On Discouragement and One Last ARC Contest
I’ve been moping around this box of ARCs for over a month now, some have gone out for contest prizes and stuff, but the bulk of them are intended for book bloggers, reviewers and booksellers. So, why haven’t I sent them? One, it costs a lot. Two, I’m not sure how effective it is to send the book out to booksellers I don’t know personally. Kind of feels like I’m spamming them, and even when I do make a connection, there’s no assurance that attempt leads to orders.
Here’s an example. I was lucky enough to get a list of independent booksellers from a friend, and I sent out 50 copies to these folks last year for Road Trip of the Living Dead’s release, but this year at a convention, when I approached one of these booksellers who I’d made a concerted effort to contact and get an ARC into their hands, I found they hadn’t even ordered a token copy to have on hand for the con. So I looked around at the other booksellers and found, or rather didn’t find, a single copy of either Happy Hour of the Damned or Road Trip of the Living Dead. Discouraging? Um yeah. So the third reason I haven’t sent them out is, I’m pretty discouraged.
What’s worse is, I love independent book stores. Whenever I see one, I make a point to go in and check out their stock. 99% of the time, I don’t find my book and every time it happens, I’m discouraged. Every. Time.
I don’t mean for this post to be all doom and gloom, but I could certainly use some help folks. A while back, I got my royalty statement for Happy Hour’s first year of sales (it takes 6 months before we authors get actual figures on sales, depending on the release date, longer). Before I even opened it, I knew it was not going to be good news. We’re all aware of slumping sales and such. Yes Romance and scifi/fantasy sales are favorable, but not for trade paperbacks priced at twice the cost of a mass market paperback. I’ve read tons of thoughts on the subject and the consensus is that the trade paperback format hobbles an urban fantasy novel. I believe it. Publishers don’t have a crystal ball, I know, and it takes a village to market a book and set a price and format and all that, but really, what I’m getting at is those numbers suuuuuuuuucked (yes, that’s an actual word).
It was about that time that my frequent blogging took a nose dive. I’d only started blogging as a suggestion from an editor I’d met at a conference, and yeah I enjoyed it, but the purpose was always supposed to be promotion. That’s, of course, rarely the case with me, since I seem to be much more interested in talking about zombie movies or mocking my neighbors, which in itself is promotion, I guess. But it all gets back to discouragement. Or rather, how I deal with it.
It seems I don’t. I back away. I look for distractions. I try to forget that if Happy Hour did so poorly and was released before the bottom fell out of publishing where does that put the numbers for Road Trip? I also coauthor a screenplay, change my name and work on YA projects, but that’s a whole other conversation. A more hopeful one, but one I’m not going into publicly yet.
I hate feeling this way, let alone spewing it out on you guys. I tend to be pretty upbeat and I’ve really enjoyed the opportunities, friends and experiences that have come from being published, for the most part. I wouldn’t change a thing about the decisions I’ve made. But, the power of positive thinking only goes so far.
So where does all that leave me? Well, Happy Hour of the Damned is being giving a “second chance,” so to speak, as a mass market paperback, which comes out on January 23rd. So Amanda gets a glossy version of the original cover and a welcome $6.99 cover price. A month later, Battle of the Network Zombies comes out with a revisioned cover that’s more “graphic” and comic, which is fitting considering the graphic sex and comic stuff inside. If, and I’m hoping that’s a generous “if,” Happy Hour does well in the new format, we might just see some more Amanda books. I’m hoping this is the case, I love my editor and I love Amanda, but the profit and loss statement overrides any lovefests.
What can you do? Save Amanda Feral!!!
Get the word out!
Here’s the deal. I’ll give up two ARCs of Battle of the Network Zombies, some swag and other such stuff, TBD (sometimes that means really cool stuff). And all you have to do is two of the following…
1. Post a brief review of Happy Hour of the Damned or Road Trip of the Living Dead on Amazon/B&N/Borders and then let me know in a comment to this thread (either here or on livejournal). To date, Road Trip only has 9 reviews on Amazon. NINE!!!
2. Pre-order the mmpb of Happy Hour of the Damned, or Battle of the Network Zombies, pick up a copy of Road Trip of the Living dead at the all new BARGAIN PRICE of $6.00 at Amazon, and email me a copy of the confirmation. Already have yours? They make great gifts for your snarky friends. If you don’t have snarky friends, then get some.
