Do you have a simple childhood memory that you could never forget?
My mother would read to my brother and me every night. The most memorable book was Call of the Wild by Jack London.
How did you discover that you wanted to be a writer?
I was in the first grade and wrote a poem about the janitor Mr. Truax… can you believe that I remember that? I got such encouragement from my teachers and my parents it must have stuck in my mind.
What are some of the most profound "shower thoughts" you've had?
None I can repeat here… but seriously, there’s a long list of ideas that have come from the shower. Most importantly I’ve noticed that I have clear thoughts on resolving an issue, or formulating a letter. It’s quite amazing.
What's the most awesome book title you've ever read?
The most influential book on my life was Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss which was given to me by my wife. It’s responsible for helping me to create and develop my book marketing and book publicity business into the success it has become.
How was Westwind Book Marketing started?
My firm was in general PR and marketing for many years. I worked with doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, tech start ups etc. One day a romance author contacted me to promote her book. It was the beginning of a great lifelong pursuit. But, before that I was approached in college to promote a book called “Howard Hughes the Hidden Years” which was how the world found out about his eccentricities. Ten years later books became my main focus.
How much did you research while writing your book, Book Title Generator: A Proven System in Naming Your Book?
I’ve been writing about topics for authors for 20 years. The titling of a book is one of the most important. With the advent of Amazon, Google and the power of ‘search’ it was quite apparent the old way to title a book was out of date. So I set out to study the best titles in the business, interview authors on the process and create a system for titling a book that all authors should review before they title their own books.
What are some ways to come up with a good book title?
I have 96 pages on this topic in my book but, in a nutshell, first determine the audience. Ask what search term or phrase people use to find your book. Use that term in your title or subtitle. Evaluate the competition in the space. Determine the genre of your new book. Create memorable titles using idioms, numbers and alliteration.
Did you expect 'Book Title Generator' to become a multi-award-winning book?
I did expect to win awards but I did not expect to win nine awards to date. That was a pleasant surprise. One thing I noticed over the years was how the media perked up when they found out a book we were promoting had won an award. There’s a certain cache that goes along with winning an award boosting it in the eyes of everyone who hears about it.
As a publicist, how do you differentiate between public relations, marketing, and advertising?
Marketing is the overall umbrella under which public relations, publicity and advertising fall. The reason authors seek my help is that an article in a newspaper or magazine or an interview on TV, radio or a podcast is a third-party endorsement which carries more credibility than a paid ad. Furthermore, paid ads are very expensive and not usually affordable or even practical for most authors. An ad a little larger than a business card in the NY Times Sunday Book Review is about $10,000.
What's the best way to get media coverage for your pre-launch start-up?
For each of our client’s book we create an electronic press kit with a pitch letter, press release, a synopsis or logline, excerpts, and media questions. We try to make it easy for members of the media to say yes to an interview. We then target members of the media most likely to be interested in a particular book. We create angles that tie a book into breaking news or topics in the news.
The media does not exist to promote your book. They exist to entertain and inform their audience. The mistake many authors make is creating too much of a hard-sell in the pitch which turns off the media. Book publicity is a little art and science and is why authors hire my firm.
What are your plans for the future as a writer? Are you working on anything new?
I frequently add new articles for authors to my blog www.Book-Publicist.com. I am inspired by my clients and their successes and strive to keep focused on delivering results. The book business changes every day and the methods to promote books evolve at a faster pace now than ever before. So we are constantly trying new techniques which I incorporate in my articles to share with authors.
My next book will be useful to authors no doubt… stay tuned. People can connect with me at www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com
What do you think of AllAuthor? Has this website been helpful to you?
I’ve been very impressed with the services delivered and the creative graphics and placements. I recommend your services to all authors.
