We're in the habit of holding author appearances in unusual places, so why stop now

This year Emily and I will be vendors, at the 2017 Avilla Freedom Festival. My very first book signing was at a 2011 First Friday event in Albion, so we've been outside before, and we've been in vendor-type festival situations before. The change this time is that we're going long term--three days straight, June 22-24.

That's quite a challenge for us--especially Saturday, which goes all day. The longest book signing we've ever done was, I believe, five hours. I have this figured as being something like twenty hours, total. I'm worried about how much interest we'll get, but it has the advantage of being in a town where we've never had a signing before. (And the disadvantage that I'm probably not all that well known there. Although on the other hand the paper that publishes my column, 4County Mall, is based in Avilla.) It also has the advantage of being our first signing since the release of Radio Red.

I hope you'll all join us. Naturally we'll have some discount prices and deals, and we're also going to figure out some giveaway stuff ... but even if you don't come to buy, don't let us be lonely for all that time! Stop by and say hello, and stay for all the other stuff going on. After all, it's an entire festival, not to mention a car, truck, and motorcycle show.

http://www.avillafreedomfestival.com/

Selling stacks of books outside in early Indiana summer. What could possibly go wrong?

 

I can't say we did all that well at our most recent author appearance ... in fact, we took a loss, because I bought some stuff myself. My theory is that we went to the well too often: All three of this year's book signings happened within six months, and within less than a mile of each other. In addition, it was our third trip to the Noble Art Gallery, which is still the only business that sells signed copies of all our print books. (Including Hoosier Hysterical.)

 

But that's the way it goes, and sometimes the connections and promotion work has more down-the-road benefits than the appearances themselves. Besides, now I can use this to guilt people into buying our books, which (by the way) make great Christmas gifts.

 

Besides, Dan Gagen had some Albion related books out on display, and a collection of old issues from The Noble County American, the Albion newspaper his father ran for something like a billion years, so I spent my time in historical hog heaven. I even found a thirty-five year old photo of myself, which I may or may not someday show people. And the view from his front window is something else:

 

If you look closely, you'll see members of the Albion Lions Club selling citrus on the Noble County Courthouse Square. I sneaked over and got my orange/grapefruit mix box.

 

The view looking inside ain't so bad, either. See anything you're interested in?

 

You want art? 100 E. Main Street, Albion. You're welcome.

 

Note the table made of books. I have several towers of books stacked around my house, but they weren't intended as furniture.

 

It’s the last book signing of the year! And a cover reveal! And the day before the snowstorm, so don’t you want to get out for awhile?

Okay, with only a few weeks left in the year that first part’s not so remarkable—but still. Hope to see you all between 1-5 p.m. today at the Noble Art Gallery in downtown Albion—and while you’re there, head across to the courthouse square and get some oranges and grapefruit from the Lions Club. Pick me up a mix box, would you?

Remember, every time you miss an author appearance a snowman melts. Save Frosty.

Just as a reminder, the Noble Art Gallery in Albion is the only place where you can go in person to buy all the books we have out in print, whether we’re there or not. Well, the only one I know of. Add that to all the other artists who have their work up for sale there, and you can see why it’s an important business to support—just like we should be supporting all local businesses.
Snow willing, Emily and I will be there tomorrow from 1-5 p.m., to sign books, say hello, and show off the new book cover. Please stop by and see us at the old Black Building, 100 E. Main Street. Remember, every time you skip an author appearance, an artist paints a mime. If you think white mimes are scary, wait until you see a painted one.

 

 

In this photo, police block main roads and crowds begin to line up days in advance of Mark R Hunter’s author appearance at the Noble Art Gallery. The first person in line told reporters, “I’m actually just here to ask his wife Emily how she puts up with his genius eccentricities.” Several thousand people were expected …

 

 

Okay, not really; the photo is from the Albion Christmas parade. But that is where we’ll be this coming Saturday, from 1-5 p.m.—the old Black Building at 100 E. Main Street, now the Noble Art Gallery.

We’ll have all our books, including the latest one, Hoosier Hysterical: How the West Became the Midwest Without Moving At All. Also, we just finished printing out the front and back covers of our newest book, so you can get a look at it far ahead of the scheduled March 7th release date. No police line required.