3. Blog about the upcoming releases with links to the pre-order pages and tell me all about it. Feel free to use the Save Amanda Feral banner to link back to this post.
4. Order a signed and personalized copy of any of the books from the University Bookstore in Seattle. On the payment page, simply input, “Please send me a personalized signed copy (or copies). Contact Duane Wilkins and author for arrangements.” In the comment box and I’ll come out and write something snarky in your book and get it back to you ASAP. Again, let me know that’s in the works in this thread and we’ll be good to go.
Contest is closed!
Winners Lisa Kersten and Velvet.
Goooooo!!!!
Mark, You are not alone. Just know that I feel your pain in a big, big way.
Good luck with the mass market release, and I can’t wait for the third book to come out.
WILL DO! I was going to write you and ask the best way to promote… I received and LOVED Battle of the Network Zombies, did a review on Goodreads, and passed it on to my book-loving daughter-in-law, but wasn’t sure what would be the most effective way to take up the banner of promoting it. Never fear, your Glamazombies will not let you down!!! We shall not rest till you have contracts for more about Amanda… and anything else you want to put your twisted, brilliant, hilarious hand to!
[...] go over to Mark Henry’s blog and help him promote the hell out of Amanda. His series is truly one of my favorites, so help save [...]
I lurve Amanda, so I’ve added this post to my news updated. On a plus side, everytime I go into any Chapters/Indigo, I see copies of the books. I’ll review them on their site and mine this week, since you’ll be over on mine Dec.
I do have a little issue with ARC’s. I noticed when I mentioned to fellow Book Bloggers that you were up for interviews, they asked if you were sending ARC’s as well. WTH happend to promoting books and not getting something for free. I understand the economy being shite, but seriously.
Already got my copies, but will but putting in an order for 4 signed copies for Christmas presents. I’m surprised that the sales are up there. I love the books.
Sadly, your plight is VERY common. Hang in there, Mark! I will do what I can to help via DatingAmy.com.
I pimp you and that flesh-eating Amanda Feral all the time. You both rock. And btw, this is a fabulous post – it’s really hard to keep up blog/promo energy all the time and I think most of us can totally relate to what you’re saying!
don’t give up! And come and talk to us book bloggers. We’d love to have you guest post on Un:Bound or do an interview or something. You’d certainly not be our first member of Team Seattle and we love you guys. Even better it won’t cost you postage and I promise to push happy hour to the top of my TBR pile to link in.
Mark, I have posted glowing reviews of both books on Amazon…which you’ll get to see in 24-48 hours, apparently. LOL
I have also blogged (well, noted, technically) on Facebook, with the link back here, since you have the pre-order links in this blog, and you really need them seeing your info to enter the contest – many birds, one link, therefore. LOL
http://bit.ly/83jsNn in case you’d like to see my note on Facebook.
Good luck, sir! I really do love Amanda & her buddies & wish you many more opportunities to tell us about her shenanigans in the future.
it’s a hard world, publishing and making money off of words. I admire you for taking the plunge and doing this full-time.
(Also, you’re a damn good writer.)
The trick, of course, is breaking through so many, many people are reading your books and recommending them to others. So far, you’ve got a foothold in that world… build it out further, keep the ball rolling, and the readers will come, yes they will.
I might remind you that Barack Obama’s first book (Dreams from My Father) did not redeem his advance and sank like a stone in the market place… and about 7 years after he wrote it (after he’d lost an election and was not going to write another book)… he decided to run again (against his wife’s advice), and Kerry asked him to speak… and someone at his publishing house thought that this nearly out of print “dud” of a book might have a second life… and it became a bestseller, the second time around. So there’s always hope.
Keep the faith! You write beautifully! Also, you are hilarious, grotesque, obscene, and nasty (also compliments
And you know how to network the hell out of the writing gig! Keep it up, Mark, you rock !!!
Thanks for all the response, support and help already guys. Good times.
Hagelrat – I’d love to do a guest post. Email: me@markhenry.us and we’ll get on that.
Justine – Yeah, sometimes they take a little bit longer to post those reviews, and others pop up immediately, you never know. But thanks!
