December 2006
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Literary License December, 2006 AWARDS DEADLINE FEB. 15 Newsweek surveying the publishing scene. whim”–whatever her 45 reviewers happen Books published during 2006 may be What’s an author to do? to be interested in on a given day. She entered in the annual SMA awards contest To answer that question SMA presented throws out all press releases. She does until Feb. 15, 2007. a panel of experts at the Nov. 14 meeting in favor books from certain small publishers. Entries must be shipped directly to the the Chicago Athletic Association. She has responded to books with Post-It® judges in each category, Tom Ciesielka, professional book tabs calling attention to pages of special The list of judges and complete publicist and columnist for Literary interest. Good cover design can help. instructions will be posted soon on the License, observed that newspaper literary None of the panelists wanted any phone SMA web site: www.midland authors.com editors get as many as 50 books a day. calls. E-mails should explain in the first and published in the next issue of Literary Cheryl L. Reed, books editor of the paragraph what’s different about your License. Chicago Sun-Times, said she has only book. West considers such factors as the Information is available from Carol Jean “seconds to decide” which books to assign reputation of the author, the significance Carlson, awards chairman: 1420 W. for review. A brief handwritten note and timeliness of the subject. It’s OK to be Farragut Ave., Chicago, IL 60640. attached to the book and calling attention persistent and keep trying, but self- (D)773/275-3999 (N) 773/506-7578. E- to a Chicago angle can help attract her published books from houses such as mail: [email protected]. attention. iUniverse and AuthorHouse have zero Cassandra West, a Chicago Tribune chance of being reviewed. EXPERTS TELL HOW TO KEEP editor who deals with books, said she finds West pointed out that a review may not YOUR NEW BOOK FROM SINKING huge press kits off-putting. She reads E- always be what you want. The reviewer WITHOUT A RIPPLE mail, but faxes are wasted. She never sees may declare that your book should make BY RICHARD FRISBIE them. Gutenberg wish he hadn’t invented Most books are never reviewed Jessa Crispin, founder and editor of printing. anywhere and consequently “sink without a Bookslut.com, a respected online journal Ciesielka said publicity for a book is ripple.” That was a dismal report from devoted to books, said her approach is “all easier to get than a review. Reed agreed. THE BRADBURY CHRONICLES AND THE LIFE OF RAY BRADBURY Sam W eller, whose biography of the noted science fiction writer won the SMA 2006 biography prize, will talk about his book and his subject. Where: Chicago Athletic Assn., 12 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago When: 6 p.m. social hour, 7 p.m. program, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007 Reservations NOT needed. Public invited. Reception and presentation $5 for nonmembers. SMA members and teachers and students with ID free. Snacks and cash bar. Other Coming Events wife of 34 books, including adult biographies on artists including Frida Kahlo, Alexander Calder, Feb.13–“Young Adult Biography: The Back Door Edward Hopper, Diego Rivera and Mark Rothko. to History.” Judy Fradin will discuss how she and her April 10–Poetry, details to come. husband, Dennis Fradin, collaborate. They are May 8--92th Annual Banquet and co-authors of more than two dozen non-fiction Awards Presentation. children’s and young adult books and winners of numerous awards. Board Meetings Usually on the third Wednesday of each month: March 13–“Researching and Writing Biographies September through June, except December. of Dead Artists.” Speaker: Gerry Souter, president of the Midwest W riters Assn., and co-author with his 1 Her paper likes to feature interviews with let a contact get away without considering Chicago authors, complete with photos. at least one idea that goes beyond book LITERARY LICENSE Fiction has to stand on the merit of the reviews. ©2006, Society of Midland Authors, P.O. Box 10419, Chicago, IL 60610 work itself, but many non-fiction books Feature Story. Of course, you’d like lend themselves to a variety of publicity this story to be all about you. However, in Editor: Richard Frisbie, Suite 104, possibilities. case your contact doesn’t realize your 445 W. Erie St., Chicago, IL 60610 Crispin won’t touch “me toos,”–books greatness, try suggesting another topic and Phone: 312/397-0992 on subjects already well-covered. offer your expertise as a resource. Fax: 312/255-9865 Books editors aren’t “callous and Contributed Article. A contributed [email protected] horrible,” Reed said. There’s just