Apparently the interview with me ran on 93.1 WIBC: Early yesterday I received a small flurry of book orders through the website, and at the same time my Amazon author ranking suddenly jumped to higher than it’s been since February, 2014. (And no, I have no idea what happened in February, 2014.)

It just goes to show: You never know when your promotion efforts are going to pay off. And I still don’t know. When a media outlet receives a press release, is it picked up, as in this case, by someone with an interest in history, humor, and trivia? Or does my e-mail get opened the next day by someone whose girlfriend just broke up with them? Who saw the title Hoosier Hysterical just after being called “hysterical” by that very same girlfriend? Who finds subtitles offensive? Holy cow—all my non-fiction works have a subtitle! I might as well call my next book Kiss of Death: How Subtitles Ruined My Writing Career.

I can always find a way to turn good news into paralyzing fear.

That’s why I do book signings, even though the time put into planning and promotion doesn’t usually match the income: You never know what it will lead to. One person hears about it even if they don’t attend; they tell a friend who’s into that kind of writing; they buy a book, then another that they give to their friend, who just happens to be the cousin of a New York book editor; and bam! Six figure contract.

It could happen.

Plus, it’s fun to meet people, even if it’s people you already know. But that brings me full circle, because if people don’t know about the book signing … well, there you go. That’s why I say things like “Come to the Noble Art Gallery in Albion, this Saturday between 1-5 p.m.!” It’s not because I want to annoy you. It’s to open up the possibilities.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1024817860997691/

Traditionally I post my author appearance press releases here, and is this not a traditional time of the year? So here's what I sent out to various newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, and all the ships at sea, and it might even end up being used somewhere. If you want to use it--you're welcome to.

However, I would discourage you from starting up your own TV station for the sole purpose of displaying my press release on the screen. You'd be surprised at the initial investment, plus there's the whole part about actual programming.

 

 

 

 

December 11th will mark the 200th anniversary of the state of Indiana’s formation, and two Hoosier authors are celebrating a day early with an appearance in downtown Albion.

 

Mark R. Hunter’s newest book, written with his wife Emily, is all about Indiana, and created with the bicentennial in mind. Hoosier Hysterical: How the West Became the Midwest Without Moving At All, is a tongue-in-cheek look at Hoosier History, personalities, and trivia. The Hunters spent almost two years researching and touring the state, and the book is illustrated with photos they took on their travels.

 

The Hunters already collaborated on two local history books: Images of America: Albion and Noble County, and Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights: A Century or So With the Albion Fire Department. In addition, Mark Hunter has five other published books, four of them fictional works set in Indiana.

 

Mark and Emily will be appearing from 1-5 p.m. December 10th at the Noble Art Gallery, 100 E. Main Street, in Albion. The gallery holds the works of artist/owner Dan Gagen, as well as over twenty other area talents, and features items ranging from wall art to jewelry and pottery. They also have the books by the Hunters, who have visited twice before.

 

In addition, the event will serve to unveil Mark Hunter’s newest novel, which is scheduled to be published March 7, 2017 by Torrid books. Hunter hasn’t announced the book’s title, but its cover has been approved and will be on display at the appearance, along with all of his previous books.

 

 

Hoosier Hysterical and all the Hunters’ books can be found at http://markrhunter.com/, and on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Mark-R-Hunter/e/B0058CL6OO.

 

 

Mark R Hunter can also be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter/, and on Twitter at @MarkRHunter

 

 

 

 

In an earlier post I mentioned trying to come up with original ideas to promote author appearances; I’ve now done over 734 thousand of them, and have a new one coming up December 10th. My newest book, as all fourteen of my regular readers know, is Hoosier Hysterical, a humorous look at the history, people, and trivia of Indiana. The signing at the Noble Art Gallery will be the third since Hoosier Hysterical came out, and also the third appearance I’ve put in at Dan Gagen’s gallery in downtown Albion.
 
What hook could I use to get people to come? The first thing I thought of is to have the cover reveal of my new novel there, and that’s great, but I wanted something more.
 
Then I realized the bicentennial of Indiana’s official formation is December 11th—just one day after the book signing.
 
And what inspired me to write the book was the upcoming bicentennial.
 
Say it with me, now: “Duh.”
 
So, the Facebook event details are now on my FB writer’s page, along with the hooks. While you’re checking it out, please like my page!
 