Hopefully Amazon will keep up my review. I did use the word ass in it. Porn too. We’ll see.
Working on more later tonight.
Just finished Happy Hour last night, I loved it and now that I know you autograph through UW I will be getting my copies there!!! Looking forward to Road Trip!!!!
Snarky personalized autographs??!! I’m so there! And yeah I’ll tell the world how amazing Amanda is! Going to Amazon right after this! I talk a lot about this awesome series whenever I get the chance. So hang in there!
Mark, you know how much I love Amanda Feral (not to mention, I’m fond of you as well), so I’m on board for this endeavor! Don’t enter me in the contest, though. Save those ARCs for reader-readers.
Mark – I just started reading your books a couple of weeks ago, definitely a fan! I just finished an amazon review and I posted links and the banner on my Facebook and Twitter pages. I’d put it on my blog too but I have a feeling that only my family reads that thing haha.
Hope it helps!
Oh, Mark, I’m so sorry that the trade PB wasn’t doing well, but I DO think you’ll find a new group of people with the MMPB. Especially if they put it out in the front of the store like they do with the new MMPBs at most bookstores.
Good luck and hopefully, Amanda finds a nice home in MMPB!
I<3 Mark and Amanda too !!!
I shall post all over in the next few days, but don't enter me in the contest as much as I would LOVE to get my hands on that book early I would rather give the other fans a better chance to win it.
hmmmm funny how my last comment went into Spam.. I wonder if that has been happening to ALL my comments.
You know I lurves you and pimped you out the best I could by writing loving reviews of both books on BBB. I think they should have been posted to Amazon by Rach, but I could be wrong.
*Big Hug* I get where you’re coming from, and will happily pimp out Amanda…I love the stories and hope millions more discover her and feel the same.
(HUGS) Posted a review on Amazon.ca rather than Amazon.com. And, sadly, I was the first to review.
Will purchase RTOTD and pre-order BOTNZ as soon as I can.
Save Amanda!
Posted a review of Happy Hour on Amazon.com. Not much of a writer but gave it my best shot (and I was honest). Still need to write one for Road Trip. Will pre-order a copy of Battle after that too. Don’t bother entering me in the contest.
I have been pushing your books to everyone to the point that they believe they must read your books or they are losers. A friend at work told me she asked her family to buy her your books for Christmas gifts.
Hang in there!
Mark,
I will do what I can to tout Amanda and her crazy er ummm I mean unique lifestyle choices… yeah that is what I mean to say……
I swear I will put flyers up at every rest stop and truck stop I can from Ft. Riley Ks all the way to Ft. Irwin California…………. I will text all my reading buddies and tell them to buy your books…. I am hoping that since I am going to be abandoned in the freaking desert they had better have a kick ass book store where I can buy your books and many others… Or I may end up have a monumental temper tantrum that even Amanda and her friends would love to watch…..
Cindy Mac…
Mark,
Just placed my order for 2 copies of each through University Books. You’ll know it when you get called in for Woofer
[...] lieu of another blurp about the contest at the Enchanted Inkpot, let me draw your attention to the Save Amanda Feral campaign. If you are unfamiliar with Mark Henry’s books Happy Hour of the Damned and Road Trip of the [...]
I just pre-ordered the MMPB of HOTD.
Please don’t enter me in the contest. I just want to show more support AND see more Amanda stories in the future.
You kick ass man!
Mark,
I heard how wonderful you are from reading Michele Bardsley’s Broken Heart Series. She comments on how wonderful your books are and how you are her favorite author. I would have never come across your series if it wasn’t for her…. she deserves Kudos. By the way…. She is right, you can write your ass off!!!!!!!!!!!! Long live Amanda. I will be spreading the Amanda Joy!
Since I live in Canada, and the bookstore I work at happened to have a copy of both Happy Hour and Road Trip in trade, I picked them up rather than going through Amazon. Would a picture of the receipt emailed to you count as an entry?
Hi Bre — Yeah totally, email it to me. Literally…me. me@markhenry.us
Lisa, Michele is a doll. I’m totally grateful to both of you now!!!
Rachel — Yayyyy!!!
Cindy Mac — You are awesome, I don’t care what people say!
Wow, I let the responses to this post get away from me.
