five days later!”
“Spooky!”