 
A view from the Noble Art Gallery. Well, actually a view from the middle of the street. Boy, were the other drivers mad.
It can be hard to find new ways to promote author appearances, especially when they happen close together. In this case, that’s close together in distance—the next one’s less than a mile from the last one, and only three and a half weeks later. The advantage is that they’re in different kinds of places, moving from a library to an art gallery.
 
At the same time, I’ve been planning an announcement concerning my next writing project. Right now few people know about it, except those who subscribe to our newsletter. So I was faced with two questions: How to get people to our next book signing, and when to make the big official publishing announcement.
 
You might already know where this is going. You might have thought of it way before I did, but when it comes to promotion I can be a little slow.
 
The cover art has already been approved for the new book, so I thought, hey – cover … art! And we’re going to an art gallery! So the official unveiling of the cover art for the book, which is titled ********, will be at the Noble Art Gallery, 100 E. Main Street in Albion from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, December 10th. And you’ll know the title then, ‘cause it’ll be on the cover. We’ll also have the back cover, so you’ll know what the book is about. And, of course, we’ll have all our already published books, including my current favorite, Hoosier Hysterical.
 
Speaking of supporting local businesses, their Facebook page is here:  https://www.facebook.com/nobleartgallery.
 
Now, let’s face it: They’ll have way better art there than what will be on the cover of my newest novel. Just the same, aren’t you just a little curious? Sure you are. If not, could you pretend to be for my sake? Thanks.
 
 

Thanks to everyone at the Noble County Public Library who made us feel at home in the main branch, in Albion. We had a great time! Some friends stopped to visit, and we sold close to two dozen books.

 

Now--get this--we're going to do the whole thing all over again. Yep, we'll be appearing December 10th at the Noble Art Gallery, also in Albion (at 100 E. Main Street). Details to follow, naturally, but they're the only place where you can regularly buy all of our books, so please support the gallery and all its wonderful art.

 

And ... we'll have something for you to see when we appear. A surprise. *evil laugh* Now, library photos:

 

Here's the table Emily set up. It was a great location!

 

Here's a look at the inside of the library. It gives you a warm feeling during the day, although when night falls it seems a little dark.
(I mean, even with the lights on.)
 
Plus a great view through that big window!

 
Here's Emily's iPad photo of how everything looked after she set it up! All I had to do was sit there and look pretty. I mean, handsome.

 

    One of the reasons why so many adults are miserable is because we so often give up what
we like to do, in favor of what we think we should do.
 
It’s why I don’t make fun of most hobbies, as long as they’re not damaging property or people. As the old saying goes, give a man a fish and he eats once; teach a man to fish and he’s out of your hair for hours. You want to paint your face and scream your lungs out at a football game? Go for it. You want to dress up as a wizard and play a board game? I don’t see how that’s any sillier than painting your face, and at least you’re indoors.
 
What I loved to do was go to the library. All those books! Rows and rows of shelves and shelves, each filled with dozens of new worlds to explore. No matter how I pictured my life in the future, I knew I’d someday have a library all my own—an entire room with nothing but books.
 
Well, I’m halfway there: I have enough books to stock a room, but unfortunately they’re spread out in stacks and boxes all over the house. Someday.
 
I guess that’s expected, of a writer. What I didn’t expect was getting so busy doing adult things that I stopped going to the library. On a related subject, nobody warned me that being a writer would eat into my reading. There are those days—days when I get still another rejection letter, or a list of edits, or a lonely book signing—when I think I could give up writing, in order to get more reading time.
 
Then I’d be back at the library, for sure.
 
When I was a teenager the Noble County Public Library’s main branch was on the courthouse square, just a few blocks from where I lived. The back part was a Carnegie Library, one of those buildings funded decades ago by a rich guy who saw a need and helped fill it. The front part was newer, but featured big picture windows where someone could sit and look out over the courthouse. That’s where the magazines and newspapers were, and I read a lot of those.
 
I had to, once I ran through every book.
 
A person can read at home, as I usually do these days. But there’s something about a library. The smell of books, the look of them, especially the old ones. The feeling that you’re with others who might also love books, or at least appreciate them. There were microfilms full of history, plus atlases, huge dictionaries, encyclopedias pre-internet. Oh, and records—those vinyl disk things, you remember.
 