Thanks everybody for the support!!!!
[...] fellow urban fantasy writer, Mark Henry, has a special “Save Amanda Feral” campaign going on. Happy Hour of the Damned cracked me up. We simply need more Amanda [...]
I am one of the readers that lately has avoided TPB and HC…but with it coming to PB I will certainly pick it up. And review it once i receive it and read it. Much luck!
You may want to check with The Littlest Shop of Stories in Atlanta. They co-won the Neil G Halloween part for The Graveyard Book so seem to be into genre type books.
Can we have Jane and Amanda meet on my website? Because I think they’d sop each other with biscuits. Just sayin’.
Nicole – Most definitely! Though by sopping up with a biscuit, I hope you mean Amanda gets to eat some selkie shank. Cuz that would be delish!
Tanya – Thanks, hope you like it.
[...] Henry is looking for reviews for his novels Happy Hour of the Damned and Road Trip of The Living Dead. Have you read either of [...]
Hey, man! I posted your button on my sidebar with a link to this post. I pretty much only read YA because of the smut factor of adult books and my general dislike of such, but I really hope your book does well in the mass market format! We need more zombies out there!
I know a few people who’d be very interested in this series; I’ll drop them a line.
Good luck, Mark!
That is so true. Mark can “Write his Ass off”! Where else will you read, Who gets to eat the asshole arguments? I love the flesh eating, unapoligetic, diva bitch that is Amanda.
Mark, give libraries a try as promo tools. There are fanatic patrons out there. Some can’t wait for us to get the next book in a series or love them so much they add them to their personal collections after borrowing.
Hi Amy – I love libraries. Spend a lot of time writing in them. The problem is, I had enough difficulty pulling together money from our budget to mail off the ARCs that we had. Since outreach is largely in the hands of the author, when you’re out of contract and trying to stretch that last paycheck out, these kinds of expenses can be tough to come by. Plus, it’s the holidays.
At this point, my budget is $0.00. I’m limited to online campaigns and trying to write 3000 words per day and cook every night, shop, clean, etcetera. It’s pretty frustrating. There were days when I was first starting out where I didn’t get a chance to even write a sentence because I was doing promo 10 hours per day. And now, looking back and checking that against the crappy numbers. I’m not seeing a correlation between that kind of outreach promo and increased sales.
i haz a sad.
Thanks for the input though. I’m one of those patrons who absolutely will go buy the book, especially if I don’t finish it by the due date.
I was planning on buying more copies to pass out to my family for Christmas to distract them from the fact I’m such a dirty fucker.
I’d love to have an ARC and/or some giveaway copies for my site fantasy literature.com. I’ve read your first two Amanda Feral novels and suspect that the humor will inspire a huge cult-loyal following, plus your acknowledgement section is still the most enjoyably memorable I’ve ever read. Please reply to me at sbfrank[at]live[dot]com if you are still interested in giving some of these away to snarky book bloggers.
Hey Mark!
When specifically does this contest end? And if somebody wanted to give an xmas gift of one of those signed copies, when would they have to order them by? And you’d personalize to the gift recipient, right?
Stephen – I’m trying to get Kensington to cough up some PDF ARCs, as I’ve now already sent out the 40 I had for that purpose (less than a quarter of my list, but that’s how it goes). I’ll make an announcement if they pull through.
Carolyn – I talked to Duane at UBS on Friday and by their regular mail process, orders by next Friday should make it to the recipient before Christmas. After that, buyer will have to pay for extra shipping stuff. And yeah, I’ll personalize to whoever you’d like! Thanks!
Carolyn- I’m considering extending the contest through this coming Friday the 11th.
Oh, okay! Well, let me know. I was posting about it in my links roundup today, but if you extend, I’ll give it its own post on Tuesday.
or both, actually. Oh, I’m not really entering myself.
[...] On Discouragement and One Last ARC Contest [...]
Okay. It’s extended…
http://www.markhenry.us/extending-the-save-amanda-feral-contest/
I found this great service to track out of stock items on Amazon:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5680413_notified-amazon-product-stock.html
It works!