so little article is a win-win for you and editors. time, so little space, so many books. They get a free article, which saves them Associate Editor: money and time, and you get to display Carol Jean Carlson BOOK PUBLICIST REVEALS your expertise and mention your book in SECRETS OF THE TRADE the byline. Literary License accepts BY TOM CIESIELKA Chapter Excerpt. This variation on the appropriate advertising inserts. For information, contact the editor. TC PUBLIC RELATIONS contributed article demands even less work It’s true that interacting with the media from you. It also gives readers a great idea www.midlandauthors.com takes organization, skill and innovation. of what the actual book is like. Make sure Training, research methods and pitching you get permission from your publisher techniques also help. However, what you before using an excerpt. rarely hear from publicists is that at heart, Event Listing. Many people discover PR is a lot simpler than you might think. It authors from book signings or speaking Not to Be Missed is basically the art of building relationships events. Let the local papers or magazines Bill Ott, editor of the ALA’s Booklist, to spread ideas. know when you will be out and about, and recently gave Robert Hellenga’s The Although simple, these relational rules they can tell potential readers when and Sixteen Pleasures (paperback, Delta, 1995) are key in connecting with the media and where to see you. a rave review in the Collection building the relationships to help you get Sidebar. Editors love ready-to-go Development section of American the coverage you deserve. sidebars. Suggest a funny or unusual idea Libraries. Say “Please” and “Thank You.” Like that you could write about, and put together It was among several books most people, media contacts don’t like some quick tips on the matter. recommended for reading by anyone rudeness. While it’s important to be direct, Book reviews are great, and you should planning a trip to Italy. Hellenga’s novel, take a friendly tone and make sure to let pursue them whenever possible. However, his first, centers on a young American book them know you appreciate their time and keep your other opportunities in mind. Let restorer who travels to Florence after the attention. your media contacts know that you can be a 1966 flood. The story recounts her affair Ask First, Make Pitches Later. Show resource for them in many ways, and take with a middle-aged man and her discovery consideration by asking your contact what advantage of a wide range of publicity of a 16th century volume of erotic he or she is looking for at the time. Instead options. engravings. of just throwing your thoughts at the media, Ott contends that the book presents “an listen and offer your book or your ideas as almost tactile sense of Florence,” and a helpful resource. CAROL’S IN-BOX advises “even if you have no interest in Keep in Touch. Polite persistence is BY CAROL JEAN CARLSON going to Florence, don’t miss this book.” crucial in building a rewarding relationship The Sixteen Pleasures won the SMA with the media. Drop regular notes when award for Adult Fiction in 1995 for books you see information they might be Chicago Map Exhibit published in 1994. interested in or to ask what they are Robert Remer and his wife Katie working on. This keeps you “top of mind” recently loaned the Edgewater Historical A Foray Into the Judicial World when they need a comment on your area of Society a collection of maps that was on Scott Turow’s latest, Limitations expertise. exhibit at the society’s museum from Oct. (Picador, 2006), focuses on Kindle County Success with the media hinges on your 13 to Dec. 16. Appeals Court Judge George Mason, ability to connect and build relationships. The map collection is the result of years described by Turow as a “tall, trim, gray- Take these extra steps to help your media and years of accumulation and grew out of haired…standard issue white guy.” (Kindle contact think of you as an ally, and to the Remers’ passion for collecting books County is a fictitious county in Illinois that provide you with coverage that puts your on Chicago. bears a strong resemblance to Cook name and ideas in front of your target Remer points out that assembling the County.) audience. exhibit “taught [him] how important maps Turow introduced Kindle County and Your Publicity Buffet are in art, history and life.” Mason in his earlier novel, Personal The press is a smorgasbord of potential The oldest map in the collection is from Injuries. More novella than novel, placements if you are willing to think 1781. The exhibit also included a map of Limitations originally ran as a series in the outside of the “book review box.” Once the “burnt district” following the Chicago Sunday New York Times Magazine.