When I moved out on my own, one of my few belongings was a record player the size of a console TV. (A console TV, it was … oh, never mind. It was huge.) I’d take home some classical music records (and a stack of books), and play them while writing stories on my old manual typewriter. (A manual typewriter? … get your grandmother to explain.)
 
I’d probably still be a reader if there were no libraries—my parents saw to that—but I’m not sure I would have ever become a writer.
 
It might seem a little strange that I’m having a book signing this Wednesday at that same library, in its new location. I mean, that’s where you go to get your books for free, right? And there I am, trying to sell some. But I figure, that’s where the book lovers go. Besides, I owe all libraries, especially this one, and maybe this is my chance to pay them back a little, with some publicity and even a few walk-ins who wouldn’t be there otherwise. Or, maybe the library is just helping me again.
 
But either way, I get to spend a few hours there. And with all our adult responsibilities these days, it’s nice to go somewhere we want to be.
 

Here's a look at the press release I sent out for next Wednesday's author appearance; feel free to send it to your own newspaper, radio station, or TV station, and by your own I mean if you own it, I'm free for interviews. If you own several, I'm free for syndication. And if you run a blog that features writers, I'm just free. The books aren't free ... but they're cheap, just like me.
 
 
 
A husband and wife writing team are coming to the Noble County Public Library’s main branch in Albion this November, to help introduce their newest book.
 
Mark R. Hunter and Emily Hunter will be at the library in Albion Wednesday, November 16, from 3-7 p.m. They spent almost two years roaming Indiana to produce Hoosier Hysterical: How the West Became the Midwest Without Moving at All. Written to celebrate Indiana’s bicentennial, the tongue-in-cheek book pokes fun at Hoosier History and trivia.
 
Although Mark did most of the writing and got his name on the cover, he insists his wife did most of the work: Emily designed the cover, formatted and edited the book, traveled around the state with him on research missions, then edited and added photos they took along the way.
 
Despite all the research, the Hunters say the book is mainly for fun or, as they put it in the forward, “So sit back and learn something fun about history. When you’re done, read this book.”
 
The pair previously collaborated on two local history books: Images of America: Albion and Noble County, and Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights: A Century or So With the Albion Fire Department. They also put together a collection of Mark’s humor columns, Slightly Off the Mark. Mark is also a humor columnist and the author of three novels: Storm Chaser, The Notorious Ian Grant, and The No-Campfire Girls, as well as the story collection Storm Chaser Shorts. All of their printed works will be available at the appearance.
 
Hoosier Hysterical and all the Hunters’ books can be found at http://markrhunter.com/, and on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Mark-R-Hunter/e/B0058CL6OO.
 
 
Mark R Hunter can be reached by e-mail at markrichardhunter@gmail.com.
 
 He can also be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter/, and on Twitter at @MarkRHunter
 
Two years ago the Noble County Public Library hosted me for a book signing at their Albion branch. We were prepared for everything but the weather, which dumped an ice storm on us that day. People should not leave their houses during an ice storm, not even for books (although I did sell a few).
 
The nice people at the library said they’d make it up to me by hosting another author appearance, but I never got around to scheduling one—until now. The date we picked this time was November 16, before the holidays start in earnest but hopefully after everyone’s recovered from the election. And, most importantly, it would be well before our really crappy weather usually sets in, so we’d avoid another icy interruption.
 
Or at least that’s what I thought, until I checked the date of that previous signing two years ago: November 17.
 
I don’t think one day is going to make that much of a difference, so … fingers crossed.
Just the same, we hope to see everyone at the library on Wednesday, November 16, from 3-7 p.m. We’ll sign and sell books, answer questions or comments (as long as they’re not about the election), and smile. Keep us company!
 
Remember, every time a writer gets lonely in public, the ghost of Edger Allen Poe’s ghost haunts a raven. Save a raven’s sanity.
 

I scheduled a book signing for November 16th under the theory that by then Election Day madness would be all over but the shouting. What didn’t occur to me was that promoting the appearance might be drown out by that very same election hoopla. In all the fuss, and with so many of the smart people who read books avoiding social media (told you they were smart), will anyone even know about it? The author appearance, not the election.

It could be a very lonely four hours (at the library in Albion, 3-7 p.m.). But I persevere, because surely people want to give books as gifts—they’re so much more entertainment than “Don’t blame me, I voted for neither of them” bumper stickers. 