Hi Mark, oh I am sorry to hear that. I posted my review of Happy Hour back in 2008 on Amazon, also bought a copy of Road Trip, however someone borrowed it from me and never returned it. I just left a voice mail for them, if I can’t get my copy back I will purchase another copy. PJ
__________________________________________
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Read this book, it is Twisted and Funny in a Good Way, March 7, 2008
By Phyllis Jackson “Phyllis Jackson – Book Worm” (Long Beach, CA USA) – See all my reviews
I really enjoyed this book, it has a lot of twisted humor in it. Amanda is the Zombie to be. Perfect hair and makeup. She is just too funny. She gets caught up in a twisted plot while searching for a missing friend. Give it a read, I am sure you will enjoy it.
[...] Mark Henry has an offer for readers who want to try his funny, sexy books, and who would like an ARC…. [...]
Ok so can’t find rad trip sooo I ordered a signed copy and for the whole set I ordered Happy Hour too!!!! I also posted a rating on amazon!!! There I helped!
Sorry I didn’t do some of this pimping earlier! I’ve had an excerpt from my review of Road Trip over at B&N (linking back to Flames Rising) since I first posted it, and I’ve just done the same for Happy Hour. I also mentioned you in my blog today (both this contest and the new release dates): http://alanajoli.livejournal.com.
Speaking of Flames Rising, you want me to do a review for them for Battle? I’m way behind on my FR reviews (and Matt will probably strangle me for volunteering for more — or at very least roll his eyes at my lack of priority for the books he sends me vs. the ones I pick myself), but I am always, always happy to review another Amanda book.
I have reviewed Happy Hour of the Damned on bn.com and will be doing so for Road Trip of the Living Dead soon. I work at B&N and I’m always looking out for new authors because I know it all starts with word of mouth to get them off and running. When I found your books I giggled like a school girl because it was a combo of some of my favorite things…snarky strong females, gay vamps and ZOMBIES! I have been telling everyone who listens about your books.
My co-workers call me Shawna of the Dead and I’m always getting paged to help customers who want supernatural romance or science fiction. And when the holidays are finally over I can put up my endcap of the books I recommend again and your books will be added to it. Don’t lose hope, your fans will get the word out about your wonderful series and I will be doing my part in Pasadena, Texas.
Thanks a ton Shawna!
As for ARCs they’ve all gone out, wasn’t difficult to do, with a list of 250 folks and only 40 ARCs to get out there, pretty much went to the people I knew had read the previous books and booksellers, I’ve met personally. Unfortunately, lots of book bloggers and reviewers I know, didn’t get one. So… I’m waiting to hear back from Kensington about an e-ARC for all y’all!
I’m too late to enter, but that’s ok. Just wanted to share some love Mark. I review for an online site (bookbitch.com as well as my own blog) and received Battle of the Network Zombies. Good reader/reviewer that I am I feel I must read the first two books in order to do a fair review and know what’s going on. Having no knowledge of this contest, I ordered Happy Hour last evening and am waiting patiently for it to arrive now. Will review and blog each as well as the Save the Amanda Feral Campaign. And will round out my collection shortly with Road Trip. (When I was a bookseller, I just about died to get arcs of books like yours. They’re still out there even if it’s not totally obvious that they are.)
[...] of the Network Zombies not only saves Amanda Feral, but it makes you wish you had your very own zombie [...]
[...] the hubby to look at me like I had lost a few marbles. If you haven’t yet jumped on the Save Amanda Feral bandwagon, don’t worry, there is still time! Book 1, Happy Hour of the Damned, is being [...]
[...] Feral” is because, well, Mark Henry tells it best. See his website and blog posts here and here. Long story short is that the third book in the series may just be the last. That would be bad in [...]
[...] Spread the word. Blog it, Twitter it, Facebook it — just get the word out. You can click here to see where to buy his books, and what brought this [...]
I had been meaning to buy “roadtrip” for a while but, well you know how it is, things get put off. Today I went looking for it only to find out that it was a second book and that “happyhour” just came out. I’d never even knew it was out there but the republishing worked and I’ve about 1/4 into it. Great stuff and I’ll be adding roadtrip (and battle when its out) to my collection. Oh yeah and I found you’re friends with a few other authors who I’ve been collecting, Acevedo, Cherie and Kat. Your blog has also introduced me to a few others to try. Thanks and keep writing, we’ll keep reading.