Getting Ready For Signings, Part 2

I liked Excaliber because of its atmosphere (I just wish it was promoted a little better and had a couple MC's through out the night.)

He likes it so much he doesn't bother spelling their name right.

Coach could tell you that too along with Scot Savage. I wish I had more gear for this but with family emergencies made it really hard to promote it -- when I did 2005 I had all of Coal City promoting the project and the show. My grandmother was in the hospital during the whole time I should been making radio appearances and all of that.

See, he blamed his lack of preparedness last year as well as his poor sales on his family's health, as if he isn't the cause of their stress.

This time around I will be making a radio appearance and this time around I do have a radio station interested in some part doing giveaways. This is the hardest part when the project is finished and promotion. If you have friends who are in bands and have a CD out or a buddy who is an actor with a DVD out -- you know exactly what I am talking about here.

Again, to anyone patiently waiting to be paid by him, and for that chick whom he gave one dollar over the cost of the book to, he his giving the fucking books away. 1) He has to pay for those, in case you wonder where his money goes, and 2) he is always giving them away, which is one of a hundred reasons he can't sell them. Oh, and he bitched about his roommate giving them away the hypocrite.

I got one friend from high school wanting to become a write and suggesting don't anything really light right away. Night clubs are your best friend in getting it out there especially when you got friends playing larger venues, give them a copy of your book if you have plenty to give. If they are cool enough to buy a copy of it even better; this came back seven fold in securing my first MC gig because one of the members of Withering Soul was showing the anthology to the other bands involved. The copy being shown around was the one I gave to III and the guys in Neutral Red.

See? What did I just say? I mean we all know the only way the books will move is if he gives them away, which he is always doing. It's a way to promote his own name, not his fellow authors, and to make friends. This bit him in the ass last summer when a number of his freebies turned up on the web being burned by multiple people.

It helps to know a few promoters,

I'm sure it does. Too bad he doesn't.

because they can help set something up because if you're on a print on demand vehicle you don't have many options unless you get on a waiting list to do a local author night. I read at Twilight Tales twice in 8 years. The first time was on March 5, 2001, then six years later that same day. I plan to read there again but wait until I have one of the stories I wanted to read tested a few times live. There is one I wanted to read live and it's titled Greetings From The Bible Belt -- I didn't have much time because I was the last author on and got there really late. I needed at least 35 minutes to read the thing but only had 20 to work with.

And it was a train wreck. Here is a blast from his past: His first reading was something he wrote that night which I will post here if you all want to see it. He wrote it on the fly and it shows. Very pathetic response to his first reading too. There were some polite claps, but they were quiet and few. He won't admit to the public what I just said, and he'll call me a liar. Trust me, my recollection of that evening is different than his because mine is true.

If I remember right there are few of you who were from the class who said they like to read horror stories, well I am about to toss this one up on the WritersCafe.org. With that being said -- always have some kind of freebie you can toss up on site if you have a laptop with you at the venue -- you can show them were they can read your work or pick up a project if you're nearly out of your backstock. (This happened at Gothicfest 2007, sold out every copy of the smaller paperback versions of a Tabloid Purposes.)

Odd, he told us the opposite before. I'm going to post this article then go try and find where he said otherwise. All goes well tomorrow this sentence will have a link to his much bleaker recollection of that evening.

They might not sell online but when I have them on me -- I can't hang onto them fast enough.

Because you give them away dumb shit. Their new owners can't burn them fast enough. Also, "can't hang on to them fast enough" is one of the stupidest phrases I have ever seen period. The "fast enough" applies to selling them, not hanging onto them dumb shit.

Even when I want to save a copy for a contributor that ends up getting sold to Mr. MarteeeN Atkins.

Aw, he wants to hang on to a copy for the contributors, but has to sell them. Sound chivalrous? Then read the next sentence.

I always have that one copy I save for indie record labels especially if they want to do coverage for a heavy metal magazine about the book. I remember the first time I did Tabloid Purposes, and this was right before my reunion they actually tossed up my information with the anthology in Metal Edge If you have that connection or some other connections use them.)

See? He always has one for record labels, but you Mr or Mrs Contributor, well he had to sell your copy.

Helps to be a little controversial,

Yeah your career is benefiting from everything you do.

but at the same time in your controversial tone try to play it somewhat save if you're just starting out. Coach did a very cool thing by maiking it safe for the faith community to write the kind of stories that would normally appear in the small press counterparts. So if Coach doesn't mind I am going to put his anthology as an illustration of the success of a particular anthology out there. There is an audience for dark faith based horror as there is an audience for what some of us in the micro-press does. He did an anthology that is even scarier when you blast a heavy metal album over it. I've seen anthologies where they a have a horror writer who listens to that American Idol crap. I wonder how could someone create something so visceral listen to something not so viseral. If you write horror, be fucking visceral. Think of the most hostile environment and create a story that is an invitation to a brawl. If you live third shift this also helps in the dimension with it.

I hope Coach doesn't mind you using him and his work either because you once again used him and it to promote yourself. If I remember correctly, Coach didn't approve of me using his name, but at the same time I could have sworn he also said he didn't appreciate Nicky doing it either when he left a comment over at Rusty Nail.