Ah, but I promised to tell you who’s going to win the election. Easy: Once the cemetery votes are in, Hillary Clinton will handily win the Electoral College in what will be termed a blowout. She’ll squeak by in the popular vote in what will be termed a mandate, with a few states being too close to call but most of those going to her in the end. Most networks will call it by around 10 p.m. Florida will be called by around December. 

This is not a political opinion, by the way: Just a prediction. While I have a great personal dislike for Clinton, I also have a great personal dislike for Trump, so at the moment (it’s late Sunday as I write this), I’m mostly just numb. Those of you who like her politics, be comforted by this: Some of our better political leaders were unsavory people, in one way or another. 

And we now live in a country where anyone, of any race or gender, could be elected president, so there’s that. Race or gender is a poor reason to vote for someone, but it’s also a poor reason to vote against someone.

We just got confirmed for an author appearance at the Noble County Public Library’s main branch, in Albion. Emily and I both plan to be there (with bunches of books), from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, November 16. More detail will follow, but mark your calendars … or, Mark and Emily your calendars … whatever makes you remember it.

ozma914: (Default)
( Oct. 9th, 2016 04:35 pm)
 I'm thinking I should probably have an author's appearance sometime soon, to correspond with the early stages of Christmas shopping season. I've only had one so far this year--probably my lowest number since I first got published.
 
What do you think? I haven't contacted anyone about it yet, but I'd imagine something could be set up to benefit my host. And do you prefer your author appearances to be just book signings, or something else, such as readings or Q&A's?
Here are a few photos on my blog from last Saturday’s author appearance at the ALL-IN Block Party. It was a 200th birthday party for Indiana, and my new humor book is about Indiana, so showing up was pretty much a given.

http://markrhunter.blogspot.com/2016/06/all-in-author-booth-photos_30.html

I’ll post some other photos from the overall event later.
ozma914: (Default)
( Jun. 28th, 2016 04:47 pm)
          Well, Saturday was the official debut of our eighth—count ‘em, eight—published work in just five years. That doesn’t by itself explain my exhaustion, but it helps. The good news is that it didn’t blow rain in on fifteen writers sitting under a canopy, and we also didn’t set any high temperature records, and a good time seemed to be had by all.

 

Still, we didn’t sell all that many copies of Hoosier HystericalPart of that might be that everyone’s attention was split, with so many things going on at once for the ALL-IN Block Party. We did get some sales—about sixteen, if my counting is correct, spread out over all the books.

 

The surprise for me is that we sold two copies of the anthology My Funny Valentine, which I have a humor piece in. Kind of a seasonal thing—and since I only have one humor piece in that anthology, I don’t even count it as one of mine. If you include it and my short story in the anthology Strange Portals, you could argue I actually have ten books out. I wouldn’t, but you could.

 

Anyway, between spending the day outside without hydrating and an ill-timed lawn mowing experience the next day I got a bit too much heat—which also helps explain the exhaustion—but I’m glad I was able to experience Noble County’s own celebration of Indiana’s birthday. I still haven’t had a chance to download the photos yet, but they’re coming.



The Welcome Center for the Noble County ALL-IN Block Part opens at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday), and the opening ceremony is from 9:30-10 a.m. After that all the Community Partner Booths open, including the 15 (or maybe 16!) authors at the Noble County libraries location, on the southwest corner of the courthouse square in Albion. The entertainment goes on until 3 p.m. 

Emily and I tend to be night owls, so be there early to help us stay awake! In addition to our newest book, Hoosier Hysterical, we’ll have copies of all seven of our print books available. Only my e-book story collection, Storm Chaser Shorts, is not available in print.

Hoosier Hysterical is priced at only $10, even with all the photos … and don’t be surprised if we have some deals going for those who want multiple books.

 

ozma914: (Default)
( Jun. 22nd, 2016 06:43 pm)
I’m not sure if I mentioned this—my original promotion plan being in flux—but we did indeed receive our print order of Hoosier Hysterical. Stop worrying! We’ll have plenty of copies available at the ALL-IN Block Party in Albion Saturday, in addition to the book being out on Kindle. You know you were worried, admit it.
 
Looks like it’ll be a warm day, which is code for a hot day, so get there before all our books melt … then go see the entertainment, eat the food, see the sights, and enjoy the day around the courthouse square. Believe me, at least for authors doing an outside book signing, heat beats rain any day.


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